Warramunga Tribal Ties
11 May 2010
HMAS Warramunga (CMDR Bruce Legge), continued its association with the Warumungu people and the town of Tennant Creek, in the Northern Territory when fifteen of the Ship’s Company visited the area over the ANZAC Day weekend.
The contingent was shown Warumungu sacred sites such as Kunjurra where they were told about the Munga Munga Dreaming, which included stories of the spirits which protect the sacred site. The group was also introduced to a number of Waramungu Elders, who spoke in detail about the history of the people honoured by the ship’s name. One of the highlights was visiting the Nyinkka Nyunyu Culture Centre which further enhanced the group’s understanding of the people they represent when serving in Warramunga.
Over the course of the weekend the group also engaged with the local community at functions with the Tennant Creek RSL including a Korean Veterans Commemorative Service and a pre ANZAC Day Dining- in Night. HMAS Warramunga provided the Cenotaph Party for the ANZAC Day Dawn and Memorial Services. Many found spending ANZAC Day over 1000 kms from the nearest coast to be quite a change from their previous experience in commemorating this important day. Also noteworthy was that five of the group had spent last ANZAC Day at sea in the Persian Gulf during Warramunga’s 2009 Middle East Area of Operation deployment.
All of the group who attended the weekend were unanimous in their praise of the warm hospitality shown to the Warramunga Ship’s Company by the Tennant Creek community; with many placing it as their best ANZAC Day to date. The majority of the Ship’s Company marched in the City of Perth while the ship was in a pre-deployment maintenance period prior to sailing for RIMPAC 10.
