A new dawn for island's lost youth
22.10.2005



By: Tony Koch

SIX months ago the future looked bleak for Mornington Island's teenagers as the scourge of petrol-sniffing threatened to cut a swath through the island's youth.
Without help, their life prospects were grim -- inevitable brain damage from the effects of petrol, probably paralysis, and an early death, perhaps through depression-induced suicide.
But in a remarkable turnaround, the Gulf of Carpentaria island's elders have taken their teenagers back to their roots in a groundbreaking program that allowed them to re-embrace their culture.
Their success has provided hope and inspiration for Aboriginal communities around Australia where thousands more are locked in a cycle of substance abuse.
Faced with the prospect of ``watching them die'', the community took 25 addicted teenagers to a remote outstation in the north of the island.
``We had health officials speak to them and tell them what they were doing to their bodies,'' said Jenny Sewter, local community development officer with the international aid agency Oxfam.
``The police attended also and enforced the message about criminal conduct, and the elders told them that they should embrace culture and reject substance abuse.
``They were in the bush, so they first had to build their own shelters and they scavenged for bush tucker.
``There was dance, and every day, talks about their health and physical and emotional well-being.
``They made up rap songs, sang them and danced because they were healthy and suddenly had a reason to live. The result was amazing.''
The camp was repeated in August, this time with 50 children. And this week, the results were obvious.
A dozen former petrol-sniffers, now brimming with good heath, dived from the island's jetty and frolicked in the clear blue waters, under the gaze of several proud elders.
The teenagers were brimming with good health -- eyes bright, skin glowing, bouncing with energy and full of cheeky retorts.
Mrs Sewter said no individuals on the island were now involved in petrol-sniffing.
Night patrols, which previously chased unruly gangs, have been abandoned because they had no work to do.
The experience on Mornington Island sets the community apart from other Aboriginal townships still suffering the scourge of petrol-sniffing.
Queensland District Court judge Michael Forde, who has been officiating at circuit courts at Mornington Island for four years, praised the community for finding its own solution to a serious problem.
``Substance abuse among young people in remote communities is a serious and sad issue, and if the people of Mornington Island can defeat it, others can follow their example,'' he said.