| 1965: First
airstrip constructed by Ritharrŋu, Wägilak and Djambarrpuyŋu
families. Construction was undertaken using shovel, picks, hands and
paperbark trays to transport gravel to fill depressions and holes left
by removed stumps. 1976: The first letter was written by Sammy Buntarrawuy on behlaf of elders to the NT Education Department requesting a school and teacher. No response was received to this letter. 2001, October: Internet connection with independent power supply established as a service accessible to all residents. 2002, April: Mapuru Ŋatha (food coop) placed its first order for $400 of food, and began trading as a non-incorporated, not for profit community-school initiative. The benefits of the coop have been profound. Run and managed by Mapuru residents the coop has; enabled Mapuru residents to control their food supply, contextualised Western maths for students, taught residents the fundamentals of Western money, increased self-esteem and dignity. See: Mäpuru coop 2003, August: Arnhem Weavers hold their first workshop for women from around Australia and overseas. 2009, July: First Men's Business trip held. 2010: June: NT Education Dept approves the establishmnet of an independent school at Mäpuru, under the NT Christian Schools Association. In the application to the NT Education Dept. The NTCSA is "fully committed to community control and supports the proposed governance structures that dominated the consultations with the community". The NTCSA further agreed to assist Mäpuru move towards becoming a fully independent school as and when decided by Mäpuru residents. 2010, July: Mapuru has it first mail delivered through a school mail bag. Before this date all mail was sent to Galiwin'ku and often held there for months before being delivered or Mapuru residents fly to Galiwin'ku to pick up their mail. 2010, (check exact date) FaHCSIA amends policy to allow Mäpuru Ŋatha to accept the Basics Card. 2011, September: Mäpuru writes a successful submission for funds, then installs two sets of pipes under the airstrip (after the previous Wet left residents with road or air access for three months). 2005-2011 and ongoing: Name corrections and Birth Certificates (BC) are obtained for all residents. Previous to this endeavour no residents had a Birth Certificate. The names on every Birth Certificate were often grossly incorrect and all needed correcting. After obtaining corrected BC's residents were then able to being the arduous process of correcting names registered on bank accounts, licences, local clinic records, hospital records, electoral rolls, medicare cards, Centrelink records, etc. Often people had a different name recorded on each record. 2012, March: Twenty five residents gain their L's driving licences. 2012, April: Mapuru is acknowledged in the Australian Post Code Book. Without a postcode and official recognition, residents have been unable to have Mapuru as their address with banks, Centrelink, Medical records, Australian Tax Office, Medicare. 2012, November(?): Mäpuru Girri, a second coop begins at Mäpuru to supply pots, pans, tyres, oil, clothes, fishing lines, hooks, yam digging sticks, axes, files, oils, greases etc. Mäpuru Girri is run and managed by the students from the school, and can accept the Basics Card. 2013, August: After street trenching by a Telstra contractor (Telecom Tim) in 2012 all houses have In-Contact landline telephone connections. 2013-2014: In collaboration with, and under the guidance of Elders accross Yolŋu Land, Mäpuru students undertake intensive study and research into the lives, philosophy and history of the Mukarr. The Mäpuru students are direct descendents of the Mukarr, visited signicant places from Badaypaday (near the Mitchell Ranges) to Dhuwalkitj to Burrakamurru, then to Bamaka in the Wessel Islands. 2015, 23 June: The first 5 Yearly Routine Assessment Panel Report on the Mäpuru school reports: Mäpuru Christian School is highly commended for the consultative and collaborative approach which recognises, respects and values the culture of the community and its children. The active involvement of the students in teh learning process and the strong role of the community in both the daily operations and the future planning of the school are great achievements. |