Our story

Our Elders started the Nja-marléya journey many years ago with a strong vision.

We are continuing the journey in their footsteps, working hard to be strong and stand on our own two feet.

Nja-marléya

Nja-marléya is a blue green ocean crab with long arms in Ndjébbana language.

The Nja-marléya keeps its young ones away from danger and shields them from harm, bringing them up respectfully and in a responsible way as they were brought up by their parents and their parents before.

The Nja-marléya brings people together in its arms; caring, educating and teaching to keep cultural values strong.

Nja-marléya Cultural Leaders and Justice Group - logo

Our vision

Our Elders had a strong vision to return the cultural justice system to Maningrida, where Bininj and Balanda systems work together for positive impact.

  • Return of a cultural justice system to Maningrida

  • Bininj and Balanda working together

  • Build up young leaders through cultural knowledge and strength

A timeline of our journey

  • Our Elders vision

    Before 2018

    Our law and justice system has been there 60,000 years and we want to continue on.

    Our Elders started the Nja-marléya journey many years ago with a strong vision.

  • Our leaders came together

    2018

    Leaders from all different language groups in Maningrida and surrounding homelands came together to form Nja-marléya Cultural Leaders and Justice Group.

  • Forming our identity

    2019

    We worked with local artist Alastair Hames, to design our logo of a Nja-marleya, a blue green ocean crab. The symbol of the crab is keeping people together, looking after, caring and teaching them.

    This is our identity. 

  • Official registration

    2021

    We were officially registered as a charitable organisation, strengthening our recognition in the Balanda world and empowering our leaders to guide cultural and community-led justice and wellbeing outcomes.

  • Taking our first steps

    2023

    We secured funding through the Australian Government to deliver the Youth Wellbeing and Stronger Communities for Children programs in Maningrida.

    We hired our first ever staff member to support the delivery of our youth programs.

    We took over responsibility of the Maningrida Youth Centre.

    We started taking our first steps in becoming a Law and Justice Group and implement Community Courts in Maningrida.

  • Growing stronger

    2024

    We secured funding through the Australian Government’s National Justice Reinvestment program, providing us with valuable resources to implement our Cultural Justice Model.

    We were officially recognised by the Northern Territory Government as the local Law and Justice Group for Maningrida, and secured funding to implement Community Courts (bush court).

    We recruited our first CEO to support us in our journey.

    We focussed on planning so we have a clear path forward, setting up systems and processes needed to support our work and growing our team to make sure we have enough support to achieve our goals.

  • Bringing the action back

    2025 onwards

    All of the work we have been busy doing behind the scenes has strengthened us, allowing us to walk on our own to feet.

    Now we are focused on bringing the action back to support our community into the future.

“Returning law and justice to local people was so important to Maningrida community that we included it in the Maningrida Local Decision Making agreement. To have a voice to government on Closing the Gap policies that affect Maningrida and homelands people.”

— Jessica Phillips, Nja-marléya Director