The elders formed Kapululangu on 12 April 1999, but trace its history back to 1983 when they held a series of Women’s Law Camps in the east Kimberley.
These camps developed into the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture’s Desert Women’s Project (DWR) in 1986. DWR was so successful that it was incorporated as the Manungka Manungka Women’s Association in 1990. Manungka Manungka ran until December 1993.
Then the women elders of Balgo had no support until September 1998 when they decided to re-establish their women’s organisation. They called on an old friend, Zohl dé Ishtar, who was to become Kapululangu’s founding-coordinator. The Kapululangu Aboriginal Women’s Association became an Aboriginal Corporation on 3 August 1999.
At that stage the women elders had few resources other than their sheer determination and their vision of what cultural services they felt their community should be provided. For the first two years the elders and their coordinator lived together in a one room tin shed. Today they have two large houses and use the shed for ceremonies and as a Keeping Place for one of Australia's most important collection of tarruku (sacred ritual items) in constant use.
Kapululangu holds a series of core Law and Culture activities, ceremonies and celebrations. Its trademark activities include Women's Culture Learning Camps, Women's Law Camps, and Ceremonial Dreaming Track Treks. These activities are open to Indigenous women and children the Kutjungka Region (Balgo and its neighbours), and also Indigenous and Non-Indigenous women from across the Kimberley and around Australia.
The Kapululangu Elders and Directors now have three staff and a growing network of supporters and sponsors.
