Tribal Warrior

For other uses, see Warrior (disambiguation).

Tribal Warrior is an Aboriginal Australian non-profit organisation based in Redfern, New South Wales.^[2]

Tribal Warrior Association

Type	Non Government Organisation
Tax ID no.	30804052940
Location	Redfern, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°53′35″S 151°15′27″E / 33.8930376°S 151.25762110000005°E / -33.8930376; 151.25762110000005
Chairman & CEO	Shane Phillips^[1]
Founding member	Uncle Max Eulo^[1]
Website	www.tribalwarrior.org

Activities

Tribal Warrior runs a mentoring program in partnership with Redfern Police to help reduce recidivism rates of Aboriginal Australian youth.^[3][4] The program is named "Clean Slate Without Prejudice" and uses ‘routine and discipline’ through boxing and fitness classes as a way of keeping vulnerable and at risk youth from being involved in criminal activity. In 2016, the program received a gold award in the police category of the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA).^[5] The mentoring program initially started for young men, and later developed a women's program as well.^[6]: 142

The organisation also runs an Aboriginal Cultural Cruise which allows visitors to Sydney to view the sights of Sydney Harbour and hear stories of the Eora, Cadigal, Guringai, Wangal, Gammeraigal and Wallumedegal people.^[7][8][9]

Since operating their cultural and corporate cruises, Tribal Warrior began a program providing maritime qualification training for disadvantaged Aboriginal Australians.^[10][11]

The organisation was founded in part to form an all Indigenous team to compete in the Sydney to Hobart race. Following a crowdfunding appeal, on Boxing Day, 2016, Tribal Warrior sailed the Southern Excellence Two in the event. The organisation missed the race's entry deadline due to a lack of funds, and was not part of the official race, but participated nonetheless.^[12][13]

People

In 2013, CEO and Chairman Shane Phillips was awarded the Australian of the Year Local Hero Award recognising his work in the Redfern community.^[14][15][16] Phillips is a former player and current reserve coach for the Redfern All Blacks.^[17][18]

Mr Phillips is a current panel member of the Indigenous Advisory Committee for Westpac bank, helping to provide advice on Indigenous issues as they relate to the bank's business activities.^[19]

Boats

The organisation operates the "Tribal Warrior" - a 15.4-metre gaff-rigged ketch. The sailboat was built more than 100 years ago in the Torres Strait and is used to train Indigenous skippers and maritime workers.^[2]

The organisation's vessel "Mari Nawi" (meaning 'big canoe' in the Eora language)^[20][21] is used for cruises and accommodates up to 150 guests with options for on board catering and entertainment.^[22]

In 2020 Tribal Warrior was donated the retired Lady-class ferry Lady Northcott by the NSW Government. The vessel underwent works in Newcastle in order to put it back into survey. When the works were complete the vessel returned to Sydney Harbour under her own power on the 26th of September 2022. The vessel is now berthed in Blackwattle Bay where works are being undertaken to convert her to a cruise vessel.

See also

• The Block (Sydney)
• Redfern All Blacks

References

1. "Our People – Tribal Warrior Association". Tribal Warrior.
2. Arlington, Kim (24 January 2011). "Tribal Warrior runs up a message of survival". Sydney Morning Herald.
3. . Tribal Warrior. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021.
4. "Fight club: gloves are on". The Australian. 29 January 2016.
5. "Two NSW police projects recognised for reducing crime in the Redfern area". Australian Institute of Criminology. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
6. Kearney, Amanada. Cultural Wounding, Healing, and Emerging Ethnicities. Springer. 26 November 2014. ISBN 9781137478290.
7. "Aboriginal Cultural Cruise". Tribal Warrior.
8. "The 10 best cruise destinations to see Native cultures". USA Today.
9. "Going walkabout - Arts - Entertainment". Sydney Morning Herald. 2 January 2008.
10. "Tribal Warrior Maritime Training". Tribal Warrior.
11. "Tribal Warrior harbour cruises: Shane Phillips - A History of Aboriginal Sydney".
12. "First Indigenous crew to set sail in Sydney to Hobart". ABC News. 22 December 2016.
13. "Tribal Warrior in bid to become first ever Indigenous team in Sydney to Hobart". SBS News.
14. . australianoftheyear.org.au. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
15. "NACCHO congratulates Shane Phillips a real Redfern boy and Australia's local hero". nacchocommunique.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
16. "Ita Buttrose named Australian of the Year". ABC News. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
17. "News". sportstg.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
18. "Redfern All Blacks Keeping the Ball in Motion". footyalmanac.com.au. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
19. "Governing our Approach - Westpac Reconciliation Action Plan". Westpac Group. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
20. Prentis, Malcolm. "Keith Vincent Smith, Mari nawi: Aboriginal odysseys." Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society 97, no. 2 (2011): 249–251.
21. Smith, Keith. Mari Nawi (" big Canoes"): Aboriginal Voyagers in Australia's Maritime History, 1788-1855. Macquarie University, 2008.
22. "Private Charters On Sydney Harbour". Tribal Warrior.