About Us
A story of Yolŋu determination and the beginning of Laynha
In the decades leading up to 1970, Yolŋu people across East Arnhem Land were drawn into mission settlements, with Yirrkala on the Gove Peninsula becoming the eastern most centre. These missions brought many clans together away from their ancestral lands and traditional ways of living.
In April 1972, senior Yolŋu leaders and their extended families began moving away from the Yirrkala mission and the growing mining town, returning to their traditional clan estates across Arnhem Land. This marked the beginning of the homelands movement, a powerful Yolŋu-led initiative driven by the desire to live on Country and maintain authority over their own lives.
The homelands movement was established before any government support existed. Yolŋu cleared land for airstrips and built their own homes using timber from their land, supported by Balanda (non-Indigenous people) from the Mission. Elders were determined to conduct their affairs according to Yolŋu law, raise their children on Country, and build sustainable, self-sufficient communities.
In 1985, Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation (Laynha) was established to support and advocate for homelands communities, working alongside Yolŋu to strengthen culture, community and future generations.
Our land and waters both fresh and salt is important to the Yolŋu people as it is from the land and the waters that our identity, our language, our kinship system, song and dance cycles and ceremonies comes from.
– Yananymul Mununggurr, Chairperson
Our Mission
Our mission is to help Yolŋu stay strong on their homelands by delivering quality services and housing, growing and supporting Yolŋu employment and enterprises, and preparing the next generation of Yolŋu leaders.
Our Vision
Our vison like the vision of our elders before us, is to determine our own future, to manage our own affairs, to become self-sufficient so that homeland mala can continue to live in peace and harmony.
Our Values
Respectful – of culture, languages, land and sea Country, authority, each other, and Laynha assets and resources.
Innovative – curious, adaptive, and creatively working towards the elders’ vision in the modern world.
Collaborative – investing in relationships, teams and coordinated service partnerships both internally and external.
Empowering – supporting and encouraging people and teams to take responsibility for their future with practical, pragmatic solutions.
How we help
Today, Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation (Laynha) works alongside Yolŋu homelands to support strong, sustainable communities across East Arnhem Land. Laynha delivers essential services and programs that are community-led and culturally informed, including health services, infrastructure and housing support, municipal and environmental services, employment and training pathways, and governance support.
Guided by Yolŋu leadership, Laynha advocates for the rights of homelands residents, strengthens local decision-making, and supports people to live well on their Country while planning for future generations.
Join us in supporting Yolŋu communities to live strong, healthy and independent lives on their homelands
We welcome diverse opportunities to contribute, work, invest, and collaborate that will strengthen culture, uphold self-determination, and keep connection to Country alive for generations.