Richard Trudgen and Djiniyini Gondarra talk the history money around the world.

In the past even Balanda had no money. Everyone around the world bartered or traded with each other without money in the middle. People traded what they had or what they were good at making. At that time Balanda did not move around and so they knew each other and they knew who you could trust. Contracts were sometimes made and everyone knew who paid their debts quickly or who didn’t.

This is a history that Yolngu know from their own experience but are surprised that it’s also part of Balanda history. Many Balanda tell Aboriginal people they “have to forget their own culture” even though Yolngu culture is founded on production and trade and being in credit with fellow traders.

Produced by Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS) in 2007