Frequently Asked Questions

Gilibanga is a Blak-led national network of First Nations evaluators and trusted allies. The name comes from the Darkinyung Language and means to Create, Make Light : gifted to us by the Darkinyung Language Group in 2022. We exist to redefine how impact is understood, measured, and valued in Australia, by amplifying the voices and practices of First Nations evaluators and driving systemic change across the sector.

A Blak Evaluator is a First Nations person who works in evaluation, research, data governance, community practice, or related fields : someone who brings Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing to the work of understanding, measuring impact and learning. Gilibanga also recognises the broader community of First Nations knowledge holders, story gatherers, and relational navigators and connectors who bridge community, policy, and evidence systems.

Gilibanga membership is open to First Nations evaluators and practitioners, as well as non-Indigenous professionals committed to active, genuine allyship. Our network includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across all states and territories, as well as connections in the Pacific and growing globally. If you are unsure whether Gilibanga is right for you, simply reach out : we will have a yarn and figure it out together.

Membership is about relationship, not just registration. As a member, you will be part of a living, connected community of practice : including access to monthly online yarns, learning and training opportunities, shared resources and the Gilibanga Library, advocacy and sector representation, and the collective support of a national network of peers. We ask members to contribute to the network : to share ideas and knowledge, support others, and bring their strengths to the network community.

A Trusted Ally is a non-Indigenous person committed to supporting First Nations leadership and cultural safety in the evaluation sector, not sitting just with appreciation or curiosity but role modelling active standards, practices and walking with us in shared advocacy and leadership to shift systems that do not work for us. Trusted Allies participate in yarns and events, engage in ongoing learning, and use their power, access and influence to support Blak evaluators rather than speaking over them. Allyship at Gilibanga is active, not symbolic.

The Gilibanga Gathering : Weaving Our Light : is the first national gathering -to amplify First Nations evaluators, planned for 26–29 October 2026. It will be a space for connection, celebration, learning, and collective visioning, designed by mob for mob. To register your interest, check out our link on the website, or contact us at admin@gilibanga.com.au

2WUMEL stands for Two Worlds Understanding Measurement Evaluation and Learning co-created by Dr Skye Trudgett (Founder and CEO Kowa) and Dr Jess Dart (Co-Founder and CEO, Clear Horizon). It is a flagship training program that Gilibanga provides support to network members to access. This unique learning offering is designed to quietly grow confidence, deepen technical skills and knowledge, recognise and build on the deep wisdom of our mob and ensure First Nations evaluators feel confident to apply the use of tools and resources and lead/ and or participate in culturally grounded evaluation practice. Regional 2WUMEL programs are planned for Gimuy Country (Cairns) and Tarntanya (Adelaide) in 2026.

The Gilibanga Library and Resource Hub is a growing digital repository of Indigenous evaluation knowledge, resources, and thought leadership. It is designed to demystify and decolonise access to evaluation expertise and ensure that First Nations practitioners : and the broader sector : can access culturally grounded knowledge, with full recognition going to the authors and knowledge holders who contribute to it.

Gilibanga actively builds the capacity of First Nations evaluators in Indigenous Data Governance and Sovereignty : including through specialised IDG&S training and masterclasses, which incorporate the national leadership of Maiam Nayri Wingara. We also use Wathaga, a culturally grounded data platform created by Kowa, to store and interpret our own network data in ways that embed Indigenous data governance principles, cultural protocols, and relational ways of understanding information.

Gilibanga has received initial funding from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, one of Australia's largest philanthropic organisations. We are hosted by Ngimiliko Kunta, a not-for-profit focused on First Nations place-making. We are actively working toward sustainable, diverse funding that supports the long-term independence and self-determination of the network.

The best first step is to reach out. Email us at admin@gilibanga.com.au, explore this website, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. If you are ready to join the network, we will welcome you into the community and take the time to understand how you can best contribute to and benefit from Gilibanga.