Canadian backpacker Piper James was holidaying with friends when she was found dead at K'gari, formerly Fraser Island, off Queensland.
Canadian backpacker Piper James was holidaying with friends when she was found dead at K'gari, formerly Fraser Island, off Queensland.
The parents of Canadian tourist Piper James, whose body was found surrounded by dingoes on K’gari, have taken part in a traditional smoking ceremony in her honour.
Angela and Todd James appeared emotional, embracing and holding hands as they walked on to the beach where their 19-year-old daughter died twoweeks ago, the ABC reported.
A select group of 10 family and friends joined the grieving parents in a smoking ritual performed by the indigenous Butchella Aboriginal Corporation (BAC).
Piper James died on K’gari, formerly Fraser Island, on January 19 after she went for an early morning swim.
She had been in Australia for six weeks on a “holiday of a lifetime” and had been working at a backpackers’ hostel on the island off Queensland.
Her body was found on Eastern Beach shortly after, surrounded by dingoes, near the SS Maheno shipwreck, a popular tourist spot.
A preliminary assessment revealed she likely died of drowning.
“The autopsy has found physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites,” a Queensland coroner’s court spokesperson said.
“Pre-mortem dingo bite marks are not likely to have caused immediate death. There are extensive post-mortem dingo bite marks.”
K’gari, previously known as Fraser Island, embraces its Butchulla heritage meaning "paradise."
Butchulla elder Kate Doolan described the significance of the smoking ceremony, saying she hoped it would help the family’s “healing journey”.
“We’re cleansing out the energy … to help release her, and give the family and her safe passage back to their homeland,“ she said.
“Our shattered hearts with Piper’s help will all mend,” father Todd James told the ABC this week.
“Thank you to everyone around the world, Canadians and Australians, we’re so grateful for the way humanity has been with us.”
The BAC called on the Queensland state government to carry out a full review of the island’s management structure after eight wongari (dingoes) were euthanised following the death of James, according to NITV.
“It’s a very sad occasion,” Butchulla man Conway Burns said.
“We want to take [the wongari] through ceremony as well, because they are dear to our hearts.
“They’re our companions. Once upon a time they walked with us. They were our watchers, our camp dingoes, as well as wild ones.”
NITV reported the BAC has requested an overhaul of the wongari management plan to include more consultation with indigenous experts.
The group has also reportedly called for a cap on visitor numbers during wongari breeding periods.
Angela James told the ABC a dingo cull would be the “last thing Piper would want”.
“She wouldn’t want anything done to [the dingoes]; they were there first, she knew that.”
The family were understood to be returning to Canada this week with their daughter’s remains, with a memorial service planned for later this month.
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