Reconciliation Allies Kangaroo Valley (RAKV) are once again commemorating NAIDOC week, which takes place from 2-9 July, and we thank Kangaroo Valley Voice for their support. This year, NAIDOC week has the theme of ‘For Our Elders’. Whilst this theme is one especially for Indigenous people, we would also like to acknowledge the insights and new understandings that we, as non-Koori people, can be rewarded with if we are fortunate enough to be able to spend time with Indigenous Elders living in our locality.
As the Shoalhaven NAIDOC Committee stated, “This theme fosters change and encourages us to advocate for institutional, structural, collaborative and cooperative change, all while celebrating our Elders and community members who have already been a champion of these changes and continue to inspire all of us”.
For now RAKV would like to provide the explanation behind this year’s theme and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and their continuing connection to Country.
Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our communities and families.
They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones.
Our loved ones who pick us up in our low moments and celebrate us in our high ones. Who cook us a feed to comfort us and pull us into line, when we need them too.
They guide our generations and pave the way for us to take the paths we can take today. Guidance, not only through generations of advocacy and activism, but in everyday life and how to place ourselves in the world.
We draw strength from their knowledge and experience, in everything from land management, cultural knowledge to justice and human rights. Across multiple sectors like health, education, the arts, politics and everything in between, they have set the many courses we follow.
The struggles of our Elders help to move us forward today. The equality we continue to fight for is found in their fight. Their tenacity and strength has carried the survival of our people.
It is their influence and through their learnings that we must ensure that when it comes to future decision making for our people, there is nothing about us – without us.
We pay our respects to the Elders we’ve lost and to those who continue fighting for us across all our Nations and we pay homage to them.
Sarah Waddell