Reflection

Art Work: Bobbi Lockyer, a proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru artist, born and based on Kariyarra Country in Port Hedland, 2021 NAIDOC Artist of the Year and winner of the prestigious 2023 National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition, For our Elders 

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 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 have 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. 

The Dreaming Prayer 

Creator of all, you gave us the Dreaming. 

You have always spoken to us through our beliefs. 

You then made your love clear to us in the person of Jesus. 

We thank you for your care. 

You own us, you are our hope. 

Make us strong as we face the problems of change. 

We ask you to help all the people of Australia to listen to us and respect our culture. 

Make the knowledge of you grow strong in all people, so that you can find a home in us, and we can make a home for everyone in our land. 

This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

Prepared by a national committee of Indigenous people for the Visit of Pope John Paul II to Australia in 1986