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| Lockyer, 2021 |
The chosen
theme highlights current conversations or significant events that have impacted
the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Each theme
chosen has a story behind it and this year’s theme Heal Country is particularly
significant, given the recent events relating to Country and Seas – Juukan Gorge
Caves (Wahlquist, 2020), 350-year-old Djab Wurrung tree (Blakkarly, 2020), catastrophic
bushfires (Hughes et al. 2020), the Murray-Darling basin (Davies et al., 2018) and
the Torres Strait Eight (Lyons, 2019), just to name a few.
So, what
does Heal Country mean to the First Nations People and organisations? Here are
some reflections…
Gubbi Gubbi artist Maggie-Jean Douglas' artwork ‘Care for Country’, which won
this year’s National NAIDOC Poster Competition, explores how Country has cared
for and healed First Nations people, spiritually, physically, emotionally,
socially, and culturally (NAIDOC, 2021).
For JCU
Graduate and Townsville University Hospital emergency medicine registrar Dr.
Nathan Passi (Torres Strait Islander), “Country represents identity,
spirituality and connection. Country is very important to my people, and my
family, as my ancestors fought for recognition of Indigenous land rights and
Indigenous identity as plaintiffs in the Mabo case” (Lucas, 2021).
For Vanessa
Cavanagh (Associate Lecturer, University of Wollongong),“the sentinel grandmother tree that
stood strong on her parents property on Darkinjung Country (Colo Heights North
West of Sydney) connected her with Country, to the kinship networks” (Cavanagh,
2020).
Not-for-profit
organisation Common Ground Australia states, “Country means everything. Country is
the lands, waters, skies, animals – but more importantly, it is the deep,
immeasurable connection between First Nations languages, culture and lore”
(Common Ground, 2021).
For Torres
Strait Islanders, connection to Country revolves around the winds. The winds
have been an integral part of Torres Strait culture, and kindship. Connection
to the Four Winds (Sager, Naigai, Kuki and Zey) for the Gubaw Gizul of Saibai
Island is equivalent to connection to Country. Each wind brings knowledge of
seasonal change, temperatures and life (Fa’aoso, 2019).
For more information, including the 2021 NAIDOC theme Heal Country, check out https://www.naidoc.org.au/get-involved/2021-theme.
Blakkarly,
J. (2020). A centuries old tree has been cut down along Victoria’s Western
Highway, according to activists who had set up camp to protect sacred trees
from the highway upgrade project. Special Broadcasting Service (SBS News). https://www.sbs.com.au/news/sacred-350-year-old-indigenous-tree-cut-down-for-victorian-highway-upgrade-activists-report.
Cavanagh,
V. (2020). Friday essay: This grandmother tree connects me to Country. I cried
when I saw her burned. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-this-grandmother-tree-connects-me-to-country-i-cried-when-i-saw-her-burned-129782.
Common
Ground Australia. (2021). What is country?. https://www.commonground.org.au/
Davies, A.,
Bowers, M., Ball, A., & Evershed, N. (2018). Murray-Darling: When the
river runs dry. The Guardian Australia. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2018/apr/05/murray-darling-when-the-river-runs-dry
Fa’aoso, A.
(Director). (2018). Elements: Wind – The Gubaw Gizul of Saibai [Video].
SBS OnDemand. https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1588348995762/karla-grant-presents-elements-elements-wind-the-gubaw-gizul-of-saibai
Hughes, L.,
Annika, D., Steffen, W., Weisbrot, E., Rice, M., & Mullins, G. (2020, March
11). Summer of crises report. Climate Council. https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/summer-of-crisis/
Lucas, J.
(2021). Doctor’s path to healing. James Cook University. https://www.jcu.edu.au/this-is-uni/health-and-medicine/articles/torres-strait-islander-doctors-path-to-healing.
Lockyer, B (2021). Heal Country logo [Stock image]. Canva.
Lyons, K. (2019,
May 27). Torres Strait Islanders ask UN to hold Australia to account on climate
‘human rights abuses’. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/torres-strait-islanders-ask-un-to-hold-australia-to-account-on-climate-human-rights-abuses-117262
National
Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee. (2021). 2021 National
NAIDOC poster. NAIDOC Organisation. https://www.naidoc.org.au/get-involved/2021-poster.
Wahlquist,
C. (2020). Rio Tinto blasts 46,000-year-old Aboriginal site to expand iron
ore mine. The Guardian Australia. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/26/rio-tinto-blasts-46000-year-old-aboriginal-site-to-expand-iron-ore-mine.
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