This year’s theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, Legacy, speaks to all of us who walk in the footsteps of our Elders and the path our Elders laid for us.
As an Aboriginal woman I carry my culture, my knowledge and my pride with me every day. In my role at The Social Deck, I’m able to hear directly from our Elders and our mob about what affects them and their communities. It’s my duty and my privilege, to pass that knowledge on and help make a difference.
In Aboriginal culture, family plays a huge part in who you are and who you become. We hold the knowledge of our Elders dear and understand the importance of passing that knowledge on through generations.
Through our work in First Nations Aged Care, I’ve had the pleasure and the privilege of talking to Aunties and Uncles from different mobs, across the nation. I’ve learned so much; most important of which is understanding my place, and my role as a young Aboriginal woman in this community. Through our consultations, we recently visited Adelaide and spoke to the communities down there. One Uncle made it clear that the younger generations must take the reins when it comes to advocating for mob.
As our older mob enter the aged care space, especially those who lived the trauma of the Stolen Generations, it’s important that we look after them. Understanding what they want from their aged care but also being able to relay and help pass on information that they might need, like the kinds of aged care support they can get. It’s our job to be a voice for our older mob who may feel too shame or aren’t being heard.
This NAIDOC Week let’s celebrate our culture, our Elders, and the deadly, bright vision we, the next generation, are creating.
