| Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this eNews may include images of persons who are deceased. December 2019With Summer finally here and 2020 fast approaching, it’s time to take stock of what a year 2019 has been. This year has been a landmark year, not only for Reconciliation Victoria, but for Victoria as a whole. One of the standouts, the election of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, an independent, Aboriginal led, culturally strong and powerful body, will be the voice of Aboriginal people in Victoria in this next phase of the Treaty process. Made up of Traditional Owners, elected by Aboriginal people in Victoria and Victorian Traditional Owners living outside the state. The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria will not negotiate treaty, instead it will work with the state (starting in December 2019) to achieve 3 major goals: a Treaty Authority (an Independent Umpire), a Treaty Negotiation Framework (a road map to show how local groups can negotiate their own treaty/ies), and a Self-determination Fund (to help build capacity at a local level). The Victorian Aboriginal voice speaks loud, and it speaks proud, their determination to persevere, and to lead Aboriginal advancement and self-determination in this country continues to inspire me. We at Reconciliation Victoria would like to thank everyone for their involvement in the reconciliation space this year and for stepping up, being bold, being brave and taking action. You are all driving forces for change in Victoria. With the end of the year upon us, let us all reflect on where we stand now and where we hope to move forward to in the coming year. We have experienced great strides this year, however there have also been major setbacks and injustices, and it is clearer now more than ever how important it is that we seek justice, truth-telling and tangible reparations for our First Peoples. There is still a lot of work to do, but let the approaching holidays be a time to acknowledge all the great work happening in the reconciliation space, and to thank those around us for their contributions, ‘Bring on 2020’. Thank you and like always, stay Deadly! Diana David CEONEWS Our Reconciliation Forum was held Saturday 26 October. It was a day filled with robust discussion from our panel guests and audience members focused on unpacking what Treaty, Statement from the Heart and Self-Determination – in the midst of ongoing injustice – mean for the reconciliation movement. This important conversation needs to continue. Thank you to Uncle Jim Berg and the other members of the Cultural Council, Uncle Ron for welcoming us to Wurundjeri Country, young Wurundjeri woman Chenile Chandler for sharing her language and gifted voice in song, moderator Charles Pakana and all our guest speakers for taking the time to share their perspectives. We are in the process of developing a resource including all the relevant information from the day which will appear on our website in the coming month. To view the wrap-up from the forum, please go to our website. A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped to make the day happen, and a thank you to everyone who attended / participated.RECONCILIATION VICTORIA AGMBoard Members At our October AGM we welcomed several new members to our Board. We are very excited to have Dean Duncan, Tom Cazaly and Jay Longworth join our team. We also fare-welled Vicki Clark, Juanita Pope and Trevor Pearce as they stepped down from the Board. We thank them for their contributions and guidance, and wish them all the best with their future endeavours. We’re excited that Vicki Clark will continue to share her wisdom through the Cultural Council. Vicki has been a long time champion of reconciliation and has played a key role in leading Reconciliation Victoria since the beginning, being part of the group who established Reconciliation Victoria and was a co-chair for almost 10 years. Read about our current board members hereElection results History has been made with the election of Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly Representatives on Monday 4 November. A huge congratulations to everyone who put their name forward and especially to those who have been appointed to the Assembly. To view the full list of elected members and reserved seats, click here.The inaugural Assembly meeting will be held on 10 & 11 December at Parliament House in Melbourne. Watch history in the making by tuning into the livestream on First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria’s Facebook page. Hear more about the Assembly and its purpose by listening to Treaty Commissioner Jill Gallagher here.Congratulations to the 2019 Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll Inductees! The Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll recognises the achievements of Aboriginal Victorians, both past and present, who have made a profound contribution to their community and to Victoria. Inductees have dedicated their lives to helping others and giving back to their community, while fighting for self-determination and equality. Reconciliation Victoria encourages Victorians to become familiar with and share the inspirational stories and achievements of all inductees on the Roll. The list of 2019 inductees can be found here. Reshaping The Relationship Between Local Government and Traditional OwnersA new local government bill is being debated in the Victorian Parliament, which could see Traditional Owners acknowledged for the first time as a distinct ‘Municipal Community’. Read the media release from the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations about what this bill would mean for Victoria. Reconciliation Victoria has been working with local governments since 2011 to support their engagement with local Aboriginal Torres Strait Islanders communities, through our Maggolee website and local government workshops. Reconciliation Victoria believes local government is well placed to progress reconciliation given they are the level of government closest to community. At all levels of government and community, Traditional Owners and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community should be at the centre of all decisions affecting them. Djab Wurrung settlement An interim settlement has been negotiated between Djab Wurrung Traditional Owners and Major Roads Victoria. The settlement allows Major Roads Victoria to begin construction on a 3.8km stretch of road which has been identified as least culturally sensitive. In return, Major Roads Victoria has agreed that no work, exempting surveys conducted on foot, will be performed outside of the 3.8km section until the next Federal Court hearing in November. Visit their Facebook to keep up to date with any news and to learn more about how you can help.Tanya Day’s family call for police accountability Tanya Day’s family has given their final submission to the coroner before the latest inquest into her death. In their submission, the Day family argued for three main things: • For individual police officers to be held accountable through a criminal investigation.• For Victoria Police, V/Line and Ambulance Victoria to be held to account through a finding that systemic racism was a cause of Tanya’s death. • For a recommendation that police stop investigating other police. Read more about the submission, inquest and what the family has said here.Massacre sights identified Researchers at the University of Newcastle have digitally mapped a further 53 sites across Australia where massacres of First Nations people took place. This interactive tool is a useful resource for learning about Australia’s true history. Read the article from NBN News here.Leadership group on Indigenous Voice to Government announced The Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, has announced a list of twenty people who will become members of the Senior Advisory Group that will be tasked with guiding the Co-Design process towards developing options for an Indigenous voice to government. Reconciliation Victoria believes that when creating any group that is supposed to be representative of the national ‘voice’, it is important that every state / territory is represented in that group. We would like to echo the disappointment of prominent Victorian Aboriginal people in the lack of Victorian representation for the national ‘voice’ body appointments. To view the list of members and read the full article from NITV click here.Indigemojis are here! Check out Australia’s first ever Indigenous emojis! An exciting development in bringing Aboriginal culture in social media and digital technology. Watch NITV’s video to hear all about them. Download the emojis from the App store or on Google Play. As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on donations and partnerships to help create change and work towards a Victorian identity that reflects our true history, promotes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, equity and self-determination.Donations are used to fund our ongoing work and projects that support meaningful reconciliation. We also welcome corporate sponsorships and partnerships. Please contact us to discuss opportunities, or donate by visiting our webpage.The Maggolee website, developed by Reconciliation Victoria, includes information on policy and programs, protocols and cultural awareness, Traditional Owner groups and local Aboriginal organisations, Aboriginal languages, key local contacts, news and events. It contains information about each of the 79 Victorian local government areas, and about actions councils can take across key function areas to build closer relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to progress reconciliation. Maggolee has also proven to be a useful resource for teachers, educators and the wider community.EVENTSIndigenous Comic Con The Indigenous Comic Con is a platform showcasing the very best in Indigenous creativity. Saturday 30 November Sunday 1 DecemberCome enjoy some live music, cosplay parades and gaming tournaments. See our convention floor full of vendors, comic artists and special celebrity guests. So come enjoy some sunshine and laughs with us. This event is open to our whole community. We look forward to seeing you there. Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm. Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Darebin Arts Centre, cnr Bell Street and St Georges Road, Preston. More information.Grandmothers Against Removals are having a festival to raise funds to stop the ongoing removal of Aboriginal children from their families. Sunday 1 December 10am to 4pm 33 Saxon Street, Brunswick, Victoria 3056Join Yorta Torta woman Bernadette Atkinson and Mutti Mutti artist Calinda Egan for some relaxed arts, crafts and lemon myrtle bites. Bernadette, a cultural educator, will teach us how to make lemon myrtle bites. This workshop will be on Tuesday 3 December from 11am until 1pm, and lunch will be provided. ACES, 5 Parkview Avenue, East Brunswick. Places are limited. Register by phoning 9244 3333 or email.The EACH Health Promotion and Aboriginal Health Team invites community members, representatives of Schools, Early Childhood Services and other organisations to this free event celebrating the Knox and Maroondah Aboriginal Small Grants Project. The event will include the launch of the Aboriginal Small Grants Stories Booklet which showcases achievements and stories from the project’s first round. It will also include a preview of the video which celebrates the second round and share photos across all three rounds. Join us in celebrating the work of the many partners involved in this highly successful initiative focused on building Cultural Inclusion across all Knox and Maroondah schools and early years services. The event will include a Welcome to Country, A Smoking Ceremony, and a range of Cultural performances. Tuesday 3 December 9.30am – 1pm Karralyka Centre, Mines Road, Ringwood Register here.7th Koorie Art ShowThe Koorie Art Show is our annual event showcasing the diverse talent of Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in one inclusive space.The Koorie Art Show is an open-entry, non-acquisitive award exhibition, presenting the works of emerging to senior, Koorie and Victorian based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists aged 17 years and above.All entered works are eligible for several awards. Saturday 7 December 2019 – Sunday 23 February 2020 The Yarra Building Federation Square More information.A Very Koorie Krismas There will be market stalls, workshops, live performances on the main stage by Alice Skye, Culture Evolves, Carissa Watts, Djirri Djirri Dance Group and Indigenous HIP HOP Projects. We will also have a very special visit from Koorie Klaus. Sunday 8 December 11am – 4pm Levels 1 and 3, The Yarra Building, Federation Square. Information.Share The Spirit Festival Share the Spirit is Victoria’s largest and longest running First Peoples’ music festival. An inclusive event which draws on the collective talent, support and passion of the local Aboriginal community in the delivery of a jam packed program of music, dance and cultural activities. Like their Facebook page to keep up to date with event news and details. Sunday 26 January 2020 12 – 7pm Treasury Gardens, Melbourne CityWe respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters of Victoria.Follow on FacebookFollow on TwitterEmail usSign up to receive this news monthlyPlease share this eNews with your networks. If you have any events or news items you’d like us to include please email the office. Make a Donation to Reconciliation Victoria and help create change in VictoriaBali – Wurundjeri season of cherry ballart (high summer) Key Dates 23 Dec – 3 Jan: Office closed 26 January: Invasion/Survival DayEducationThe Narragunnawali Awards were held in Canberra on Thursday 14 November. A huge congratulations to all the finalists! EARLY LEARNING • Barefoot Early Childhood, Queensland • Forbes Preschools Kindergarten, NSW – Winner SCHOOLS • Maclean High School, NSW – Winner • Moolap Primary School, Victoria • Tamborine Mountain State School, Queensland More information.Check out the latest Narragunnawali News containing information about reconciliation in Australia, ideas for driving reconciliation in schools and early learning services, and highlights of great things happening in schools and early learning services across the country.Stream the film. Request the DVD. Access the resources. Education resources for schools, sporting clubs and community organisations. Available here.When Eddie Betts entered the Australian Football League (AFL) at 17 years of age, he was unable to read or write and knows the challenges and disadvantage this can cause young people. Eddie’s series of educational books aims to help kids read with confidence and enjoyment and give them the chance to express their own personality into the story. More information.Who has a RAP? There are currently 5000+ schools and early learning services developing Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs). Connect with schools and early learning services to develop networks, build relationships and promote reconciliation in the local community and across the country. More information. What is a RAP?Resource to help celebrate the International Year of Indigenous Languages To mark the International Year of Indigenous Languages, Reconciliation Australia has put together a resource explaining the history and importance of revitalising First Nations languages, and how to respectfully explore reconciliation opportunities around language. More information.Podcasts TV • Film BooksThe 2019 Boyer Lecturer – Rachel Perkins Rachel’s Boyer lectures, The End of Silence, echo the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s call for a First Nations Voice to parliament and a process of agreement-making and truth-telling between governments and Indigenous peoples. This will enable a deeper understanding of this nation’s shared past and a path towards reconciliation. You can watch on ABC iView. You can listen on ABC RN.Indigenous Language and Perception Our perception of the world is significantly affected by the language we speak. It frames our worldview by training our brains in line with cultural understanding. Indigenous languages from around Australia pose a vastly different perspective of the world than that of English. We explore how these languages influence perceptions of self, kinship and the natural world. Listen here on ABC RN.Total Control A fearless Indigenous senator, barely weeks into her political career in Canberra, and betrayed at the highest level, must seek redemption and settle a score against the party, and the Prime Minster of Australia. Starring Deborah Mailman and Rachel Perkins. Watch here on ABC iView.Melissa Lucashenko’s ‘Too Much Lip’ – Miles Franklin Winner 2019A founding member of Sisters Inside, the Queensland-based not-for-profit that advocates for the rights of female prisoners, Melissa cares passionately about the intersection of the underclasses and the jail system. Read the article in The Guardian.Finding the Heart of the Nation Written by Thomas Mayor, ‘Finding the Heart of the Nation’ is for all Australians. Since the Uluru Statement from the Heart was formed in 2017, Thomas Mayor has travelled around the country to promote its vision of a better future for Indigenous Australians. He’s visited communities big and small, often with the Uluru Statement canvas rolled up in a tube under his arm. Thomas believes that we will only find the heart of our nation when the First peoples are recognised with a representative Voice enshrined in the Australian Constitution. More information.Tell Me Why A powerful memoir of a true Australian legend – stolen child, musical and lyrical genius, and leader, Archie Roach – is a stunning account of resilience and the strength of spirit, and of a great love story. Read this review from The Guardian.Born Again Blakfella Jack Charles has worn many hats throughout his life: actor, cat burglar, musician, heroin addict, activist, even Senior Victorian Australian of the Year. But the title he’s most proud to claim is that of Aboriginal Elder. Stolen from his mother and placed into institutional care when he was only a few months old, Uncle Jack was raised under the government’s White Australia Policy. More information.Dark Emu – to be adapted for TV documentary series.Bruce Pascoe’s book Dark Emu (Magabala) will be adapted as a television documentary series by Blackfella Films, a Sydney-based documentary production company founded by Rachel Perkins. Information here.eNews layout by Julie CattlinCopyright © 2019 Reconciliation Victoria, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: info@reconciliationvic.org.au |
