“I am a proud Wiradjuri and Yuin man, and it is pretty deadly to be a descendent from the oldest living continuous culture in the world! Ultimately, I am just me. I have never known any different. The older I get, and with more knowledge gained, I know that I am blessed with an incredible story and bloodline connected spiritually to kinship and Country.

Reconciliation week is a meaningful time of year for me. It is an opportunity to share knowledge and truth. This time of year allows an opportunity to share a first-hand experience of what colonisation, integration and protection policies and their flow on effects have contributed to in relation to our communities. This is my history, and if you’re Australian, it is your history too. For reconciliation to truly work, we all must be open to voice truth and be receptive to listen and acknowledge truth. To come together, reconcile and make positive change.

Reconciliation week is a week at the end of May each year, that formally recognises reconciliation in Australia. But really, this requires us to take action each and every day, 365 days per year. Reconciliation week is a week for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in our amazing country. We have the oldest, continuous living culture in the world…STOP and think about that for a second…. The oldest continuous living culture in the world! That’s deadly! This is something that all Australians should celebrate and rally behind whatever your heritage.

This year’s theme for reconciliation week is, “Be a voice for generations”. So what do these words mean to me, in the context of reconciliation, as a Aboriginal person?

Change begins with each of us. To call out racism and inequality within our everyday lives, whether at work, school, sport or socially. To acknowledge the true history of Australia, not just the Colonised version many of us 70’s and 80’s kids were taught throughout our schooling, but the shared history of all Australians, of its first peoples, and most importantly, taught through a First Nations Cultural lense.

We have had a number of policies in this country that relate to First Nations peoples. None of which have been put in place by us “blak fellas”, and most of these policies were justified as being “for their own good”. We have seen policies of assimilation, protection, self-determination and reconciliation. As Wiradjuri woman and prominent Australian First Nations Author Dr Anita Heiss says, “It is now clear that none of these policies have actually made the condition of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples any better than it was prior to the invasion” https://www.sydneybarani.com.au/sites/government-policy-in-relation-to-aboriginal-people/.

A voice for the generations makes me think of my kids and making sure they don’t ever experience the issues that I have, that my voice is used to make sure that their journey as Aboriginal people in this world is made easier by my efforts, as mine was by our Elders and their hardships and from them using their voice for our generation. Likewise, I will continue to be a voice for our old people and teach my kids that they must continue these important qualities throughout their lives too.

So, reconciliation for me means that we all must act to make change. We all must continue last year’s theme of being brave and stand up to the inequalities, racism and the divide between First Nations peoples and others. It’s time. Celebrate the world’s oldest living continuous culture with me. We are still here. Be a voice for generations. Be a voice for reconciliation.”

Rick – DeadlyScience Ambassador