Journey to Recognition

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The spirit of our ancestors

Thank you to everyone in Atherton for giving the Journey to Recognition such a warm welcome.

Traditional Owner, Uncle Ron Turpin, exemplified that warmth as he welcomed us to Yidinji country. He spoke powerfully about his wish for all Australians to get behind this movement as we actively forge a better tomorrow.

“We would like to extend a warm welcome to you to the Tablelands. May this journey be an inspiration and strike the hearts of all Australians to support this important cause for change for a brighter future,” he said.

“May the spirit of our ancestors journey with you.”

It was beautiful to see the scope of people in attendance, from little kids and local Medical Service staff, to elders and community members. There was a varied level of knowledge among locals, allowing for well-informed questions and robust discussion.

The importance of this Journey really struck home in Atherton; it’s so crucial to engage with the community face-to-face and in a local setting. We were pleased to see both young and old community members keen to learn more and be part of the movement.

One of the highlights was seeing performances by the Torres Strait dancers and musicians from Mer Island, and dancers from the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park.

We were then shown around the Wuchopperen Health Service, an impressive centre with integrated health services, providing general health checks, counselling and support, healthy lifestyle advice and supporting child wellbeing.

We were pleased to have salad and fruit, along with the usual barbecued sausages!

A special thanks to Sascha Day and Debra Malthouse from the Wuchopperen Health Service and Uncle Ron for their generous support.

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RECOGNITION RELAY TAKES TO THE ROAD AGAIN

We’re on the road again!

The Journey to Recognition has resumed this month, taking its first steps in Queensland out of Cairns on July 16.

A crowd of 250 local residents gathered to show their support for the movement, at an event opened with a fantastic performance by dancers from Djarragun College.

Henrietta Marrie from Yidinji Country provided a heartfelt Welcome to Country, calling on “all men and women of integrity in Australia to stand up and say enough is enough.”

She said: “Recognising us in the Constitution is about respect; showing respect to us and also respecting [that] we as first nations people have a right to be recognised for who we are, as culturally unique and distinct people.”

“Only through recognition and the respect it demonstrates will we be able to withstand the continuous pressure that would have us assimilated into mainstream Australian society.”

CEO of the Cape York Institute, Fiona Jose, said: “The Constitution is our founding document. It is the document that unified the colonies into a single federation. Yet our birth certificate document makes no mention of the fact that people were here before the British ships arrived.”

“We need to formally recognise the Indigenous history and heritage of our nation. This land was not empty before the British ships arrived, this truth should be stated in our founding national document.”

Dr Jackie Huggins, spokesperson for Recognise, looked back on the momentous success of the 1967 referendum and paid tribute to those who helped make that moment possible.

“It’s humbling to be in the hometown of Dr Evelyn Scott and Joe McGuiness, whose drive and determination for equality and recognition has left an invaluable legacy,” she said.

Jackie paid her respects to Joe’s daughter Sandra and families, and shed a tear when addressing Evelyn Scott: “Evelyn, I honour you and your family for the great role you continue to play in the life of this nation.”

She thanked Evelyn’s daughter and grandson, Delores and Vincent for being there and urged the Cairns community to get behind the movement: “We can all leave a legacy for our children. This is our journey. We must make it together.”

24-year-old RECOGNSIE THIS Youth Ambassador, Ben Gertz, urged young Australians to continue the work of those who had paved the way, and complete the next chapter of our history.

“This is our generation's 1967, and it’s time for you all to get involved. We can't wait for this to happen on its own, we need you to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors. This requires the involvement of millions of people to replicate the success of 1967.”

A group of inspiring women led the Journey on its first steps through Queensland with Recognise Spokesperson Jackie Huggins, former Cairns City Councillor Deirdre Ford, former Queensland State Minister Desley Boyle and CEO of the Cape York Institute Fiona Jose walking side by side.

Behind them, the community came together, proudly holding ‘R’ placards as they walked along the iconic Cairns Esplanade.

There were also moving performances from Merindi Schrieber, Mayella Dewis and Troy & Dean Brady at Fogarty Park.

Journey to Recognition Project Manager, Claire Toepfer who has helped bring the nationwide relay together, reflected on the moment: “There’s something impressive and historical about a crowd that big, walking as one for recognition. It sends tingles down my spine every time.“

About the Journey to Recognition

From Cairns, the Journey to Recognition will travel almost to the northernmost tip of the Australian mainland, crossing the Atherton Tablelands and heading up to Bamaga.

Locals are invited to community events in each town on the way. There are stops planned in Mareeba, Atherton, Millaa Millaa, Mossman Gorge, Kuranda Gordonvale, Yarrabah, Wujal Wujal, Cooktown, Hope Vale, Coen, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Napranum, Weipa, Injinoo, Bamaga, Pormpuraaw and Laura.

The Journey to Recognition gives communities across the nation a chance to be part of the movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in our country’s Constitution – and to ensure there is no place for racial discrimination in it.

It began in Melbourne last May. Since then, small relay teams of Recognise campaigners have since covered more than 17,000 kilometres by foot, bike, 4 wheel drive, kayak, surfboard and paddle board. They have visited more than 130 communities and involved more than 10,500 Australians.

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VISITING NIDJALLA WAANGAN MIA IN MANDURAH

Day one back on the Journey, we drove from our incredible launch in Freo to Mandurah, where we met with George Walley and his crew at the Nidjalla Waangan Mia Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Centre.

On the road, it’s so important that we take the time to have a decent discussion with people in their community. It’s the only real way to form a meaningful and respectful understanding of the cultures and histories of where we are, a place that’s been the home to our oldest living cultures for thousands of years.

Darryl and I spent a great afternoon chatting with the incredible group of men and women, who are each leading the way with brilliant community initiatives to bring about positive change. We spoke about change too, and the need to rectify the wrongs in our Constitution.

Thanks George for hosting us and for personally showing us around Mandurah in the evening. We’ve taken a piece of your community in our thoughts for the long Journey ahead.

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Instagram and recognition!

During an afternoon walk with the Denmark community in Western Australia, the Journey team was in awe of the warmth of the community.

Noongar local Uncle Eugene Eades spoke with honesty and humbleness about what this change would mean to him. Yarning stories around a camp fire to eager community members, Uncle Eugene pulled out his guitar for a sing-along with local Kerry Fletcher. “It’s a proud, proud day in Australia. It’s the day for us all to make a stand. We’re gonna come together to recognise, the original people of this land,’ they sang. Visiting Denmark High School the students were eager to spread the message of recognition with their peers. With the rising popularity of social media, they decided to use their Instagram skills by sending their message of support across the web via a “super selfie”.

What an innovative conversation starter! This drive and encouragement from within the community was clear as we moved through South West WA. Throngs of locals, along with the federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion braved the wind and early morning to walk with the Journey in Esperance. After a 7-kilometre walk from Salmon Beach, he said: “A successful referendum would be a unifying moment for the nation. We all have a responsibility to get involved and support the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in our Constitution.” Everyone was warmly welcomed to Country by local Noongar man James Schultz. His artwork was hanging in the ‘Recognise our Nations First Peoples Exhibition’ alongside his wife's Valma Schultz' artwork at the Esperance Community Arts Centre. Supporters gathered on the lawn in front of the art gallery to hear a stirring speech from Sonia Waters, Director of Aboriginal Services for Anglicare South Australia and Journey campaigner. "Our Constitution, our nation's founding document, is silent on up to 60,000 years of history in our country. So if you pick up our constitution, you would think that nothing existed here before 1788 or 1901 - but we've got tens of thousands of years of living history here," she said.  "We are the oldest continuing culture on this planet, and that's something that we as Australians should be very proud of, it's something that sets us apart from the rest of the world."

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Busselton to Margaret River

It was an incredible week on the road. Support was unwavering as we walked from Busselton to Margaret River. While meeting with communities and schools, we collected inspiring messages on the back of photos from our Journey so far. One of these really summed up our time walking through beautiful South West WA: “Each step forward is a step toward a fair and just future”. On the first day, after walking along the Bussell Highway, with a lot of encouraging cheers and honks from passing traffic, we arrived into Cowaramup. The local community joined us on the 13.5km walk from Cowaramup to Margaret River, providing us with plenty of time to have a chat, get to know each other and answer questions! Arriving into Rotary Park for afternoon tea with our new friends was an incredible experience. It was exciting to look around and know that these people, whom merely hours earlier may have barely known about constitutional recognition, were now walking with us toward this important change. It was great to hear these men and women spark passionate conversations with other members of the community on the importance of fixing the outdated exclusions from the Constitution. Walking through the Bush Story Trail at Wardan Aboriginal Centre with the students from Yallingup Steiner School and Cape Naturaliste College was also a wonderful opportunity to think about what recognition can bring about. Traditional Owner, Bill Webb led us through his country, introducing us to the remarkable history, culture and stories of the Wardandi people, and teaching us the traditional uses of the native plants surrounding the centre: "preserving our history and knowledge. That's what Aboriginal people are doing.” As Bill spoke, you could see the school students start to acknowledge the undeniable connection with land that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have held for over 40,000 years. They listened on, and there was a sense of shared pride for Australia’s history. It dawned on me that these students will inherit the changes to the constitution. It will be a chance to see the truth of our history woven in to our founding document and I believe they will feel a similar sense of pride when that day comes. Changing our Constitution will allow all Australian communities to recognise the beautifully rich culture and communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our founding document. It should be a simple choice. Shaya Lambrechtsen, Journey participant

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Wrap up from the South West

Another 1700 Australians have put their personal leadership into the Journey to Recognition over the past month, with the epic relay finishing its latest leg in the south-west of Western Australia.

Recognition campaigners were moved and inspired by the warmth of the welcome and the strong leadership of communities as they greeted the relay in 16 communities across Noongar country.

The relay has now clocked up an impressive 17,324 kilometres across the nation since it left Melbourne late last May.

Between its Fremantle re-launch and the wrap-up of the last leg in Esperance, communities brought together locals and hosted events to show their support for recognition.

The Recognise team was humbled to be a part of each gathering.

We were welcomed at every step by local Noongar mob, who went above and beyond taking us to local sites like the Porongurups and the Gap in Albany. This sharing of knowledge and history is an important part of the Journey, just as it is for our nation.

Journey campaigner, Jane Powles left these inspiring words with each group she met: “It is our generation that has both the responsibility – and also the great privilege – to bring about an historic change that will forge a more unified future together”.

It was once again clear on this leg that the future is in good hands. On arrival into Mount Barker, students with hand-made “Welcome to Mt Barker Recognise” flags welcomed us. Over 200 community college students contributed their ideas on how to spread the message of recognition even further.

In Albany, a 300-strong crowd gathered to walk up York Street Hill, united in their quest to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples recognised in the Constitution, and see racial discrimination removed from our founding document.

Local Noongar man Lester Coyne welcomed campaigners to his country, encouraging locals to keep the conversation going and reinforcing that this would require all Australians to work together.

With a throng of locals, the federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion braved the wind and early morning to walk with the Journey in Esperance. After a 7-kilometre walk from Salmon Beach, he said: “It was great to once again be a part of the Journey to Recognition and to see so many members of the community in Esperance supporting this important movement”.

“A successful referendum would be a unifying moment for the nation. We all have a responsibility to get involved and support the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in our Constitution.”

In Fremantle, there had been further reinforcement of the cross-party support for recognition, with Labor MP Melissa Parke and Greens Senators Christine Milne, Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam all there to restate their commitment.

Over another 20 days in the nation’s south-west, the Journey made its way through tiny towns and regional centres, stopping in Roelands, Bunbury, Margaret River and Denmark.

In Yallingup, Traditional Owner, Bill Webb took walkers through his country and shared the remarkable history, culture and stories of the Wardandi people. "Preserving our history and knowledge. That's what Aboriginal people are doing," he said.

In Busselton, Josh Whiteland honoured his connection to the Wardandi Bibbulman people, who have walked the South West Cape region and surrounding areas for over 50,000 years. “Our bloodlines are connected to the oldest continuing cultures on the planet. This remarkable and impressive story should be recognised in our founding document. It’s about acknowledging the truth. Someone was and still is here,” he said.

And in Nannup, Wardandi woman Mitchella Hutchins passed down knowledge about the history of the town and the strong relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. “Thank you fellas for all coming and walking together for a brighter future for all Australians," she said.

These remarkable Australians and so many others have stood with us and pledged their support over the past year.

These are the stories that we carry with us across the country – and it’s leadership like this that will take us closer to a successful referendum.

Elders and young people, parents and mayors, community leaders and everyday Australians of every background are helping to build the wide public support needed for a strong Yes vote.

And they have told recognition campaigners about why constitutional recognition and the removal of race discrimination matters to them.

Since this Journey to Recognition began on May 26 last year, we’ve been on the road for 156 days… Spending time in 130 communities Holding 140 events and meetings Engaging more than 10,500 people and Travelling more than 17,300 kilometres.

Having spent time with Australians in communities across Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, it is due to head north once more. We’ll bring you more news on the next leg in coming months.

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On the Road Again

Wow.

We were so inspired by the words of young Noongar woman Tiana Culbong this week.

"It is now 2014," she told the 300-strong crowd in Fremantle as the Recognise relay  prepared to set off again on its epic journey across Australia on Monday, hosted by Elders of the Whadjuk Noongar people, the traditional owners of the region.

"A time for change; a time to move forward as a nation united; a time to remove a constitutional silence; a time to recognise Aboriginal people and our history in this country.”

“It is time to remove the divide between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people; a time to accept and acknowledge a shared history. By doing this, we can move forward together and share Australia’s future. I stand here to urge you to join the movement to make a change for a better future for us all."

Earlier, in a warm and generous welcome to country, Whadjuk Noongar Elder Cedric Jacobs called for all Australians to "walk with us, at our pace, in peace and unity". Noongar Elder Margaret Culbong of the Whadjuk tribal nation said she wanted to see constitutional recognition secured for future generations.

“The Journey to Recognition is about empowering our young people, both black and white, it’s about working together to build a stronger, positive future for all in our country. Learning how we live together, accepting and acknowledging who we are, and respecting who we are,” she said.

The Journey to Recognition began in Melbourne last May.

Around 2000 people walked the first kilometre of the relay along the banks of the Yarra – led by AFL legend Michael Long, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and federal political figures from right across the party spectrum.

Small relay teams of Recognise campaigners have since covered almost 16,000 kilometres by foot, bike, 4 wheel drive, kayak, surfboard and paddle board. They have visited more than 90 communities and had contact with more than 7500 Australians.

They finished the last leg in Perth last December, when a crowd of 1500 was welcomed by Noongar Elder Len Collard and heard support for recognition from AFL legend David Wirrpanda and actor Ernie Dingo.

From Fremantle, the Journey to Recognition will travel through the south-west of WA, stopping in Mandurah and the Roelands Village – once the site of the Roelands Mission – before walking from Bunbury to Augusta over 10 days.

The WA leg of the Journey will end in Esperance, before campaigners head north to Queensland.

Locals are invited to community events in each town on the way.

The re-launch of the Journey to Recognition coincided with the opening of the Fremantle Aboriginal Cultural Centre honouring the thousands of years of culture, tradition, knowledge and achievements of the Whadjuk Noongar people.

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A Step In Our Healing

Whenever I think about the hardships of our elders, the sorrow is overwhelming.

I reflect on how so many people like my grandparents were forced to live on Native Welfare reserves, their lives regulated by authorities. I think of how assimilation policies tried to sever the cultural obligations to hand on our country’s rich first cultures and sought to stamp out the teaching or speaking of our country’s first languages.

It was only as my grandfather got older that he started to feel comfortable speaking language openly. But by then, it was too late for me. I never got the opportunity to learn the language of our ancestors from my granddad.

This led me to start to think about how Constitutional recognition of my people would help us in building greater respect and understanding and pride across the whole Australian community in our first peoples and cultures. I wondered, once this recognition is achieved, would my granddad feel more comfortable teaching language if he were still alive today? Would it help to foster an environment where our older generation would feel safe teaching us younger ones?

We have come a long way since the days of Native Welfare, as far as our basic human rights are concerned, but there is still a way to go. I came to the conclusion while on the Journey that the changes in the Constitution will ensure our role as the first inhabitants of this sacred country will be much better understood and it would be very difficult for any Government to allow history to repeat itself. It gives me confidence in knowing that my children and my grandchildren will be given the full opportunity to be recognised, as we always should have been as the traditional owners and first inhabitants. I believe it will provide an environment where our people, and in particular, our elders aren’t fearful about teaching culture and language like my granddad was.

I see Constitutional recognition as a step in the process of personal healing. For me, it’s a way that my generation can honor the lives of our elders who have suffered so much trauma, and embark on a positive journey of healing for them, for us, and for all of our futures.

There is no point sitting around saying, woulda, coulda, shoulda. The opportunity for recognition is here now – let’s not hand it down to another generation to take care of.

Let’s honor our elders who are still with us by standing up today so they can see this important milestone before they go, and it can speed them on their healing journey. Deearne Lee, Program Officer at The Fred Hollows Foundation and Journey participant.

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Changing the Course of Our History

I was really excited to take part in the Karlgoorlie to Perth leg of the Journey to Recognition because Constitutional recognition is something I feel strongly about. I was also proud to spread the message of the movement through my paternal family’s country. 

Whilst in Kalgoorlie we were invited to attend the Bega Health Service Concert and Expo to raise awareness about the Recognise movement. It was an honor to be involved in the event and see the community come together to support healthy living.

We had some very engaging conversations with locals who were interested in the Recognise campaign, with the backdrop of some of the countries finest entertainers. Mary G provided the laughter, with the Pigram Brothers and four time Golden Guitar winner Troy Cassar-Daly providing some fine music.

It was such a memorable moment seeing Troy Cassar-Daly chuck on a Recognise shirt, with the Recognise This surfboard in arm supporting the movement.

Travelling through all the communities and towns along the way reminded me of just how much more we need to do to bring about constitutional reform, but just one of those steps is starting a conversation with as many people as possible.

 We are at a critical point in our generation’s journey forward together and you can see it in the Recognise movement gaining so much momentum. I feel that we can achieve what is right, because the timing is right for recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Commonwealth Constitution.

Recognition will be such a unifying moment for our country and I am very proud to say that when that moment happens I will have a played a small role in changing the course of our history together as Australians. 

  Kelsi Forrest, Co-Founder and Director at I Am The Other and Journey participant.

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Inspired for Change

When I was asked to join the Recognise team on the Journey to Recognition, it was an opportunity that I immediately jumped at.

Recognition is something that I am extremely passionate about and I believe it will go a long way to healing the past and inspiring a better future.

Where else in the world is there a group of people that only make up approximately 3% of the population, yet comprise over 99.5% of the nations history? Furthermore, this history, these cultural practices, languages and traditions are still being taught and practiced to this day.

I was fortunate to be on the Journey leg from Kalgoorlie to Perth, a significant leg to me as I still have a lot of family along the way, and this region is where I grew up.

One of the best times that I had was going back to one of my old Primary Schools, Kondinin Primary. Here I got to speak to the students about this goal of recognition for our nation and explained what needed to be done in order for us to achieve this goal.

At first I was a little bit unsure about whether the kids would understand what I was talking about, but after a couple minutes of me explaining it I could see that it resonated with them. These young children understood the simplicity of recognising the the first peoples in our Constitution, and the importance of truly including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as equals.

The best part of the Journey for me was knowing my family and people along the way supported the movement and what I am doing. This support really inspired me to keep doing what I am doing, and to continue campaigning for Recognise.

  Dylan Collard, Co-Founder and Director at I Am The Other and Journey participant.

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Brighter Futures in Burringurrah

After battling the 35+ degree heat and travelling 350km along a rugged dirt road in a car filled with camping gear, ice and water, we reached the community of Burringurrah.

With the support of the Burringurrah Community Aboriginal Corporation and the determination of its Vice Chair, 28 year old Kristie Riley, we came together for a BBQ to talk about the importance of recognition in our Constitution.

I watched as two young women, Velitta and Katana stood proudly holding the Recognise This surfboard in the dusty deserted street in Burringurrah to support the movement in hopes of a brighter future for their generation.

As I learnt more about Burringurrah I was impressed by its vision and drive. A thriving community, going about its business and engaging its children for a bright future. Yet, the reality of our Constitution is that their state could ban them from voting at a state election based on their race.

When you're so far into the heart of this vast country, it's easy to see that our Constitution is missing the most impressive part of our history, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history. Hearing Kristy talk about the need for recognition I couldn’t agree more. It is not just something that should happen…it needs to happen.

  Claire Toepfer, Journey Participant

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AN AFTERNOON NETTING IN DENHAM

Keith Capewell’s home is in Denham, 840 kilometres north of Perth. Most people know it as the last stop before Monkey Mia. Keith and his wife Sally took us netting late one afternoon as the sun eased into the striking backdrop.

Decked out in hats, long sleeved shirts and carrying an enormous net, I felt I had a pretty good picture of the Malgana people of the region, their traditional relationships with the land and sea and the beauty of this lifestyle. 

We caught some mullet and scared off a few ‘unwanted fish’, then made our way back along the 4WD track to Denham, where we cooked our goods alongside the beach.

Keith told us his story, of his family and his life, of growing up as an Aboriginal man in a community and his first encounters with racism. We spoke with him about the Constitution, and the fact it still retains that capacity to discriminate on the basis of race.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Keith.

We’ll be remembering you as we connect with other people, communities and stories across the country, as we continue on this Journey to change the Constitution.

PS. If you'd like your own adventure with Keith, you can find him at www.sharkbaycoastaltours.com.au

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Getting the message to our mob

The last leg of our Pilbara Journey took us from Onslow to Tom Price through stunning country. We arrived with 10 minutes to spare at the Gumala radio interview where we had a yarn with Tatum. He was interested and supportive and pledged to continue to support and promote the Recognise campaign. It’s great to have Aboriginal community radio stations on board as it’s a really effective way to get the message to our mob. We then travelled to Wakathuni, a community about 30 km from Tom Price for a BBQ (yes more sausages) and interactive community discussion. Wakathuni was an impressive and positive community, with the politest children I've ever met! Education is strongly supported at the community evidenced by a new preschool, school age children in uniform and one of the young men who came along had just finished high school and is planning to study law at university next year. The Recognise brand is getting a strong following and getting noticed. When we fuelled up at Nanutarra a guy also fuelling his car said he had seen the trucks in Broome and asked what it was all about. And this is what the Journey is for me; promoting the message to people in the street who otherwise wouldn't hear about it. Well done to Recognise! Jody Broun - Former Co-Chair of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples and Recognise campaigner 

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The heart of grassroots campaigning

Stunning mudflats and a warm breeze welcomed The Journey to Port Hedland. While cooking up snags at the local water park, Mayor Kelly Howlett chatted about her support for the campaign. "Whatever you need in the lead up to the referendum", she said, "we’re happy to help". The support of local councils has been felt everywhere we go in this epic relay across the country. As we reach the day of referendum, their role will be vital to mobilising communities and inspiring Australians about this historic moment for our nation. Again in Port Hedland, we saw this. One-on-one conversations over a cup of tea or a sausage sizzle give people a chance to take the recognition quest further into their own hands. On the road, we hear from people from all walks of life. We talk about this opportunity with them, listen to their desire for recognition and answer questions. It's personal. It's direct. And it’s at the heart of grassroots campaigning. It works in tandem with the new and innovative forms of communication we now have at our disposal. In South Hedland, we met Lisa and Jean, supporters who had been following the Journey on Facebook since we left Melbourne. Thrilled to finally meet us, Lisa said: “It's been really exciting watching on Facebook you coming around and getting closer! This is getting everybody involved. Instead of ‘us’ and ‘them’, it's ‘we’; that's what I love about social media, it brings people together. To see this working in such a peaceful collaborative way is what I enjoy.” Her friend Jean, who introduced Lisa to the campaign, added: “We're one nation and there shouldn't be any discrimination. It's been wonderful to watch people follow this. We're all equal.” A huge thank you to Mayor Kelly Howlett and Councillor Penny Taylor for their help and support. Martha Tattersall - Journey participant  

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The simplicity of constitutional recognition

I never would have thought I’d get to say I traveled throughout the Northern Territory and Western Australia to spread the word on recognising the first Australians in our Constitution. A once in a lifetime opportunity; we set out from Darwin, visiting Kakadu, Katherine, Kalkarinji (Wave Hill), before driving on to Kunanurra. Although an extremely special experience, it wasn’t easy. The heat was stifling, reaching as high as 42 degrees. Where there was tarmac it could get at hot as 46 degrees! This made changing the 3 flat tyres we got in 2 days even more difficult than changing a tyre needs to be. It was also difficult to see other Aboriginal people, citizens of this nation, living in such dire conditions. It saddened me that although we consider ourselves the lucky country, our Constitution still allows for discrimination of a people, based on their race, when many are lacking the basic amenities enjoyed by most other Australians. This was a challenging leg, but this leg of the Journey was also one of the most rewarding I have had personally, and in terms of the campaign. I met people who not only should be recognised by the Australian Constitution, but should be celebrated as Australian legends; exemplars of all our greatest values. What better embodiment of the Australian ideal of ‘a fair go’ do we have than Uncle Jimmy Wave Hill? He was an Aboriginal stockman who was part of the Wave Hill Walk-Off, where equal treatment was demanded for equal work, regardless of race. What greater example is there of the Australian ability to ‘cut to the chase’ than Ben Ward? After being told about the lack of Indigenous recognition in the Constitution, he took a moment to think about it, looked up from his painting and said to me “Aboriginal people took those first white stockmen across this country and showed them the way. We respected their law and culture, and they should respect ours.” Meeting people such as Ben and Uncle Jimmy gave me goosebumps. Their support of this issue impressed upon me the importance of what we are doing; advocating for constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples and cultures. I do not want to let these great men down. But perhaps more importantly, my conversations with these men allowed me to see the simplicity of constitutional recognition. Its about Australia taking a moment to show respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, in the hope of building a better future than the past that has brought us here. Lachlan McDaniel - Wiradjuri man and Journey participant 

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A day in Derby

In Derby, a man visited our stall at the Mental Health Fun Day. He had heard about the Journey to Recognition after listening to an interview on ABC Kimberley Radio between Gija woman Kia Dowell and ABC Mornings host Vanessa Mills. 

As we stood and chatted about the Recognise movement and more specifically the Expert Panel Recommendations, he was shocked to learn that we had a section in our Constitution that says the States could ban people of any race from voting. He asked me if I had the Constitution with me. Funnily enough, as nerdy as this sounds, I showed him the app on my phone so he could read Section 25.

As people walked past saying hello and grabbing badges and stickers, he would stop them to ask whether they knew about the race clauses in our Constitution.

Standing next to this gentleman, I was reminded me about the shock reality of parts of our Constitution. Not only were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people excluded from the drafting of this document (and women for that matter), not only was our presence in this country and continuing connection to the land excluded from the national story, but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were initially only ever mentioned in the Constitution in measures of discrimination.

Society has adapted, attitudes have shifted, and other laws have evolved – yet our Constitution has not been changed to reflect the values we now proclaim.

Derby was a reminder about the urgency to fix our Constitution. Our Constitution is meant to reflect the values of everyday Australians – but the people I have met, like those in Derby, and across the Kimberley, reminded me that our Constitution does not reflect who they are, and who they thought we should be as a nation. Charlee-Sue Frail, Journey participant

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INSIGHTS ON THE JOURNEY

My experience on the Kimberley leg of the Journey to Recognition has been insightful. As a local Gija woman from Warmun Community in the East Kimberley, I was honoured to share just a few of the stories of Aboriginal people in this region with the Journey team. I was also honoured to be part of something I truly believe in and that is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be both recognised and properly embraced in Australia’s Constitution.

The first insight is that no matter where our stories come from, we must continue to share them in as many ways as we can, with as many people as we can. The more we share, the more we learn and the more we learn, the more we connect. 1967 was the first time Aboriginal people were acknowledged as citizens of Australia and we must remember that was only 46 years ago. Like many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, I see daily reminders of the trauma preceding that day, celebrations on that day and the opportunities it presented. We must also acknowledge that we have a long way to go.

The second insight is that we must have the courage to say we are worth recognising because we are the longest surviving culture in the world and that’s something all Australians should be proud of. As we clocked up the kilometres and I shared stories of my country and my family with Charlee-Sue, I considered this. Imagine when Australia, my generation, the generations before me and the generations to come find the courage to step forward together. And imagine the positive change we could create together when we share OUR entire story.

The third and final insight is that being part of the Journey to Recognition and believing in the power of our people has made me appreciate the sacrifices my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents made. They believed in the power of knowledge and wisdom, to protect and ensure that like many other young Aboriginal people, I have the opportunity to be part of something so incredible that it would bring tears to their eyes – to not only be recognised as Australia’s first people but to do so in a way that is respectful, honours the past and embraces the future for all Australians.

Kia Dowell, co-founder of The Cultural Connection Code and Journey participant