For our elders

This year’s NAIDOC week theme is ‘for our elders’. 

I like this theme. It pays respect to the tireless First Nation’s leaders who have done so much to improve the lives of their people.

For NAIDOC week this year, I’d like to pay my respects to & celebrate two female elders from Tasmania. One elder is from the past, and one is from the present.

I pay my respects to Truganini, whose country was Bruny Island, part of the south-east Nation in Tasmania. Truganini survived decades of abuse, violence and incarceration in the 19th century in Tasmania. Despite the loss of her country, her freedom, her family, and almost all of her people at the hands of colonisers she survived into her 60’s to be an elder, an educator for her people’s children. She helped keep their culture and language alive in Tasmania. Her incredible story (I can recommend reading ‘Truganini, Journey Through The Apocalypse’ by Cassandra Pybus) of courage, resilience and survival is one we don’t talk about anywhere near enough. We should be recognising and celebrating her life as we do other great Australian survival stories.

After reading Thomas Mayor’s brilliant book ‘Finding The Heart Of The Nation’ I was made aware of many female elders in Australia today who are working hard to improve the lives of their people. I pay my respects in particular to Darlene Mansell, a Pakana woman from northern Tasmania. Darlene has been driving several health & legal improvement initiatives in Tasmania. Darlene is helping keep her culture and language alive in northern Tasmania. Darlene is also a leading activist for indigenous and women’s rights in Tasmania and Australia. Darlene is an important female voice in the constitutional reform dialogues and is one of many First Nation women ensuring the female voice is included in these important political discussions that will shape how the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’ will be brought to life, starting with the referendum on ‘voice to parliament’ later this year. Darlene’s dream is for her grand-child to one day be elected as the ‘voice’ representative for her Pakana people. 

#NAIDOC2023 #ForOurEldersNote: National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country. 

By Sam Evans