Self-Determination & Empowerment Reclaimed

NAIDOC CO-Chair Steven Satour suggests that the theme:  

“…encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world”. 

Against the backdrop of colonialism, the dispossession of aboriginal lands, the loss of culture and connection to country and clan, along with the referendum result from last years’ Voice campaign how can we respond to Steven Satour’s call?  

And where indeed do we begin to respond to see our people empowered to stand tall and assert our place?  

As we write this piece for the COACH Network, the sad reality is that there is still a significant gap of disadvantage that First Nations people experience in regard to opportunity in this great land now called Australia. 

So what is this gap? 

The gap we are talking of includes many First Nations people being over represented in significant areas of disadvantage in Australia.  

This includes lower levels of education and employment, higher rates of chronic illness, a shorter life span and higher levels of infant mortality. In more remote communities our people are destitute in their own land, living in conditions of extreme poverty that the United Nations once described as worse than third world nations.  

The reality of this gap is consequential to the disempowerment of our people. Including, the dispossession of land, forced labour, the loss of culture and language and the brutal loss of family relationships. This causes intergenerational trauma which becomes a daily trauma of loss and despair that many First Nations brothers and sisters continue to experience.   

These trauma related outcomes are connected with the loss of many traditions and practices.  

This includes the practice of passing on of knowledge and the sharing of wisdom. Of elders within families having the stability to nurture the next generation.  

In 2020, we had the pleasure of meeting with Liberal Federal Minister of Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt.  

In that meeting Minster Wyatt recalled an elder approaching him at an event. This man suggested that while elders past present and emerging were routinely honoured and recognised as part of the welcome and acknowledgement to country, he felt that the wisdom of elders was not significantly intentionally and consciously used to pass on for the benefit of the next emerging generation. 

So thinking of Steven Satour’s reflection to see Indigenous Australian’s being empowered, thinking of our current reality with the gap of disadvantage and Ken Wyatt’s reflections on elders and their role, how do we begin to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world?  

At a broad structural level, meaningful consultation and engagement for First Nations people at all levels of government regarding policy making that impact our communities is a key. 

While recognising the structural need to participate in decision making, perhaps as a society, community owned solutions to problems for individuals and families can begin to be addressed at a more fundamental micro-societal level. 

Perhaps, as the elder who Ken Wyatt referenced, we can revisit an ancient and long held practice of individuals sharing and passing on wisdom through mentoring. 

The Oxford dictionary defines mentoring as: 

An experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period of time. 

This definition speaks of a person with wisdom offering help to someone. Implicit within this, is that the person being mentored will benefit from that wisdom. Further, this impartation of wisdom occurs over time. It’s through the establishment of a relationship over time that wisdom is imparted for the benefit of the person receiving.  

Can this be another point of being empowered to stand tall and asserting our place in the modern world? Perhaps this is another option to break generational cycles of disadvantage where our next generation are emancipated to thrive.   

The book Ordinary Mentoring for Extra-Ordinary Transformation, talks of Mentors being options presenters and choice facilitators. This definition speaks of a culture of empowerment and practice of self-determination.  

This culture and practice has largely been removed and lost from our people but it is best for us to reclaim it.   

Recently, together, we have been given the task of leading a team of local elders in writing a mentoring program that would be relevant to the local First Nations people of Townsville. To our team this is a significant step in reclaiming empowerment and self-determination. This is achieved by seeing people within communities at the local micro level, use their own resources to work toward closing the gap through intentional goal focussed relationships.  

Change for first Nations people will be a slow burn. Significant intergenerational impact will be exactly that! Intergenerational. And yet we must start somewhere.   

Dear friends – we leave you with this one final thought to ponder. In regard to the local community impacting change that leads to empowerment and standing tall, when referencing the introduction of mentoring in Townsville, the former chair of the Healing Foundation, and indigenous advocate Aunty Florence Onus said;  

“Our people have been waiting a long time for something like this”. 

So, what did Florence mean by that statement?  

Well inherently, within the statement from Florence was the reflection that being empowered to exercise choice through the prism of self-determination, mentoring has been a significant missing component of the lives of indigenous people and yet it presents a pathway of hope.  

Aunty Shirli Congoo 

Salvation Army – Indigenous Programs National Manager 

Mark Matthews 

COACH Program – Co-Author