Every year, NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week is celebrated from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday.

NAIDOC Week celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories as well as participate in celebrations of the oldest continuous living cultures on Earth. This is not to be confused with National Reconciliation Week, the focus of which is learning about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and exploring how we can all contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is ‘For Our Elders’. Across every generation, our Elders continue to play an important role and hold a prominent place in Indigenous communities and families. They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones.

My mum is the trailblazer in our family. She knew the difference education could make in our lives. She was the first in her family to go to university, completing a teaching degree. After seeing mum’s determination and success, two of her three brothers also went on to complete university studies. My brother and I both attained university degrees and went on work in education (perhaps not surprising, with such a strong role model and advocate for education in the house). Today, Mum’s legacy continues with her eldest granddaughter currently studying at university and her younger grandchildren aspiring to higher education when they finish school.

The inspirational lives of our Elders are varied and many. Their stories and achievements will be celebrated this NAIDOC Week in many different ways. How will you celebrate For Our Elders?

Find a NAIDOC Week event near you >

I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage you to include an Acknowledgement of Country in your email signature. An example is below:

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which Macquarie University stands – the Wallumattagal clan of the Dharug Nation – whose cultures and customs have nurtured and continue to nurture this land since time immemorial. I pay my respects to Elders past and present.

The week’s events commenced at the Yarning Circle on Monday 29 May, with a Welcome to Country ceremony by Darug Elder Dr Jo Rey, followed by a smoking ceremony.

On Tuesday 30 May, Walanga Muru announced the winners of their National Reconciliation Writing Contest. Grace Xu, a non-Indigenous student, impressed with her creative piece titled “Butterfly People”. Kristen Martin, a Yuin student, captivated readers with her submission, titled “How Do We Reconcile?”

Even Nature is caught in the crossfire of the Anthropocene. Not only butterflies, but species of every kind are dwindling.
As generation bleeds into generation, and the wheel of rebirth goes around, there will be less forms for us to take.
In the future, there might not be any. The wheel could stop.
A hundred billion years could pass before it starts turning again, and this time we won’t be on it.
– Grace Xu, “Butterfly People”

To reconcile is to listen, to understand
To reconcile is to hear what we say before speaking
For every statistic, and every “how can we help”, we’ve always had the answer
We just haven’t been heard
If we are constantly spoken over, how should our side be known?
We are the best to explain our experience, and we can
It is with consideration and respect can we answer the question
How do we reconcile?
– Kristen Martin, “How Do We Reconcile?”

Community Stall Day brought together a diverse group of Walanga Muru supporters at the Central Courtyard. Community representatives among the stalls included City of Ryde Council, Service NSW, the Australian Electoral Commission, Carer Gateway, Sydney North Health Network, Real Futures, Northern Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service, and groups from Macquarie University.

An art exhibition and auction held on Thursday 1 June was a powerful celebration of Indigenous culture and raised funds for Indigenous student engagement initiatives. The showcase featured an array of remarkable artworks, including a captivating piece titled ‘Goanna Walking’ by Gwen Elvin, our Indigenous Student Engagement Coordinator. The artwork, now proudly displayed in the Student Accommodation Building, symbolises Macquarie’s commitment to reconciliation and the pursuit of a more inclusive future for all members of our community.

Image: Pete Boyle, Campus Life CEO with Indigenous Student Engagement Coordinator (and talented artist) Gwen Elvin.

A particular highlight of the Week was the special Children’s Day event on Friday 2 June. Local early learning education centres, including Banksia Cottage, Gumnut Cottage, Waratah Cottage, Morning Bud in Denistone, and the Macquarie University Special Education Centre, had a wonderful opportunity to engage in cultural learning by participating in traditional dance sessions led by the Brolga Dance Academy. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience, immersing themselves in the rich heritage of the dances.

Read Macquarie University’s Reconciliation Statement.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your mob.

I am a proud Dharug man, linked though my mother’s father. Our family lived on the Hawkesbury River for many years. I was born on Dharug land and spent most of my life on Darkinjung Country on the Central Coast.

You have come to Macquarie after 25 years at the New South Wales Department of Education, most recently as their Director of Learning (School) Strategy, Aboriginal Outcomes and Partnerships.  What made you decide to move to the tertiary sector?

I have a keen interest in education, from the early years through to post-schooling. During my time at the Department, I recognised the under-representation of Indigenous people, not only in senior secondary school but in higher education settings as well. I felt compelled to create more opportunities in this space. When I saw the opportunity at Macquarie and found the values of the University – and the Indigenous Strategy in particular – to be so like my own, I was enormously keen to get involved in what was being built here.

You spent many years at Gorokan High School on the Central Coast, first as a PDHPE teacher and ultimately as Principal. How will you draw on your experience of teaching there to develop strategies to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success at Macquarie? 

I could not have dreamt of a more satisfying career in teaching and leadership at the school level – it was the perfect training ground for my role here at Macquarie. I have built significant networks across New South Wales, particularly with secondary school principals, Aboriginal communities and groups such as the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (NSW AECG). These networks are crucial to recruiting and ensuring the success of the next generation of Indigenous students here at Macquarie.

My journey in leadership enables me to support the staff at Walanga Muru in their own careers and in enhancing the opportunities for Macquarie students. They are a great team at Walanga Muru – they have made me feel very welcome and been very patient and accommodating when answering my ‘newbie’ questions.

You must have witnessed many moments of transformative education throughout your career.

There are too many to mention, but one year at Gorokan High we had 22 Indigenous students attain their Higher School Certificate. Of the 22, 16 were the first in their family to finish their HSC and many of those went on to university. I am still in contact with many of these students who are living successful and fulfilling lives.

As a principal, seeing this student success is so rewarding – knowing the individual stories of students and their families and being able to create opportunities for them to attain their goals and thrive in a setting they may have initially struggled in for one reason or another.

What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for Macquarie when it comes to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and communities?  

The biggest opportunities have come from Macquarie investing in Indigenous staff and students. Having a Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy) and a centre like Walanga Muru, with such dedicated staff, has created a culture of success.

Students know Walanga Muru as a place where they will be given support in any area – from cultural or academic support to providing a safe place to relax. We will point them to opportunities both at Macquarie and beyond. Our external partnerships with industry are outstanding, as are the relationships our staff members build with students.

Our biggest challenge is ensuring that all our Indigenous students know about the opportunities that are available to them. It is such a busy world, with students having their attention pulled from study to work, social media and other responsibilities. It is easy for them to miss an opportunity that might be perfect for them. Fostering relationships with our students, and understanding their individual goals, is key.

Please share this clip far and wide so everyone feels welcome at Wallumattagal Campus.

Dharug dhalang – the Aboriginal language from the land on which Macquarie University stands – is becoming more commonplace around campus. Aside from programs and physical location names, how can we all contribute to keeping this local language and culture alive?

To celebrate this special edition, and to help us learn a little more about something we can all easily embrace, This Week teamed up with Walanga Muru to delve a little deeper into Dharug dhalang and perhaps a simple solution to awakening and keeping local language alive.

It’s estimated that there are more than 250 Aboriginal languages in Australia, with approximately 120 currently in use today. While many are at risk of being ‘lost’ forever, Taylah Pearce, Team Leader of Student Engagement at Walangu Muru, likes to look at this in a more positive light – that they are not lost, instead they are sleeping and need reawakening.

Taylah is encouraging Macquarie staff to take a more active role in reigniting Aboriginal language, especially Dharug. It might be something as simple as embracing a few words and phrases from Dharug dhalang and using them in your email greetings, or teaching them to your children so as to pass on the language and increase its collective value to our community.

One barrier might be that people from non-Indigenous backgrounds might view language use as cultural appropriation, that it’s not ‘theirs’ to use. Not so says Taylah, who would be thrilled to see everyone open to learning more about our rich history. With Dharug land stretching in all directions to encompass much of greater Sydney, it’s a good reason to embrace just one small part of the local Aboriginal culture.

“Feel free to utilise words like ‘Warami’ (war-a-me) and ‘Yanu’ (yarn-oo) in your everyday language,” says Taylah. “Take your learnings and these words and teach your family and friends.”

But it doesn’t stop with ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. See the list below for some deadly phrases that Taylah says we can all adopt.

Another reason Aboriginal languages are not more commonplace is the fact they are primarily oral and not written. This means that there are many spelling and grammar variances, and the recording of these has mostly been completed by European linguists and therefore is prone to English understandings. For example, ‘bumarang’ in Dharug is more commonly written down and understood as ‘boomerang’. Different written recordings of words mean that they are more easily ‘lost’, or simply misunderstood.

Taylah says that consulting with Aboriginal community about language and all other Aboriginal concepts is key to making sure that when it is written down – such as the selection of ‘Wallumattagal’ for the campus name – we get the breakdown of the spelling correct.

Wallu – refers to the black snapper fish (the local totem)
Matta – refers to ‘place of’
Gal – refers to ‘people of’

While it’s just the beginning, Taylah is excited to see Dharug dhalang utilised and showcased around Wallumattagal campus. It’s an excitement that she is thrilled to also see reflected in others.

“It takes a community and a long journey to revitalise a language and I am so privileged to be a part of Macquarie’s steps in this process and to see my mother language being embraced and celebrated on campus,” says Taylah.

Some deadly Dharug dhalang to learn

• Warami – hello/ where are you from? (war-a-me)
• Yanu – goodbye (yarn-oo)
• Nigiyini budyari – are you good? (near-ngi bood-jar-ri)
• Budyari nawunya – good to see you (bood-jar-ri na-woon-ya)
• Yuwin – yes (yoo-win)
• Biyal – no (bye-yal)
• Budyari – good (bood-jar-ri)
• Mittigar – friend (mitt-ee-gar)
• Yura – people (you-ra)
• Darrabarra – day (durra-burra)
• Didgerigura – thank you  (didge-er-re-goor)
• Walanga Muru – follow your path (wa-lang-gar moo-roo)

Counting:

• Wagul – 1
• Bulla – 2
• Bulla wagul – 3
• Bulla bulla – 4
• Dhamara – 5

And so on… did you pick up the pattern?

Phrases you would have noticed in the NAIDOC-themed EDM

(getting a bit more complicated and creative in the translation)

• Bumarang Darrabarra – This Week (using the boomerang to represent 7, and word for day)
• Marri bayala – More news (more/big conversations)
• Gulya guri-budyari – Need to know (gulya – request, guri-budyari – ‘ear good’ or ‘intelligence’)
• Mii yagu – What’s on (what’s now/today)
• Macquarie bayala – Macquarie in the Media (Macquarie conversations)

Want to learn more? Check out this online Dharug dhalang dictionary and expand your Aboriginal lexicon and help keep the language flame alive.

At Macquarie we have much to celebrate and look forward to. Since we launched our ten-year Indigenous Strategy in 2016, the University has worked beside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities to advance outcomes through higher education.

This deepened commitment saw us last year launch the Centre for Indigenous Global Futures to forge respectful and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities locally, nationally and internationally, as well as non-Indigenous scholars and industry. The Centre is committed to continuing to build world-leading collaborative research capacity that is Indigenous-led and sustainable.

In April the University Council voted to adopt a new name for our main campus. Every time we say Wallumattagal Campus we will be reminded of the traditional name of the country on which the University has been built. This is a significant move and one that demonstrates respect for Aboriginal people. People whose long history and contributions to this land have, and continue to, sustain our environments, education and culture.

The recent change of government has reignited a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs and a commitment to the Statement from the Heart that defines three priorities, voice, truth and treaty. In the next few years, we will have the opportunity to contribute to what will be significant moments in Australian history.

Aboriginal peoples have the oldest living culture in the world, thousands of years of knowledges that have survived the harshest environments. The sharing of cultures and knowledges makes us richer. We can learn so much from each other, however we need to continue to create a space in Australia where we reject racism and where we forge respectful, reciprocal relationships. We are privileged to work and study in a university committed to Indigenous higher education and social justice and we have the opportunity to make a real difference.

How will you contribute to our University’s legacy? How will you ‘Get up! Stand Up! Show Up!’?

Dr Leanne Holt
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy)

Include an Acknowledgement of Country in your email signature

On the occasion of NAIDOC Week we encourage all Macquarie staff to include an updated Acknowledgement of Country in your email signature:

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which Macquarie University stands – the Wallumattagal clan of the Dharug nation – whose cultures and customs have nurtured and continue to nurture this land since time immemorial. I pay my respects to Elders past and present.

The week was a time 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 Australia. The activities on Tuesday brought together people from all areas of the Macquarie and local communities, including some of our youngest members from the on campus childcare centres.

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in events on campus and joined with members of the Macquarie and wider community to acknowledge Reconciliation Week. Thank you to all involved with making this event possible as well.

Uncle Chris Tobin during the welcome and smoking ceremony with observers who attended the event watching.

Stalls from supporters of Walanga Muru around the Lakeside Lawn. Stalls included community representatives from Bungee Bidgel, Women of Colour, Ryde City Council, Sydney North Health Network, Ryde Women’s Group, Renee’s Weaving, Relationships Australia, Wuyagiba Study Hub and well as various groups from across Macquarie University.

Truth Telling Panel based on the theme Be Brave, Make Change. Thank you to panellists Teisha Afu Hakaumotu-Saunders, Dr Joe Perry, Maria Comino, Ally Carter along with moderator Natasha Balsdon.

Alison Salt (Cultural Wellbeing and Engagement Officer, Walanga Muru), Natasha Balsdon (President Indigenous Students Association) and Sophie Curtis (Campus Life) cutting the Reconciliation cake.

Dr Leanne Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy) addressing the audience.

Ngali Shaw telling the story of the yidaki (didjeridoo) for the gathered crowd.

Kiris An Taran Torres Strait Islander Dance Group.

Reconciliation Event Mural painting. The mural was co-designed by students and staff from the School of Education along with members of the Walanga Muru community. The large circle in the centre represents the lake and community at Macquarie University and the wiggly lines coming in from all sides represent the story lines of our First Nation People, telling stories about this place of learning. The outside area of the mural contains hands created by preschool children from Mia Mia, Gumnut and Banksia early learning centres.  

Aunty Sue Pinkham (Wuyagiba Study Hub), Alison Salt (Walanga Muru) and Sean Willenberg from Ryde City Council. 

At Macquarie, the focus is on equity scholarships, which can make a huge difference to students. When someone has the ambition and tenacity to educate themselves, great things can happen for them, their family and their community.

Please support our students by donating to our equity scholarships fund.

“The only way that representation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities can increase in academia (currently 0.7% of staff at Macquarie) is by creating the opportunity for students to get into university,” says Cathy Rytmeister, a staff member who has chosen to donate to the equity scholarship fund.

The joy and pride felt by the scholarship recipients is palpable.

“Families all cry when you get a scholarship!” says scholarship recipient Mackenzie Dewsbury.

Here are some of our students talking about the massive positive impact that their scholarships have had on their lives:

This full-length video is 5m12s; there’s a shorter 90-second cut.

Read student Kyh’s Samuelsson’s journey to University, which was made possible by Macquarie’s Equity Scholarship Fund. Kyh is the first in his family to go to university, with the older kids in his hometown of Lightning Ridge providing inspiration as role models and the Equity Scholarship providing the means.

Check out our story from December to find out who the staff are behind our University fundraising.

Make a difference to the life of young person in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community – it could change not just a life, but a whole community.

Taylah is a proud Dharug woman from the Buruberongal language group and the Aboriginal Student Engagement Team Leader at Walanga Muru.

She has been employed at Macquarie for six years in a number of roles that have combined her interests in Aboriginal education, Dharug dhalang (language) and marketing.

Taylah grew up on Darkinjung Country on the Central Coast. Before her journey brought her to Macquarie, she completed a Bachelor of Business (majoring in Marketing and Management) in 2016 and she has recently obtained her Master of Business Administration, specialising in Marketing.

Here at Macquarie, Taylah works in a passionate team that engages with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, both current and prospective, as well as University-wide to embed Dharug culture, language and stories across campus. In practical terms this sees Taylah involved with providing expertise to campus signage and building naming across campus, designing artwork in new buildings and providing Dharug-specific information, stories and experiences in our Manawari Aboriginal Cultural Safety Training debrief sessions.

Taylah also runs engagement activities, events and programs for current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students including tutoring, cultural workshops, and a weekly community lunch on the Jannawi pavilion outside the Walanga Muru offices. The pavilion is named Jannawi (the ‘J’ is pronounced as a ‘Y’) which means ‘for me, for you’ in Dharug dhalang.

1. Something you’d like staff to know about
I would love everyone to know more about Walanga Muru. We’re not only the student centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, but also the office that facilitates all the University activities set out in the Macquarie University Indigenous Strategy 2016-2025. If you haven’t seen this strategy document, I encourage all staff to have a look and find out more about what we’re about and what we’re trying to achieve.

Our offices are located on campus at 6 First Walk and we welcome visitors any time! Or reach out at walangamuruadmin@mq.edu.au if you’d like to know more ­or connect.

2. Something you feel proud of
Being the first in my family to not only finish high school but then also go to university.

3. A person you admire at Macquarie, and why
I think Dr Leanne Holt is pretty deadly. She is the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Indigenous Strategy and has unlocked many opportunities for me, empowering me to be a strong Aboriginal woman leader. I will be forever grateful.

4. What you need to do your best work
It is really important to me to have Aboriginal culture, concepts and inclusiveness embedded in my work, so it is consistent across my personal and professional life.

5. Something people usually ask you when they find out what you do for living
Everyone says ‘Oh that must be such a rewarding job’ – and they aren’t wrong.

6. The first person you go to for advice (and why)
My mum – from anything about what degrees to set the oven when cooking, to what house I should buy  – mum is my go-to.

7. A website or app you can’t live without (and why)
Walking Darug Country is an awesome app, free to download and relevant to Macquarie University. Check out this TECHE article published about it a few years ago (but still relevant!). Links to download the app for iPhone and Android are included at end of the article.

8. Where you live and what you like about living there
I live on the Central Coast and love it; I love being close to beaches and family.

9. A personal quality you value in others
Respect. I think everything is bound by respect and it is the foundation to all aspects of life including relationships, friendships and trust.

10. I’m happiest when…
I am with my partner, friends and family.

Circles of the Sun
The background artwork to the feature image above is Circles of the Sun, created by Dharug woman and Macquarie University alumni, Professor Liz Cameron. The artwork is a representation of warmth and healing within Dharug Country. The sun rising illustrates a new day to our cyclic seasonal calendar, its rays of light reflecting on the eucalyptus trees over the water, which brings about a cascade of oils that reflect many colours of the rainbow.

Underpinned by the University’s Indigenous Strategy and Reconciliation Statement, this training seeks to give all staff a meaningful understanding and respect for Aboriginal cultural values, histories, beliefs, practices, knowledges and philosophies.

The training is facilitated in a hybrid approach over three stages and focuses on building respectful and reciprocal relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, as well as how we can all positively contribute to the Macquarie University Indigenous Strategy 2016-2025.

1. On-line training – This component must be completed prior to the face-to-face interactive debrief/discussion session and will take approximately four hours to complete via iLearn.
2. Debrief workshop – a three-hour face-to-face interactive debrief workshop run by Walanga Muru staff. As a guide, book this for a date three or four weeks after registering for the online component. Limited zoom workshops will be available for those unable to attend in person
3. Evaluation of the training – following the face-to-face debrief workshop, you will be forwarded an evaluation survey to complete. Once completed, you will receive a micro-credential from the University.

Find out more and register.