A Gathering of Allies in South Australia 2025: Next Wave of Yes
Artwork by Ruby Butler. Photography by Nick Forde Media.
Unley Allies hosted the second gathering of allies at Adelaide West Uniting Church on Kaurna Yarta in SA. We began, gathered on lawns under the gum trees for the smoking ceremony led by Drew Kilner who is Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri man from Aldinga beach, south of Adelaide. Elaine Magias welcomed us to Country. Elaine is a First Nations artist and Elder with ancestral connections to Ngadjuri, Ngarrindjeri and Barnggarla.
The first guest speaker was Stephen Mam, a Torres Strait Islander from Brisbane and a community development professional with 25 years of success in team motivation and fostering inclusion. He told his personal story of activism, advocating for social justice and human rights, and engaging First Nations communities and empowering organisations to amplify First Nations voices through collaborative partnerships.
We viewed a poignant video, produced by Rachel Perkins, that provided footage and summaries of all First Nations’ activism since Cook. Our First Nations People have had way too many ‘No’s for the past 240 years since colonisation began. Repeatedly, our First Nations people have sought justice, harmony and wellbeing, but have continually been knocked back.
Deb Moyle is a proud Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna woman and a member of the First Peoples of the Millewa Mallee. Deb is a Local Voice with the State Voice to the SA Parliament. Deb is a representative for the Kumangka Warrarna Wangkanthi (Central) region that covers metropolitan Adelaide from the City of Playford in the north to the City of Onkaparinga in the south and the District Council of Mount Barker in the east. Deb explained the structure of the Voice and some of the challenges as a new entity with no rule book or past experience to guide them.
Together we reflected upon next steps that each of us could commit to. Steps toward positive action to support and empower First Nations people.
Photography by Nick Forde Media
The First Gathering of Allies in South Australia (2024)
Friends of Reconciliation – Adelaide Hills hosted a gathering of more than 120 Allies on Sunday 17 November 2024 at Woodside. Unley Allies together with Blackwood Reconciliation Group & Aldinga Truth-Telling Book Club supported the event.
Rebecca Wessels, Peramangk and Nagarrindjeri woman and Founder & CEO Ochre Dawn emceed an inspiring morning with leaders of positive change.
A warm and heartfelt welcome from Uncle Wally, Peramangk Elder and Chair of the Peramangk Cooperative opened the event.
Guest Speaker, Kyam Maher MLC, SA Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney General, and Minister for Industrial Relations spoke about South Australia’s historic leadership in social change, and updated everyone on South Australia’s First Nations Voice to Parliament. We look forward to an historic occasion, in early December 2024, when members of South Australia’s Voice to Parliament will address a joint sitting of Parliament.
Guest Speaker Senator Penny Wong, Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Foreign Affairs reflected upon the formative impact that Pat Dodson and Linda Burney had on shaping her perceptions. The history of indigenous Australia is deep and wide. If we (all Australians) allow ourselves to be led and shaped by Australia’s First Nations’ cultures then we will reshape our narrative of what it means to be Australian. Our history will be measured within the ancient land of Australia through eternal song lines, rather than counted by boats.
A panel of four First Nations people: Lou Turner (Pitjantjatjara man living, working, parenting on Peramangk and Kaurna Country) Deanne Hanchant-Nichols (Ngarrindjeri woman – Tanganekald/Ramindjeri and Human Resource Specialist Manager at CSIRO), Elijah Bravington (Arabana man, signatory of the Statement, filmmaker, environmental manager and community development), and Courtney Hunter-Hebberman (Peramangk/Narriindjeri Mamalu woman, News Reporter and Biocultural Ecologist) each spoke about what being an Ally meant to them.
Some key take-aways from this discussion were
- How do we (non-indigenous Australian Allies) lead from beside or behind First Nations people rather than from in-front?
- Don’t be afraid to challenge rules and status quo. The current system is not working for First Nations people.
- Listen to First Nations stories. The truth is often very hard to hear but it must be heard.
- Well done for the growing support from people who are aligning as allies of First Nations. This is very heartening, especially after the referendum rejection.
Close to the Bone
This poignant documentary film featured at History Week Event on Sunday 12 May 2024, hosted by the Unley Uluru Statement from the Heart Support Group.
Can the scars of past atrocities be reconciled and healed through the act of truth-telling?
When Blackwood resident, Mike Brown delved into his family history, he uncovered more than he bargained for! This documentary is confronting in its truth-telling of Mike’s ancestors’ interactions with the Adnyamathanha people of the Flinders Ranges. A link to this video is available to view FREE for a limited time on Ronin Films website. Click on the tab for more information and to view or purchase the video.
Colin Clarke Art Exhibition: Telling Truth
The Unley Uluru Statement from the Heart Support Group proudly hosted an Art Exhibition of Colin Clarke from Sunday 13 August to Sunday 20 August 2023 at the Unley Uniting Church.
Colin describes his work, Telling Truth:
“I started painting in the early 2000s to express the natural wonders, stories, events, and social justice issues that I experienced while travelling Australia. The social justice issues “focused to become the injustices that we the colonisers created in this land.” This journey of awakening has led me to acknowledge the injustices as being true, and to own them as being part of my country’s cultural history. In so doing it allowed my journey to start toward the healing of relationships with the First Nations People, and with the land, fauna, and flora I now call home.”
Below is a video of Colin describing one of his pieces of art: Our Massacres at an exhibition in Western Australia in 2018.
Gerhard Ruediger talks with Elijah Bravington
History Festival: The Wonder of the ongoing Presence of First Nations Peoples
21 May 2023. Celebrating the recovery of the living language of the Kaurna First Nations, discovering Kaurna culture, and learning about the historic request for First nations people to have a voice enshrined in the constitution. Guest Speakers included:
Gerhard Ruediger, worked with a team at University of Adelaide (2012-2015) to recover the Kaurna language.
Elijah Bravington: Arabana man, signatory of the Statement, filmmaker, environmental manager and community development.
History is Calling
17 March 2023. More than 400 people attended this vibrant event to learn more about the Uluru Statement from the Heart, what is the Voice and why we need a referendum.
Welcome to Country: Kelli Owen, a Kaurna, Narungga and Ngarrindjeri woman, and Coordinator of the National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Task force
Special Guest: Teela Reid, a Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman, Harvard graduate, and First Nations Lawyer
Other speakers: Dale Agius, Sally Scales and Elijah Bravington
Launch, 21 April 2021
The Unley Uluru Statement From the Heart Support Group
was launched on the 11th of April 2021 with 75 persons in attendance.
Community Presentations
The Unley Support Group has developed material for community groups that can be delivered upon request. The session generates lots of lively discussions with people who want to discover more about Truth and Justice for Australia’s First Nation peoples.
Contact us to book a session.