Deep and active listening, courage and not shying away from the uncomfortable are at the heart of reconciliation in this country.
Reconciliation is not something that can be worked on one week a year, it needs to be a constant, ever-present set of ideals and actions taken to repair a relationship tarnished by history and ongoing injustices affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities. Reconciliation is about truth telling, not laying blame. It is about building a collective national identity based in truth, not attacking individual identities. It is about reflecting on and accepting our past and our present, so we can build a better future together.
Image Source: Reconciliation Australia website: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/posters-resources/
Now More Than Ever is the evocative theme of this year’s National Reconciliation Week and as the first National Reconciliation Week since the devastating loss of the Voice Referendum, the theme could not be more pertinent. The theme speaks on many levels – now more than ever we must stand strong in our identities and culture, now more than ever we must not lose hope and continue to strive for equity, now more than ever non-Indigenous Australia must show up for First Nations people, communities and Country through active listening, authentic action and genuine allyship. The list goes on.
The theme also comes at a time when public discourse around all issues is constantly polarised, people and their views are set against each other and the capacity for open, intelligent, and respectful conversation is drastically reduced. Both social media and traditional media benefit from, and have fuelled, the “us against them” mentalities that are so detrimental to all society. This polarisation, alongside the social “bubbles” creates a space where when an issue is uncomfortable, people either disengage (hide from feed) or they position themselves aggressively on either side, unable to accept the nuances and complexities of the situations they are engaging with. Both these positions go directly against what reconciliation is all about and exacerbate apathy, aggression, and wilful ignorance.
Reconciliation is about empathy and courage from all parties – coming to the table with open ears, open minds, and open hearts.
Image Source: Reconciliation Australia, What is reconciliation – https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/what-is-reconciliation/
For reconciliation to truly occur, non-Indigenous Australia needs to find a way to accept the uncomfortable and learn to be present alongside and truly listen to First Nations Peoples who have been forced into that space since colonisation. It is not easy to actively choose to be uncomfortable, it takes courage.
It takes putting individual ego and preconceived ideas aside for the betterment of all.
At the foundation of Murawin and all our work is an intercultural connection, between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, built on shared goals, mutual respect, and love. It is engrained in our family, our company and our vision, values, and mission. It is why now more than ever we are committed to reconciliation, to truth telling, to listening, to educating, to having high expectations, and to being a conduit between our clients and the communities we work with. It is why now more than ever, we need to continue the important work of those who came before us, fighting for equality and equity for First Nations people. It is why now more than ever we are not drained or diminished by the setbacks we have faced. It is why now more than ever we need to bring people together to build a shared understanding of our identity and what we want to stand for into the future.
Last week, our team connected in person, and virtually, around the country to participate in an activity developed by First Nations business Riley Carrie Resources called “RECONCILI-ACTION TREE”. The activity challenges participants to reflect and commit to real actions they will take toward reconciliation.
It was beautiful to connect with our team and to see and hear everyone’s reflections about reconciliation and the actions they would personally take.
It takes real courage from all involved to genuinely commit to reconciliation and we need that courage now more than ever.
National Reconciliation Week is a time to reflect, to connect and to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, communities, and peoples. Let’s use this year’s National Reconciliation Week to kickstart the breaking down of these historic barriers and current injustices and take a step into the uncomfortable together. If we have the courage to do it, we will make genuine progress toward reconciliation, and that is something Murawin will always be committed to.
We’ll leave you with some reflective words taken directly from Riley Carrie Resources’ “RECONCILI-ACTION TREE” activity:
“We need connection. We need respect. We need action. We need change. Now more than ever, we need reconciliation.”
To see how you can get involved this Nation Reconciliation Week, visit: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/
To learn more about Riley Carrie Resources, visit: https://www.rileycallieresources.com.au/
Do your own “RECONCILI-ACTION TREE” activity: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a1e243cf9a61edc99e3813f/t/6632f8372523a15f6333af28/1714616383174/ReconciliACTION+Tree+Challenge+NRW2024+Riley+Callie+Resources.pdf
