Signs – Standing Together with First Peoples of Australia – FINAL 8thMarch 2017

Celebrating First Peoples
  • The oldest living culture is worth listening to
  • 50000+ years… worth celebrating
  • White Australia has a Black History
  • Celebrate First Peoples’ achievements
  • Songlines – Theliving narrative of our nation
  • Like everybody goes to university to get a degree, the land is our university, that’s where we learn from
  • The land is our university, that’s where we learn
  • Indigenous cultural heritage forms the very fabric of society, spirituality and connection with land.
  • First and Second Australians fought side by side to protect our home
  • First People’s story is in the land, it is written in those sacred places
/ Scriptural Connections
  • Aboriginal People are our Neighbours
Mark 12
  • First Australians bear the image of God
Genesis 1
  • Created in the Image of God – First and second Australians
Genesis 1
  • The Dreaming ... touching the mystery of God’s Spirit (JPII)
  • Deep esteem for the Aboriginal and TSI people (Pope Francis)
  • Imagining the Good Samaritan as Aboriginal (Luke 10)
  • I am the tree, I am me…. With the Land and the Sea. We are One Not Three. (Kevin Gilbert)
  • The Aboriginal way is that everything created is equal and sacred

Sovereignty and Land
  • Recognise First Peoples land custodianship
  • Not yours to Reclaim
  • Aboriginal land: real Australians seek welcome
  • We worship on [insert local community name] land.
  • This Church is built on stolen land
  • Always Was Aboriginal Land
  • A national representative body for First Australians
  • Time for change: Time for Treaty
  • Treaty Now
  • Treaty Sovereignty Recognition – Be aware of the conversations
  • Time for Aboriginal people to have a place in our Constitution
  • Sovereignty and Self Determination – taking control of our future
/ Disadvantage
  • Close the Gap
  • Justice targets for First Peoples
  • Build communities not prisons: stop deaths in custody
  • Freedom not prisons for First Peoples
  • Too Many Aboriginal Young People in gaol
  • Self Determination in Indigenous Education
  • Support Education in Indigenous Languages
  • Make Indigenous Poverty History
  • Close the Gap in Health and Education
  • Stop removing Indigenous Children
  • Aboriginal children belong with family
  • Close the Gap on out-of-home-care
  • Our First Peoples are not second class citizens

Lament
  • Sorry to First Australians taken from family
  • Sorry means you don't do it again
  • They took the children away: we are sorry
  • Sorry doesn’t mean get over it
  • No pride in genocide
  • Sorry!
/ Standing together
  • How many Aboriginal friends do you have?
  • Re-think our National Holiday
  • Would you celebrate invasion?
  • A Future Free of Racism
  • Be Part of the Healing with First Peoples
  • Respect Aboriginal Elders
  • Recognition and Respect - Justice for First Australians
  • We want black and white people walking together

Special Days
Sorry Day – 26th May
  • Sorry to First Australians taken from family
  • They took the children away: we are sorry
Reconciliation Week (27th May – 3rd June)
  • We honour National Reconciliation Week
  • Reconciliation means reparation
  • Reconcile – Spirit of the Nation
  • Unfinished business: Reconciliation with First Peoples
1967 Referendum – 27th May
  • 1967 Referendum… Mabo… Still a long way to go

Mabo Day – 3rd June
  • Always Was Aboriginal Land – Mabo Day