By Stuart McMillan, Circle Advocate
While this greeting is commonly used as hello or greetings, it really is like saying: “How is it with you? With your spirit?”
I wonder if in a future issue of the newsletter, or as a regular newsletter feature, we could explore stories from our walking together and discovering something profound or important through language. For me language is an insight into greater truths, about the creation and the Creator.
One example is the Yolŋu matha word “rriŋgi” which I spoke about in my address to the 15th Assembly. Rriŋgi is a concept which speaks of the intrinsic worth of every human life. It is the “value” of a relationship which can’t be quantified. Like the one I share with my wife of 44 years. And it is so much more than I fully understand.
On our Facebook page I asked for your thoughts, hopes, goals for this Circle in 2019. There have been a few really great suggestions. Alison from Tassie asks for stories of our walking on country and our walking together as First and Second peoples, together with vids from “walks” and of “country”, to encourage and inspire. Brooke from Queensland says let’s find out, record and share the story of the women who were part of the imagining and creation of the UAICC.
I’d love to hear from more of you, and I’d love us to share more stories.
Friends, what are the stories of Walking on Country, of the covenant relationship lived out locally?
In our next newsletter we will feature stories and pictures from youth and young adults, First and Second Peoples.
There will be stories from the National Young Adult Leaders Conference and from Walking on Ngarrindjeri country. Stories, hopes and dreams from the UAICC youth/young adult meeting in Port Augusta recently.
To the youth and young adult members in this Circle, how are you experiencing “walking together”, what are your hopes for our nation?
I am grateful to Joy Han who has shared her very moving experience of Walking on Ngarrindjeri Country. Enjoy this story and more in our newsletter.
Below are some of the thoughts, hopes and goals shared by Circle members. Please add your thoughts here
- I would love to see some visuals through story telling from each UAICC
- I'd love this year for the UCA to actually spend significant time with Aunty Jean Phillips. She is one of the founders of UAICC and sat under the tree with Uncle Charlie Harris when UAICC was visioned
- I’m particularly keen on a book/podcast/visual/video resource