As the referendum on a Voice to Parliament for Indigenous Australia approaches, Community Voice Australia Central Coast will host a special gathering on June 17 when Traditional Custodians of the Central Coast and Elders will explore their vital role in caring for Country and Mob.
A spokesperson said the event would be an engaging and timely discussion on the representation needed for custodianship to be honoured.
There will be five guest speakers.
Paul Craig is a proud GuriNgai guri (man) who grew up on the Central Coast and has always been active in his community.
He is a leader among the GuriNgai mob on the Central Coast and is passionate about truth telling, community, and ensuring GuriNgai are recognised as the Traditional Owners of the Central Coast along with Awabakal and Darkinoong.
Aunty Colleen Fuller is an Indigenous woman of the Darkinoong and Yuin Tribes who comes from a line of Stolen Generations.
She has strived to bring about change for all, including ‘locking on’ in the Pilliga, camping on the roadside on the Central Coast for more than two months to successfully save Bambarra, part of Kariong Sacred Lands, standing up against large mining companies in Calga and fighting to protect natural habitat and wildlife from unsustainable and destructive development in Kariong and Wadalba.
Renee Sales is a respected leader among her Darkinoong mob and is passionate about bringing community together and stopping the ongoing division on the Central Coast.
She advocates for preserving the remaining bushland and the traditional history of the Central Coast.
She advocates for Truth, a Voice and Reconciliation so we can heal the past grievances between our histories.
Jennifer Stefanac was born in Wellington, Wiradjuri Country.
She was adopted into a non-Aboriginal family and then reunited with her birth family in the 90s.
Stefanac is from the Smith and Daley mobs and has obtained letters and permission to speak about what the Elders want.
Her message is for unity to ensure our children’s future.
Grandmother Mulara (who will join the event online) is an Aboriginal Senior Lore Woman who also holds a Juris Doctor in Colonial Law.
The event will be held from 11am-12.30pm on Saturday, June 17, at Kincumber Neighbourhood Centre, 1/20-22 Kincumber St, Kincumber.
Source:
Community Voice Australia Central Coast