Honouring Our Elders

LAST year I wrote an article about my Celtic pilgrimage to Ireland and our visit to the 3200BCE domed tombs at Knowth and Newgrange. I remarked on how much pride is taken by the Irish people today of these ancient ancestors, despite the fact that they are descendants of the subsequent invasions and immigration of Celts, Romans, Saxons, Vikings, English and Spanish before 1600AD and the global immigration especially in the last 100 years. They speak of ‘their’ ancestors’ creativity and skills influencing their national pride today. I refrained from telling the guides that we had evidence of ancestors being on our island Australia for over 60,000 years. I wondered how we might embrace and honour those ancestors as part of our history as a nation Australia. How might our relationships and attitudes change if we truly as all Australians ‘Honoured our Elders’ from ancient times?

So I have invited Deline Briscoe to write to you her thoughts on “For our Elders” the NAIDOC week theme for this year.

Jankaji (Jung-Ga-Jee) means ‘Wealth of Knowledge’ in Yalanji, the language of my mother’s people from the Eastern Yalanji clan groups in the Kubirriwara ( Mossman) and Julaynwara (Daintree Rainforest) region. Jankaji was also my mother’s Yalanji name, which she was denied for most of her young life and only received in adulthood.

Our country holds the knowledge systems and cultural beliefs that are found in the landmarks. These places are ceremonial spaces where marriages take place, trading is organised, elders councils uphold law and we share our celebrations together.

Welcomes you each Saturday at 27 Maleny Street

9:30am - All Age Bible Study Hour

(Includes Children and Youth programs) 11:00am - Worship Service

First Saturday of the monthCommunity Lunch

Contact p: 0424 901 301 f: @LandsboroughChurch w: landsborough.org

Catholic Weekend Masses

Saturday 5pm: Peachester Rd, Beerwah

Sunday 7am: Caloundra St, Landsborough

Sunday 9am: 45 Cedar Street, Maleny Ph: 5430 9390 9am to 1pm Mon-Fri www.caloundracatholicparish.net

Glasshouse Country Uniting Church

29 Twin Peaks Drive, Beerwah

Come and worship with us

Beerwah – Sunday 8.30am

Peachester Community Church –last Sunday of the month 5.30pm

Minister: Rev Dr Elizabeth Nolan Ph. 0448 358 774 Email: churchgcuc@gmail.com

Much like a church or temple is to the Christian faith, Mt Beerwah, the Mother Mountain, is one of these sacred places for both Jinibara/Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi people.

We hold these sacred places in the same regard as ancient places of pilgrimage and worship. Around 2000 years ago Jesus died at Calvary, thus making this a sacred place for the Christian pilgrim and around 1400 years ago the Ka’abah became the holiest site for the Muslim faith, millions make the Haj (pilgrimage) to pay homage to this sacred site. In comparison, Mt Beerwah was formed around 24 million years ago and became an ancient sacred place around 65,000 years ago.

The desecration of Mt Beerwah has caused much grief and I personally have become more aware that this was done by somebody who lives amongst us - a shocking and humiliating act of disrespect to one of the most ancient sacred sites in Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi/Jinibara country.

Today I write about this grief and hurt on a very public forum, however, for many of our Elders, their voices were not given a place to be heard and their knowledge dismissed as myths and legends. Yet in many cases today, modern science is just now catching up with our knowledge.

Our culture values Our Elders, the knowledge keepers that share the lessons from our past to give us guidance into the future. ‘For Our Elders’ I choose to share stories and use my voice for the Elders that were voiceless during their time here.