This year’s NAIDOC theme is “For Our Elders”. I love that we are acknowledging the work our Elders do in our First Nations communities and the contributions they make to the lives of every Australian. They are our leaders; they guide us and support us and pass on knowledge so that culture continues. They contribute experience, knowledge and care to our communities through everything they do. Acknowledging these contributions seems to be the least we can do in return.

As well as creating space for some much-needed acknowledgement and appreciation, this year’s theme is an opportunity to expand the wider understanding of how our communities work. While most people appreciate that Elders are special they may not understand why they are special; the roles they fill in our communities; the knowledge they hold; how someone becomes an Elder or the protocols of how an Elder should be addressed.

This year, the Wingaru Team has put together another amazing series of NAIDOC-related lessons to support schools as they acknowledge and celebrate our Elders. Our approach this year focuses on exploring the many roles that Elders play in our communities, the protocols associated with Elders, appreciating the value in Elder experience and what we can learn just by having a yarn and of course celebrating the contributions of Elders.

We are hosting our annual Challenge (read about it here) again this year with our Challenge materials providing 10 weeks of lessons including videos, activities and ideas to support students to:

• understand the roles Elders play in First Nation communities;

• learn about why Elders are special and how we show them respect;

• appreciate the knowledge shared by Elders when they share their life stories; and 

• celebrate the contributions Elders make to First Nation Communities

Wingaru Kids subscribers can access all of the resources by logging into their accounts and looking for the NAIDOC category. The Challenge Guide can be downloaded from the additional resources section of the platform.

For everyone else we have Challenge packs available in the Wingaru Store.

As you are planning your NAIDOC approach for 2023, here are 5 things that I encourage you to consider.

Being an Elder is about more than age
People often assume that to be an Elder, you have to be an older person but this is not entirely accurate. You become an Elder by taking an active role in community and helping to maintain culture through sharing knowledge, supporting other community members and taking a leadership role in community. Many Elders are older because it takes time and experience to gain the knowledge Elders have and achieve the respect of community but there is no age requirement. Every community is different so the protocols on who is seen as an Elder vary around the country.  Not every elderly Aboriginal person is an Elder - we still call them aunt and uncle as a sign of respect but they may not have taken on the leadership roles that Elders do. To find out who is recognised as a community Elder contact your local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisations.

Elders are integral to our communities
Traditionally Elders were our medicine people, decision makers, law makers, teachers and knowledge holders. Today, Elder’s roles have changed but they are still an integral part of how our communities operate.  While the specific role of an Elder may change from one community to another, the roles of Elders are similar across Australia. Elders are our leaders. They advise us, lead community direction and provide valuable insight, guidance and teachings to support our mobs to be strong.  They are our cultural experts and share cultural knowledge, protocols and teach us to care for Country.

Elders provide the leadership that helps tackle a range of community concerns such as health, education, unemployment, racism and oppression. Non-Aboriginal organisations and government bodies look to Elders to lead work that is designed to support healthy thriving communities and an important role for Elders is to advocate that these bodies work in culturally safe ways and embrace community led approaches. 

Elders are irreplaceable knowledge sources 
Elders hold our stories, know our ways of working intimately and hold great influence within our communities.  Engagement of Elders by non-Aboriginal organisations and governments who are working on initiatives that directly or indirectly impact on our communities should be a priority. Recognising the position, knowledge and influence that Elders have is an important part of building respectful relationships with communities and understanding our culture and ways of living. There are multiple Elders in each community and who you seek advice from depends on the situation. No single Elder knows everything and most will be open about their expertise and if they cannot help with a particular issue, they will know which Elder you should speak to. This is how Aboriginal knowledge has worked for thousands of years and sharing knowledge in this way has served our communities well. 

Elders shouldn’t be expected to work for free
Elders are community minded and will work tirelessly for their communities. They volunteer their time to support community in many different ways including being on community boards, helping drive community initiatives and working with stakeholders to drive change that supports strong and healthy communities. This type of commitment to community is part of our culture and we are raised knowing that contributions to community are an important part of life. It is something we do happily but this doesn’t mean everything an Elder does should be expected to be done free of charge. If you are inviting someone to attend and speak at your event make sure you ask about their fees. Asking in the initial contact takes away the awkwardness of talking about money but also makes sure everyone is on the same page. It also means people are more likely to be available to attend as paid work will often get priority. Paid work is important as it supports Aboriginal organisations to operate but also Elders, like the rest of us, have to pay the bills and volunteering 100% of the time doesn’t help with this. You are accessing specialist knowledge so make sure you account for it in your budget. 

Respect is paramount to strong relationships with Elders and hosting a successful Elder event
Aboriginal communities look after our Elders. We make sure they are safe and cared for including providing a very high level of respect for the person, the work they do and the knowledge they hold. It is important that you also extend this respect and care. Respect means good manners, taking notice of boundaries and observing them, active listening, real consultation and acknowledgement of the Elder you are engaging.  

Acknowledging the contributions and valuing knowledge shared by Elders should be at the forefront of your NAIDOC activities. Make sure to thank Elders for their time and sharing their knowledge. 

Include an acknowledgement of Country at the beginning of your event. It sets the tone but also shows the Elder and other guests that you respect the local Aboriginal people and their connection to Country. Before the event talk to your Elders and Aboriginal guests and see if they would like to offer a welcome. Remember not all Aboriginal people can offer welcomes - they must have permission so keep your expectations reasonable. 

Ask Elders how they want to be introduced. Aunty and Uncle are the accepted terms of respect but some Elders may have a different preference. It can never hurt to ask. If you are introduced to someone as Aunt or Uncle you should refer to them as that. 

Look after the Elders who are attending. Make sure they have travel support and transport if they need it. Provide seating and a glass of water or other refreshments. Let them know where the bathrooms and other facilities are. Ask them if they need anything and attend to those needs. 

Respect Elders’ boundaries. Check that they are comfortable with any topics you plan to discuss in an open forum and that they feel safe in the environment. 

I hope you are as excited about NAIDOC as I am! I really love this year’s theme and wish I could be involved in all the Elder events that you are planning. Be sure to share your projects and photos using #celebratingelders

​As always, sing out if we can help!