Indigenous Visitors Welcomed to Mountains
The Idea
Through a web of Rotary contacts, interests in First Nations peoples, emerging understanding of how Rotary can participate in Reconciliation in Australia (and elsewhere), and a strong desire by District Governors (past and present) and Rotary clubs. The idea of Indigenous exchanges of young professionals started to ‘come together’. Like all good ideas it need capability to make something of the idea! Connections were made internationally via the Rotary Fellowship program, when Rotarians from Parkes and Rapid City South Dakota (SD) USA, hosted each other and a few of them started to talk about how Rotary could support local First Nations people to be proud of their original culture. The idea of Peace Parks blended with local Indigenous art emerged. This provided solid ground to extend international sharing to include Vocational understanding and cultural expression. These ideas require funding, and so the previous District 9700 (which made up most of Wiradjuri country) set aside District funds to support the Exchange concept. The SD team did the same. With delays due to Covid, the Wiradjuri team went to the lands of the Oceti Sakowin in late 2023; and the Oceti Sakowin team (1 Team leader, and 4 delegates) came to Wiradjuri country in October this year, 2024. Organising the visit this year, was made possible by the unending support of local Rotarians. All the team and the two drivers were home hosted, every night. Each community where we stopped put together a great itinerary for the delegates, focussing on local First Nations services, culture, stories, education, and their history of being colonised. Both stages of the Exchange were strongly supported by District Grants from the Rotary Foundation.
One example of the hospitality was making contact with a previous Club Rotarian who had moved, asking if they could prepare a short stop lunch and catch-up with a First Peoples Elder and local Rotary Club, Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise came to the party in spades. After a 17-hour flight then a 2 hr drive out of Sydney, the visit to Echo Point, the stories told by Auntie Carol, and a lovely picnic
