July 7, 2023 • 33 mins
In this surprise NAIDOC episode, Matika and Courtney explore how our Elders have paved the way for change and the opportunities we have today.
We discuss our role in this journey and the responsibility we all have to ensure we continue creating positive change in the lives of those around us.
We discuss our role in this journey and the responsibility we all have to ensure we continue creating positive change in the lives of those around us.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This podcast is recorded on Stolen Land. We acknowledge and
pay our respects to our elders, past, present and for
future generations.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Hi. I'm a Teka and I'm Courtney and we're two
Queer First Nations women passionate about representation for our community.
We created this podcast to share our stories. We want
you to join us on the journey.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
You're listening to coming out.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Quack Happy Nadok Week. We're so happy to be here
that you didn't expect to hear our lovely little voices
and I you know what I missed you stop. So
we're here to talk about the NATO week theme. We've
done a National Reconciliation Week episode and now we're doing
our very first Native Week episode of course, which is
(00:47):
exciting recorded.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yes, yeah, I run a moritime.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, it's tricky because we live in different locations.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
What do you more call it in Queer Christmas? No, no, sir,
not Natoka like running on Murray time?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
What do you call it?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Careed time?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
True?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, coreed time?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Alrighty creative?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Well sorry, So a bit of Natok history. So NATOG
stands for National Aborigines in Irelander's Day Observance Committee. So
Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal
groups in the nineteen twenties, which sought to increase awareness
in the wider community of the status and treatment of
Aboriginal and torrestrate Islander Australians. So initially just a day
(01:31):
and it's grown into a week and I'm working on
it being year round.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
So it's been over one hundred years.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
That is nuts.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
And it seemed from a day like that and that
was out of protests, right, that was a that was
a day that was.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
In protest against the treatment of First Nations Australians. Of essentially,
you need to know this so that we can do
something about it, is my understanding. Anyway, A good recent
source to check out after the podcast is the NATOK
website because it's got a whole section on history, so
you can go through, you know, starting in the nineteen
(02:07):
twenties through to when it became longer, what organizations evolved
out of that, all the themes of previous years as well,
and the beautiful posters of course, so definitely a resource,
and they will share a few things on the Instagram
as well. Yeah, the Instagram, am I agent does that
mean age? But yeah, so, so the current theme for
(02:30):
this year is for our Elders. So I've got, uh,
They've got some beautiful videos, and I've seen a bunch
of people doing some amazing content highlighting like like local
elders in their community or just the importance of elders
in our own communities. And I wanted to read out
a little bit from the announcement of the theme, just
to give people a bit of an idea. So across
(02:52):
every generation, our elders have played and continue to play
an important role and hold a prominent place in our
communities and families. Their cultural noul holders, trailblazers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders,
hard workers, and our loved ones, those who pick us
up on our low moments and celebrate us in our
high ones. And it goes on to just talk about
(03:13):
how we draw strength from their knowledge, their experiences, or
that they've done to put us where we are today.
Which I'm just so glad that this is the theme
for this year because it's such a good time to
I always think we need to know where we've come from, mildren,
know where we're going. Damn girl, it's almost like I
(03:36):
said this before, So yeah, and I think that, of
course everyone's going to be putting out in the dot
content this week, but I wanted us to come at
it from a really unique perspective of discussing that journey
of how we've seen the hard work that our elders
have done before us, and how we take that on ourselves,
(03:57):
and how hopefully the next generation takes that on.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Absolutely, and I almost hope that, Yeah, like by the
work that we do, I said it before, we're into
such a unique position, you know, to make make real
long lasting generational change that that I think our elders,
oh my god, only this is past and present, But
that was exactly what I'm going to say, that our
elders you know, past and present are doing and have
done and I continue to contribute to. And like we've
(04:24):
got the we've got the energy, we've got the resources,
we have the internet, like do you say slave like
far out like we've we've never been more resourced.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
What do we do with that?
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Is the question to.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Take it on? And no better time than now.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
But yeah, kind of I'm trying to trying to tap
into into the energy, you know, of our ancestors, but
not necessarily in a way that it's an unlimited source.
But they knew how to do things, they knew how
to balance, and they had a different way of living
that I think we can still very much like learn
and be and so by bye, because I think that's
(05:03):
the direction that we should be going, is taking so
much more of the learnings of our people and applying
them to how we work with each other, how we
talk to each other, how we communicate, how we love
each other, you know, how we do everything together. There's
so much impact that we actually can have. Like it's
(05:25):
easy to kind of get caught up in statistics, generational
change and stuff like that, but I think I've starting
to realize now that, like you actually do start to
see the fruits of your labor or almost the impact
of the work that you've done.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And I've started to see that now a little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
In the sporting industry of things that was like, oh,
that was such a random idea I had in like
twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, and now it's been a long
term commitment from an organization or it's set the pillars
or foundations of work that have led various organizations to
feel like that, can you know, publicly support something to
(06:03):
do with First Nations, or that you're seeing young Indigenous
people having more opportunity because of because of initiatives that
you've started and stuff, and it just makes me realize
that we all have so much.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Ability and impact.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, I had a question or I was thinking as
you were talking about two things. One the interconnected nature
of that change. You starting to see the ongoing impacts
of changes you've made, and how that connects to the
changes those before as I've made, which obviously links so
(06:40):
well into this year's Natoork theme for our Elders, all
of those people who have come before us, who have
fought for change, who have fought for the two of
us to have the platforms that we do now enable
you to do the incredible work that you're now seeing Snowball,
even after you've gone from places.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, Like I literally was just telling this with the
story today at work. I remember when I was about
I think I must have been maybe like seven eight
years old, living out Mergen sort of like near Sherburg,
kind of three and a half four hours from Brisbane,
and we how did not like I don't know what happened,
(07:20):
But we had this like random opportunity to go and
play cricket on the field at the Ashes in like
two thousand and four, and so were like the Milo halftime.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Kids loved that. It was fun.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
She had a media career from the get go.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
But like before that, I think I was I was
doing a little bit like kanga cricket, played a bit
of backyard cricket with my granddad. Like it wasn't like
my Bill and the lawd wasn't obsessed with her anything.
But when I went and did that random I had
that random opportunity, I think because the local Cricket Association
came in and like kind of gave us these opportunities
as kids who aren't, you know, close to Brisbane. This
(08:04):
I guess, yeah, bringing the countries in country kids in
to show them what it's like, you know, in the
big city and all that sort of stuff. And I
never really thought about that experience for a really really
long time until recently. But it was only probably must
have been two thousand and seven. So a few years later,
I'm in year seven and I get oh, year eight
(08:25):
and I get asked to do this like little task
and it was draw yourself on what you want to
be when you grow up and then that. And at
that point I've already moved to Brisbane. I started playing
like local cricket and stuff, and I wasn't actually very good.
I was actually pretty average, but but I was still
(08:45):
allowed to play. And I was probably like one of
like two or three other girls that were playing in
these cricket clubs because that's just where women's cricket was
out at the time. Anyway, I drew myself in an
Australian cricket kit and I didn't have any equipment in
this drawing, but I had a cricket Australia uniform grit
in gold, you know. And years go on, I actually
(09:06):
quit cricket. I think I've told this story before on
the podcast, like I think this girl called me the
D word and she's like, don't they play cricket and
I'm like, oh no, But then they quit because I
knew I was gay then too. So, you know, a
couple of years later, I think I was two thousand
and nine that kind of knit that dream in the
bud and then through an Indigenous pathway initiative that cricket
(09:26):
had at the time, which.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Is Cricket Australia the yep business.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yep. So, like twenty thirteen, I get invited to go
and play in this thing called the Impage Cup, which
had been running for maybe like fifteen or twenty years already,
and I got to play as part of this like
women's invitational team because I've like kind of created a
women's division, which was really cool and like now in
you know, twenty twenty three, like the women have just
(09:53):
like won the Ashes and they are the best like Australian.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Sporting team of all time.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yes, but like yeah, so Twood says, year I got
the opportunity to go and play in our springs and
then I just fell in love with it. Went back
every year and then eventually we had a Queensland team
and then I captained it for like six or seven years.
We didn't win under my leadership, but recently, actually recently
(10:20):
this year is the first year that we won. It
took me a decade, but we actually won the championships. Yeah,
that was actually a life update which was really cool.
And since it's like beginnings, I think it's been like
twelve years the new South Wales.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Women's team have won the whole time.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
So it was just really cool to be a part
of a winning team but also like to be part
of that journey. Yeah, for ten years between when we
started we finished. Well, when I'm finished, I'm retiring because
I'm like, stop while you're on top. You know, if
someone says, like, when's the last time you played cricket,
I can say I won. I won the National Championships actually,
but yeah, sorry. The story that I'm telling you is that, yeah,
(11:01):
like that indigenous pathway, that opportunity to go and connect
with mob, play with mob, that kept me back in
the game and going to the territory every year as well,
just kind of like it was just it's just a
really magical place and I felt like kind of at
home there and safe. And when I finished university, I
(11:21):
had the opportunity to go out there for where and
I just I took it. And then I was out
there for a couple of years working and we played
a match against like again New South Wales and lost,
and I was giving this like postgame interview about how
because also I was detracting from the fact that we lost,
(11:41):
and I was just like talking about.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Like full credit to the boys.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Yeah, the girls really came out there and mostly hard
that I was just talking about how like the bigger
picture stuff, like it's just amazing that how how much
the comp's gown and you know how inspiring this is
for for mob and stuff like that, and you know,
within those conversations somehow that led to when a job
went at Cricket Australia. They asked me, you know about it,
(12:09):
and you know, I got it and that happened, you know,
in over the space of about six months, like from
that interview to when that job was actually available. But
for them to like kind of remember me and think
about the way that I was talking about it like
is really really cool. But it just sort of makes
you think, like all these little things add up over time,
(12:32):
this passion.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
And strawing as a kid, all the way up to
an actual career Cricket Australia.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
So now I'm like, well not now, but but then
I was wearing a Cricket Australia uniform and I kind
of like, somehow, I don't know if it's like manifesting
if we want to, we want to.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Talk about it like the white people way, but.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Like you think, like like I didn't even realize that
I wanted to do that until I was doing it,
and now that I've done that as well, like it's
It's opened up a million doors for me that I
never thought I would have and so many opportunities that
I thought I would never have. And now that I'm
in the position that I am, I'm like, damn, Like
I want everyone to have this experience because like, sport
(13:13):
has saved me so many times in my life that
I can't even like count, And like, I mean, it
could be any industry, it could be any thing that
I'm talking about, but this is my thing, and I
think knowing that I can find ways to bring that
opportunity those communities, those events, experiences, even the relationship improve
(13:36):
the relationship that some people have with movement, you know,
that is really cool and like it's something that not
a lot of people get to do. And I think
I get energized knowing that there are other people that
are going to feel this way because of something that
I do nine to five, which just fun. But then
(13:58):
I also think I apply that to even what we
are doing. Tea Clack, you know, we created this podcast
because we wanted to hear the voice that we you know,
he hears some voices that we definitely needed in various
times of our livessolutely and just knowing that, you know,
if we want to connect or are looking that we're there.
(14:19):
And you know, we've had so many people reach out
to us to say exactly that. So it's so strange
how you can think that what you're doing doesn't really
mean anything to anyone, but we, I reckon, we have
no idea how much more you know, people have kind
of been able to feel more confident in who they
are and stuff because of just us existing in a
(14:41):
way that and in this way, which is yeah, something
really hard to wrap your head around. But at the
same time, I think I don't want to. Yeah, like
we can never take it for granted either, and I
think there's so much more opportunity for us to continue
to grow and grow in this community. But that is,
you know, that's we're just I think we're just contributing
(15:04):
to the journey and the all of the things that
you know, community are doing that started with our elders
that we know of and their stories and our ancestors
and their ancestors, And like, I just the more you
think about how did you know how did my grandparents
become who they were? How did how did their parents
(15:25):
become who they were? And you just think black god
like and.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
How does that make me me?
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Now?
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah, I always sort of grew up thinking like knowing who,
knowing where I've come from is such a big part
of how I know where I'm going. And a good
example of that in play was when so obviously you
told me you were doing the Masters and this was
ages ago, and then I was like, damn, I should
do that too. That sounds amazing. So then I went
(15:51):
and signed up and I'm so I'm the second cohort
of the Masters of Indigenous Business Leadership. It's been amazing
so far. I'm so thankful that you shared with me
that journey you were going on. And I remember the
first day where the whole cohort had like traveled to
Melbourne to meet and we all sort of sat around
and introduced. It was really like a relationship building day,
which is incredible because you don't see that in any
(16:13):
other sort of learning environment, that you bring all the
students together and just connect because we're going on a
learning journey and culture culturally, we're going to do that
together as a community. It's not who's best in the class,
or it's not individual learning. We're learning as a group.
We're learning from one another, and also the theory and
everything that comes on with the with the unique degree.
(16:34):
But I remember distinctly on that first day, there was
a moment when we were all talking about ourselves, and
we made sure to take a moment for everyone that
couldn't be where we were today, everyone who for whatever
reason is not able to be in this room, be
they people who've passed, people who have barriers to education,
(16:57):
people in our past who were not able to receive
an education. And it got to me and I was
like bawling my little eyes out, And it was a
safe space to be able to do that because we
all understood that almost that trauma of all of the
injustices of our past and everyone who would have loved
to do this and to grab this knowledge and do
(17:18):
whatever it is we're wanting to do with it. So
it got to me and I was just like, I
just I'm so proud to be here, I'm so proud
to start this learning journey. And I can't help but
think of my Nan, who was not able to go
to school, not for her you know, on and off schooling,
but Aboriginal kids were not able to go and get
(17:39):
an education in the way everyone else was able to.
And that's just like a generation away. So it was
a really emotional moment of recognizing all of these people
who have put in the work to make sure I
could actually go and do this masters, and we all
had a good cry and we all took them to
(18:00):
breathe in who couldn't be here and why we're here
because of elders who actually put in the work. So
it was it was really special, and I'm so glad
that this year we've got that opportunity to stop and
think and reflect on what these incredible elders in our
community have done and how we get to stand confidently
(18:21):
where we are, do jobs we love, and continue to
affect change because of the work they've done.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Hell yeah, it was great. I love that.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
I left crying, but that's great.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Yeah, they're a great mob them more Nash mob and like, yeah,
shout out to the Moible team. But yeah, like even
just doing that degree in itself, being surrounded by, you know,
people that are more experienced, but also just just feeling
validated in those spaces that you have something to contribute.
I think I was probably one of the younger puppies
of the of the cohort, But yeah, I just like
(18:55):
soaked it up as much as they could and really
enjoyed having that opportunity to be with people in a
non like work work environment, a non networking environment, just
like purely there to educate, learn and to.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Empower each other, build each other up and help each
other succeed.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
And what a uniquely indigenous way of learning.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Oh, it's exactly what like, yeah, what we were talking about,
Like if we had more of these kind of ways
of being, learning and doing applied through a lot of
our systems just in general, we would just be such.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
A better society. And who look after each other?
Speaker 1 (19:35):
You know, it's such an honor to have this connection
and the obligation is something that you feel inherently and
it's not something that's a bad thing. It's an amazing
thing that you know that one of our first laws
is what's good for country must come first, and if
you have plenty, you must share. You know, that's that's
proper like that is that's how you know, I would
(19:59):
love for the world to work. It doesn't the same
but you know, in our space as it does. And
that's something that's just so uniquely beautiful about about us,
about our culture.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
And I guess the question for all of us to
ask ourselves is what learnings can we take from our
culture and what learnings can we take from our elders
that we can champion in our day to day lives
and continue to create an environment where that begins to
flourish again, Because really, you know, these cultural obligations, these
(20:31):
cultural needs, then ever the draining thing are they? The
draining thing is these colonial expectations that you know, you
can't get time off of, sorry business, you can't do this,
and then we lose time in connecting with our elders.
So yeah, I think that's a really good question for
all of us. You know, while we're having these discussions
(20:51):
about what elders mean to us, what are those learnings need?
What is that connected journey of learning and creating change
from our older is to us to whoever's next? How
can we how can we learn as much as possible
and bring that with us today?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
And there's also an action, a major action element to
it as well, like and the concept of elders like
as we're as we talk about it, I think sometimes
people apply it to these like these magical beings that
live in the sky, Like elders are the ones performing
welcomes to country.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
They're you know, they're the.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Ones guiding community. They're our everything. There are lawmakers, there
are our countrymen and women. You know, they're our teachers.
There are are leaders, and they have fought tooth and
now for so much that we are benefiting from as
next gen. And I think genuine genuinely and generally as
(21:47):
a country, we have been educating the masses based on
really bad experiences as well.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Lack what do you mean by that? Like ay marbo
Adam Goods, like all of these things, what.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Can we learn from this devastating thing? Yeah, should be
space for these positive yeah experience.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
I think what I'm saying is, like our elders are
the ones that were receiving you know, blatant racism when
it was legal, and you know they're still alive today.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
They lived through like some of the.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Segregation that was occurring, you know, pre and post the
sixty seven sixty seven referendum.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
For example.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
You know, my granddad would win rugby league games, but
then couldn't go to the pub with his white teammates,
like you know, or I think he told me his
story not too long ago of him and my name
got engaged and they weren't serving black people at the
pub that night.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Good god, what is that?
Speaker 1 (22:50):
You know? And like people forget how how much of
these kind of rights or you know, things that are
just a basic human right or even just like regular
day to day stuff that a lot of our MUB
weren't allowed to do and weren't allowed to be a
(23:12):
part of. And it took a lot of like a
lot of pain, a lot of sacrifice, a lot of
trauma experienced by elders generation generationally passed on as well,
and we're still all a lot of us are still
kind of experiencing the on flow effect of that, you know, biologically, genetically, culturally,
(23:37):
personally today. But you know, they did so much, you know,
you think about the tent embassy, just pretty much everything
in the last yeah, well actually just everything. Yeah, you
can't even really yeah, put a put a timeline on it.
But they fought tooth and nail, and I almost feel
(24:00):
like we like again, it's like the obligation, but like
but almost because We're so so proud to be blackfellows,
so proud to be a part of this culture, so
proud to be a part of this community, so so honored.
Like and you just you want all of their hard work,
all of their sacrifices, paying traw me et cetera, to
(24:24):
not be for nothing. Yeah. And I think some of
the NATOK comms and stuff around that have have been
have been.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
What's what I keep up?
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Have been directed to kind of talk about how you know,
things like the voice. It has been such an aspiration
from so many of our elders. And you know, when
we look at some of the some of the No campaign,
especially with mob who are saying we need more and
we should do more totally and then and they've got
elders who you know who they are also trying to
(25:00):
do the exact same thing for and with, and there
is like we are all agreeing that there's just so
much more that we want and that we can do.
And there's different different ways and different parts of this
major puzzle to come together. And there's definitely a way
that they can we can all work. And the thing
is about us is that we will find a way
(25:22):
for that to work.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
I know that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I have such faith that when when even when you know,
these things come to light or it does come down
to crunch time, that we will, you know, through consensus,
decision making, aboriginal terms of reference, the way we you know, live, work,
love and operate with each other, we will find a
way to make that work the way that we need it.
(25:45):
To white followers or non Indigenous people, people that are
just against this because of general racism, they're never going
to They're never going to catch up. Yeah, But what
I guess, what I'm saying is we all have the
reasons as to why why we're doing the things that
we're doing. And the the elders who are currently the
(26:09):
face of campaigns and you know activism.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Right now, ah, who we're doing this for, and.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
And we are who we are because of them, And
you know, one day, hopefully they're gonna, like I guess,
when they go to the dream time, Like I really
do hope that we've done all that we can two
achieve the things that they wanted to see in a lifetime.
(26:39):
And I think I want that for us as well,
you know, and I think the next gen will we'll
take our baton and run with it, and just like
we have with them and our parents have with them,
and you know, we obviously still have so much more
to go. But there is something very I think, very special,
(27:01):
anxiety inducing, but exciting about this next chapter that I
think we can go on as a country without going
too much into the voice to Parliament.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
We can definitely do an episode on that as well
for you.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, and I don't want it to apply it to everything,
nor do I want it to necessarily overshadow in NADOC content,
but it is. It's all encompassing, It all connects, and
you can't just celebrate mob without standing up for the more.
You know, we can't just celebrate this culture put it
on our flyers and have fifty one percent owned companies.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
So with that way, supply nation.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Certified without actually you know, answering the invite that so
many First Nations people have been a part of the
call to have reform in this country, to be recognized
in the constitution. It's just it's recognition, you know, that
(28:00):
we exist, that we have been here, We are the
first peoples of this country, predates your you know, your
colonial constitution that was written on the boat, probably in
a scrap scrap.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
No, I don't know what they were right.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
For the for the voice specific episode.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
In fact, we're going in, but we will dive into.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
That topic and and explore those Courtney and I are
both supportive of the voice, but I do think it's
worthwhile us taking a look at, you know, members of
our own community who are against it, and discussing those
and and sharing our perspective as well. So keep an
eye out for that that episode as well.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Good plug about to record it, I know, But yeah,
so I mean the theme for our elders. I think
as we've just kind of like dove into it, there
has been quite a quite a heavy call to action.
I think as well that the referendum, the Voice isn't
just the thing that we need to be pushing for.
There is there's so much more happening on the outside.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
So as we wrap up, court, is there anything you
want to finish off with, any wisdom you want to
give us calls to action for those listening.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Yeah, I think, as I was saying before, you know,
we can't underestimate the impact that we can have, and
there's so much that even just one person can do.
NATOC Week is for everyone to engage to learn to celebrate,
but to also know that like celebration comes with an
advocacy and allyship is a twenty four to seven job
(29:35):
and it's not when you feel like it. And I
think as a community, we know who's real and who's not.
And you know, I think the way a lot of
people are in positions where they want to be part
of the growth of our country. And you know, without
getting to like national with this, but I think it's
just a general global kind of phenomena that like, we
(29:58):
all want to be part of a better future, right,
and we're all looking forward and we're very forward focused.
But there's a lot of things, so much to learn
from the past, so much to learn from the past,
so much to to bring attention to, you know, through
truth telling. There's a lot of harm that we need
(30:19):
to acknowledge and heal from in order to shape what
the future looks like. We need to heal the wounds now.
But there's no better time than now to take to
take action. And there's a saying, like plenty of people
have said, I'm not the original creator of this, but
(30:39):
something that I really love to say to people is,
you know, the best time to have planted a tree
was twenty years ago. Second best time to plant a
tree is right now. So that being said, go plant
the trees. Start this movement. Started at the dinner table,
start it on your commute, started in the workplace, office,
(30:59):
Get moving. We can't sit back and wait for this
to happen. And we've all got a huge role to play,
and I just I give you all permission to take
it and run with it and work on your circles,
if for no one for our elders, you know, and
(31:20):
that is past and present, but also the elders of
our future generation.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
I saw this really beautiful poster once that said, we
are the elders of tomorrow. Act accordingly. And I'll probably
never be an elder, but I think it's a really
good thing to live by, particularly for people like us
who are working in this space, who are so passionate
about continuing to champion our mob and improve the country
that we live in. The thing I want to leave
(31:45):
people with is take some time this week or whenever
you can find the time to sit down with elders
in your community, elders in your family. There is so
much to learn from them, both positive and negative. There
are horrible things that have happened in our past that
we need to heal from and we need to know
about that in order to you know, do truth telling
(32:05):
and and share that. But there is also so many
like we've talked about, indigenous ways of being, connecting with
one another, running businesses, all of those things. So sit
down and have a chat with some elders around you
in your workplace and your family, and make your elders
a cup of tea because they deserve it. That's not
(32:26):
oddly people with today? Where can they find us? Cool?
Speaker 1 (32:29):
You can find us on at Coming Out Black on
the Gram, Old b Lak at Coming Out Back on
in Scam and yeah, anyway, you get your podcasts LinkedIn
at Matika a little at Courtney fu Quandy. You know
we're We're there, We're present poppin' and you can contact
(32:52):
us via email.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Yeah, got me up like a Gmail dot com.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
We are. We are currently this is you know, your
extra special surprise NATOG episode, but we are currently looking
for sponsorship and funding so that we can create a
season three that is everything you deserve to hear, that
has incredible guests, including elders. So if anyone is interested
or has contacts. Please feel free to reach out to
us via email or again wherever you can find us.
(33:20):
I think that's it for to day.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Thank you so much for listening, See you next time.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Season three it's coming at
This podcast is recorded on Stolen Land. We acknowledge and
pay our respects to our elders, past, present and for
future generations.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Hi. I'm a Teka and I'm Courtney and we're two
Queer First Nations women passionate about representation for our community.
We created this podcast to share our stories. We want
you to join us on the journey.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
You're listening to coming out.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Quack Happy Nadok Week. We're so happy to be here
that you didn't expect to hear our lovely little voices
and I you know what I missed you stop. So
we're here to talk about the NATO week theme. We've
done a National Reconciliation Week episode and now we're doing
our very first Native Week episode of course, which is
(00:47):
exciting recorded.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yes, yeah, I run a moritime.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, it's tricky because we live in different locations.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
What do you more call it in Queer Christmas? No, no, sir,
not Natoka like running on Murray time?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
What do you call it?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Careed time?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
True?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, coreed time?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Alrighty creative?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Well sorry, So a bit of Natok history. So NATOG
stands for National Aborigines in Irelander's Day Observance Committee. So
Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal
groups in the nineteen twenties, which sought to increase awareness
in the wider community of the status and treatment of
Aboriginal and torrestrate Islander Australians. So initially just a day
(01:31):
and it's grown into a week and I'm working on
it being year round.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
So it's been over one hundred years.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
That is nuts.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
And it seemed from a day like that and that
was out of protests, right, that was a that was
a day that was.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
In protest against the treatment of First Nations Australians. Of essentially,
you need to know this so that we can do
something about it, is my understanding. Anyway, A good recent
source to check out after the podcast is the NATOK
website because it's got a whole section on history, so
you can go through, you know, starting in the nineteen
(02:07):
twenties through to when it became longer, what organizations evolved
out of that, all the themes of previous years as well,
and the beautiful posters of course, so definitely a resource,
and they will share a few things on the Instagram
as well. Yeah, the Instagram, am I agent does that
mean age? But yeah, so, so the current theme for
(02:30):
this year is for our Elders. So I've got, uh,
They've got some beautiful videos, and I've seen a bunch
of people doing some amazing content highlighting like like local
elders in their community or just the importance of elders
in our own communities. And I wanted to read out
a little bit from the announcement of the theme, just
to give people a bit of an idea. So across
(02:52):
every generation, our elders have played and continue to play
an important role and hold a prominent place in our
communities and families. Their cultural noul holders, trailblazers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders,
hard workers, and our loved ones, those who pick us
up on our low moments and celebrate us in our
high ones. And it goes on to just talk about
(03:13):
how we draw strength from their knowledge, their experiences, or
that they've done to put us where we are today.
Which I'm just so glad that this is the theme
for this year because it's such a good time to
I always think we need to know where we've come from, mildren,
know where we're going. Damn girl, it's almost like I
(03:36):
said this before, So yeah, and I think that, of
course everyone's going to be putting out in the dot
content this week, but I wanted us to come at
it from a really unique perspective of discussing that journey
of how we've seen the hard work that our elders
have done before us, and how we take that on ourselves,
(03:57):
and how hopefully the next generation takes that on.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Absolutely, and I almost hope that, Yeah, like by the
work that we do, I said it before, we're into
such a unique position, you know, to make make real
long lasting generational change that that I think our elders,
oh my god, only this is past and present, But
that was exactly what I'm going to say, that our
elders you know, past and present are doing and have
done and I continue to contribute to. And like we've
(04:24):
got the we've got the energy, we've got the resources,
we have the internet, like do you say slave like
far out like we've we've never been more resourced.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
What do we do with that?
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Is the question to.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Take it on? And no better time than now.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
But yeah, kind of I'm trying to trying to tap
into into the energy, you know, of our ancestors, but
not necessarily in a way that it's an unlimited source.
But they knew how to do things, they knew how
to balance, and they had a different way of living
that I think we can still very much like learn
and be and so by bye, because I think that's
(05:03):
the direction that we should be going, is taking so
much more of the learnings of our people and applying
them to how we work with each other, how we
talk to each other, how we communicate, how we love
each other, you know, how we do everything together. There's
so much impact that we actually can have. Like it's
(05:25):
easy to kind of get caught up in statistics, generational
change and stuff like that, but I think I've starting
to realize now that, like you actually do start to
see the fruits of your labor or almost the impact
of the work that you've done.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And I've started to see that now a little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
In the sporting industry of things that was like, oh,
that was such a random idea I had in like
twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, and now it's been a long
term commitment from an organization or it's set the pillars
or foundations of work that have led various organizations to
feel like that, can you know, publicly support something to
(06:03):
do with First Nations, or that you're seeing young Indigenous
people having more opportunity because of because of initiatives that
you've started and stuff, and it just makes me realize
that we all have so much.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Ability and impact.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, I had a question or I was thinking as
you were talking about two things. One the interconnected nature
of that change. You starting to see the ongoing impacts
of changes you've made, and how that connects to the
changes those before as I've made, which obviously links so
(06:40):
well into this year's Natoork theme for our Elders, all
of those people who have come before us, who have
fought for change, who have fought for the two of
us to have the platforms that we do now enable
you to do the incredible work that you're now seeing Snowball,
even after you've gone from places.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, Like I literally was just telling this with the
story today at work. I remember when I was about
I think I must have been maybe like seven eight
years old, living out Mergen sort of like near Sherburg,
kind of three and a half four hours from Brisbane,
and we how did not like I don't know what happened,
(07:20):
But we had this like random opportunity to go and
play cricket on the field at the Ashes in like
two thousand and four, and so were like the Milo halftime.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Kids loved that. It was fun.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
She had a media career from the get go.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
But like before that, I think I was I was
doing a little bit like kanga cricket, played a bit
of backyard cricket with my granddad. Like it wasn't like
my Bill and the lawd wasn't obsessed with her anything.
But when I went and did that random I had
that random opportunity, I think because the local Cricket Association
came in and like kind of gave us these opportunities
as kids who aren't, you know, close to Brisbane. This
(08:04):
I guess, yeah, bringing the countries in country kids in
to show them what it's like, you know, in the
big city and all that sort of stuff. And I
never really thought about that experience for a really really
long time until recently. But it was only probably must
have been two thousand and seven. So a few years later,
I'm in year seven and I get oh, year eight
(08:25):
and I get asked to do this like little task
and it was draw yourself on what you want to
be when you grow up and then that. And at
that point I've already moved to Brisbane. I started playing
like local cricket and stuff, and I wasn't actually very good.
I was actually pretty average, but but I was still
(08:45):
allowed to play. And I was probably like one of
like two or three other girls that were playing in
these cricket clubs because that's just where women's cricket was
out at the time. Anyway, I drew myself in an
Australian cricket kit and I didn't have any equipment in
this drawing, but I had a cricket Australia uniform grit
in gold, you know. And years go on, I actually
(09:06):
quit cricket. I think I've told this story before on
the podcast, like I think this girl called me the
D word and she's like, don't they play cricket and
I'm like, oh no, But then they quit because I
knew I was gay then too. So, you know, a
couple of years later, I think I was two thousand
and nine that kind of knit that dream in the
bud and then through an Indigenous pathway initiative that cricket
(09:26):
had at the time, which.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Is Cricket Australia the yep business.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yep. So, like twenty thirteen, I get invited to go
and play in this thing called the Impage Cup, which
had been running for maybe like fifteen or twenty years already,
and I got to play as part of this like
women's invitational team because I've like kind of created a
women's division, which was really cool and like now in
you know, twenty twenty three, like the women have just
(09:53):
like won the Ashes and they are the best like Australian.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Sporting team of all time.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yes, but like yeah, so Twood says, year I got
the opportunity to go and play in our springs and
then I just fell in love with it. Went back
every year and then eventually we had a Queensland team
and then I captained it for like six or seven years.
We didn't win under my leadership, but recently, actually recently
(10:20):
this year is the first year that we won. It
took me a decade, but we actually won the championships. Yeah,
that was actually a life update which was really cool.
And since it's like beginnings, I think it's been like
twelve years the new South Wales.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Women's team have won the whole time.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
So it was just really cool to be a part
of a winning team but also like to be part
of that journey. Yeah, for ten years between when we
started we finished. Well, when I'm finished, I'm retiring because
I'm like, stop while you're on top. You know, if
someone says, like, when's the last time you played cricket,
I can say I won. I won the National Championships actually,
but yeah, sorry. The story that I'm telling you is that, yeah,
(11:01):
like that indigenous pathway, that opportunity to go and connect
with mob, play with mob, that kept me back in
the game and going to the territory every year as well,
just kind of like it was just it's just a
really magical place and I felt like kind of at
home there and safe. And when I finished university, I
(11:21):
had the opportunity to go out there for where and
I just I took it. And then I was out
there for a couple of years working and we played
a match against like again New South Wales and lost,
and I was giving this like postgame interview about how
because also I was detracting from the fact that we lost,
(11:41):
and I was just like talking about.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Like full credit to the boys.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Yeah, the girls really came out there and mostly hard
that I was just talking about how like the bigger
picture stuff, like it's just amazing that how how much
the comp's gown and you know how inspiring this is
for for mob and stuff like that, and you know,
within those conversations somehow that led to when a job
went at Cricket Australia. They asked me, you know about it,
(12:09):
and you know, I got it and that happened, you know,
in over the space of about six months, like from
that interview to when that job was actually available. But
for them to like kind of remember me and think
about the way that I was talking about it like
is really really cool. But it just sort of makes
you think, like all these little things add up over time,
(12:32):
this passion.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
And strawing as a kid, all the way up to
an actual career Cricket Australia.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
So now I'm like, well not now, but but then
I was wearing a Cricket Australia uniform and I kind
of like, somehow, I don't know if it's like manifesting
if we want to, we want to.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Talk about it like the white people way, but.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Like you think, like like I didn't even realize that
I wanted to do that until I was doing it,
and now that I've done that as well, like it's
It's opened up a million doors for me that I
never thought I would have and so many opportunities that
I thought I would never have. And now that I'm
in the position that I am, I'm like, damn, Like
I want everyone to have this experience because like, sport
(13:13):
has saved me so many times in my life that
I can't even like count, And like, I mean, it
could be any industry, it could be any thing that
I'm talking about, but this is my thing, and I
think knowing that I can find ways to bring that
opportunity those communities, those events, experiences, even the relationship improve
(13:36):
the relationship that some people have with movement, you know,
that is really cool and like it's something that not
a lot of people get to do. And I think
I get energized knowing that there are other people that
are going to feel this way because of something that
I do nine to five, which just fun. But then
(13:58):
I also think I apply that to even what we
are doing. Tea Clack, you know, we created this podcast
because we wanted to hear the voice that we you know,
he hears some voices that we definitely needed in various
times of our livessolutely and just knowing that, you know,
if we want to connect or are looking that we're there.
(14:19):
And you know, we've had so many people reach out
to us to say exactly that. So it's so strange
how you can think that what you're doing doesn't really
mean anything to anyone, but we, I reckon, we have
no idea how much more you know, people have kind
of been able to feel more confident in who they
are and stuff because of just us existing in a
(14:41):
way that and in this way, which is yeah, something
really hard to wrap your head around. But at the
same time, I think I don't want to. Yeah, like
we can never take it for granted either, and I
think there's so much more opportunity for us to continue
to grow and grow in this community. But that is,
you know, that's we're just I think we're just contributing
(15:04):
to the journey and the all of the things that
you know, community are doing that started with our elders
that we know of and their stories and our ancestors
and their ancestors, And like, I just the more you
think about how did you know how did my grandparents
become who they were? How did how did their parents
(15:25):
become who they were? And you just think black god
like and.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
How does that make me me?
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Now?
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah, I always sort of grew up thinking like knowing who,
knowing where I've come from is such a big part
of how I know where I'm going. And a good
example of that in play was when so obviously you
told me you were doing the Masters and this was
ages ago, and then I was like, damn, I should
do that too. That sounds amazing. So then I went
(15:51):
and signed up and I'm so I'm the second cohort
of the Masters of Indigenous Business Leadership. It's been amazing
so far. I'm so thankful that you shared with me
that journey you were going on. And I remember the
first day where the whole cohort had like traveled to
Melbourne to meet and we all sort of sat around
and introduced. It was really like a relationship building day,
which is incredible because you don't see that in any
(16:13):
other sort of learning environment, that you bring all the
students together and just connect because we're going on a
learning journey and culture culturally, we're going to do that
together as a community. It's not who's best in the class,
or it's not individual learning. We're learning as a group.
We're learning from one another, and also the theory and
everything that comes on with the with the unique degree.
(16:34):
But I remember distinctly on that first day, there was
a moment when we were all talking about ourselves, and
we made sure to take a moment for everyone that
couldn't be where we were today, everyone who for whatever
reason is not able to be in this room, be
they people who've passed, people who have barriers to education,
(16:57):
people in our past who were not able to receive
an education. And it got to me and I was
like bawling my little eyes out, And it was a
safe space to be able to do that because we
all understood that almost that trauma of all of the
injustices of our past and everyone who would have loved
to do this and to grab this knowledge and do
(17:18):
whatever it is we're wanting to do with it. So
it got to me and I was just like, I
just I'm so proud to be here, I'm so proud
to start this learning journey. And I can't help but
think of my Nan, who was not able to go
to school, not for her you know, on and off schooling,
but Aboriginal kids were not able to go and get
(17:39):
an education in the way everyone else was able to.
And that's just like a generation away. So it was
a really emotional moment of recognizing all of these people
who have put in the work to make sure I
could actually go and do this masters, and we all
had a good cry and we all took them to
(18:00):
breathe in who couldn't be here and why we're here
because of elders who actually put in the work. So
it was it was really special, and I'm so glad
that this year we've got that opportunity to stop and
think and reflect on what these incredible elders in our
community have done and how we get to stand confidently
(18:21):
where we are, do jobs we love, and continue to
affect change because of the work they've done.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Hell yeah, it was great. I love that.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
I left crying, but that's great.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Yeah, they're a great mob them more Nash mob and like, yeah,
shout out to the Moible team. But yeah, like even
just doing that degree in itself, being surrounded by, you know,
people that are more experienced, but also just just feeling
validated in those spaces that you have something to contribute.
I think I was probably one of the younger puppies
of the of the cohort, But yeah, I just like
(18:55):
soaked it up as much as they could and really
enjoyed having that opportunity to be with people in a
non like work work environment, a non networking environment, just
like purely there to educate, learn and to.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Empower each other, build each other up and help each
other succeed.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
And what a uniquely indigenous way of learning.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Oh, it's exactly what like, yeah, what we were talking about,
Like if we had more of these kind of ways
of being, learning and doing applied through a lot of
our systems just in general, we would just be such.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
A better society. And who look after each other?
Speaker 1 (19:35):
You know, it's such an honor to have this connection
and the obligation is something that you feel inherently and
it's not something that's a bad thing. It's an amazing
thing that you know that one of our first laws
is what's good for country must come first, and if
you have plenty, you must share. You know, that's that's
proper like that is that's how you know, I would
(19:59):
love for the world to work. It doesn't the same
but you know, in our space as it does. And
that's something that's just so uniquely beautiful about about us,
about our culture.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
And I guess the question for all of us to
ask ourselves is what learnings can we take from our
culture and what learnings can we take from our elders
that we can champion in our day to day lives
and continue to create an environment where that begins to
flourish again, Because really, you know, these cultural obligations, these
(20:31):
cultural needs, then ever the draining thing are they? The
draining thing is these colonial expectations that you know, you
can't get time off of, sorry business, you can't do this,
and then we lose time in connecting with our elders.
So yeah, I think that's a really good question for
all of us. You know, while we're having these discussions
(20:51):
about what elders mean to us, what are those learnings need?
What is that connected journey of learning and creating change
from our older is to us to whoever's next? How
can we how can we learn as much as possible
and bring that with us today?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
And there's also an action, a major action element to
it as well, like and the concept of elders like
as we're as we talk about it, I think sometimes
people apply it to these like these magical beings that
live in the sky, Like elders are the ones performing
welcomes to country.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
They're you know, they're the.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Ones guiding community. They're our everything. There are lawmakers, there
are our countrymen and women. You know, they're our teachers.
There are are leaders, and they have fought tooth and
now for so much that we are benefiting from as
next gen. And I think genuine genuinely and generally as
(21:47):
a country, we have been educating the masses based on
really bad experiences as well.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Lack what do you mean by that? Like ay marbo
Adam Goods, like all of these things, what.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Can we learn from this devastating thing? Yeah, should be
space for these positive yeah experience.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
I think what I'm saying is, like our elders are
the ones that were receiving you know, blatant racism when
it was legal, and you know they're still alive today.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
They lived through like some of the.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Segregation that was occurring, you know, pre and post the
sixty seven sixty seven referendum.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
For example.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
You know, my granddad would win rugby league games, but
then couldn't go to the pub with his white teammates,
like you know, or I think he told me his
story not too long ago of him and my name
got engaged and they weren't serving black people at the
pub that night.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Good god, what is that?
Speaker 1 (22:50):
You know? And like people forget how how much of
these kind of rights or you know, things that are
just a basic human right or even just like regular
day to day stuff that a lot of our MUB
weren't allowed to do and weren't allowed to be a
(23:12):
part of. And it took a lot of like a
lot of pain, a lot of sacrifice, a lot of
trauma experienced by elders generation generationally passed on as well,
and we're still all a lot of us are still
kind of experiencing the on flow effect of that, you know, biologically, genetically, culturally,
(23:37):
personally today. But you know, they did so much, you know,
you think about the tent embassy, just pretty much everything
in the last yeah, well actually just everything. Yeah, you
can't even really yeah, put a put a timeline on it.
But they fought tooth and nail, and I almost feel
(24:00):
like we like again, it's like the obligation, but like
but almost because We're so so proud to be blackfellows,
so proud to be a part of this culture, so
proud to be a part of this community, so so honored.
Like and you just you want all of their hard work,
all of their sacrifices, paying traw me et cetera, to
(24:24):
not be for nothing. Yeah. And I think some of
the NATOK comms and stuff around that have have been
have been.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
What's what I keep up?
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Have been directed to kind of talk about how you know,
things like the voice. It has been such an aspiration
from so many of our elders. And you know, when
we look at some of the some of the No campaign,
especially with mob who are saying we need more and
we should do more totally and then and they've got
elders who you know who they are also trying to
(25:00):
do the exact same thing for and with, and there
is like we are all agreeing that there's just so
much more that we want and that we can do.
And there's different different ways and different parts of this
major puzzle to come together. And there's definitely a way
that they can we can all work. And the thing
is about us is that we will find a way
(25:22):
for that to work.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
I know that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I have such faith that when when even when you know,
these things come to light or it does come down
to crunch time, that we will, you know, through consensus,
decision making, aboriginal terms of reference, the way we you know, live, work,
love and operate with each other, we will find a
way to make that work the way that we need it.
(25:45):
To white followers or non Indigenous people, people that are
just against this because of general racism, they're never going
to They're never going to catch up. Yeah, But what
I guess, what I'm saying is we all have the
reasons as to why why we're doing the things that
we're doing. And the the elders who are currently the
(26:09):
face of campaigns and you know activism.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Right now, ah, who we're doing this for, and.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
And we are who we are because of them, And
you know, one day, hopefully they're gonna, like I guess,
when they go to the dream time, Like I really
do hope that we've done all that we can two
achieve the things that they wanted to see in a lifetime.
(26:39):
And I think I want that for us as well,
you know, and I think the next gen will we'll
take our baton and run with it, and just like
we have with them and our parents have with them,
and you know, we obviously still have so much more
to go. But there is something very I think, very special,
(27:01):
anxiety inducing, but exciting about this next chapter that I
think we can go on as a country without going
too much into the voice to Parliament.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
We can definitely do an episode on that as well
for you.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, and I don't want it to apply it to everything,
nor do I want it to necessarily overshadow in NADOC content,
but it is. It's all encompassing, It all connects, and
you can't just celebrate mob without standing up for the more.
You know, we can't just celebrate this culture put it
on our flyers and have fifty one percent owned companies.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
So with that way, supply nation.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Certified without actually you know, answering the invite that so
many First Nations people have been a part of the
call to have reform in this country, to be recognized
in the constitution. It's just it's recognition, you know, that
(28:00):
we exist, that we have been here, We are the
first peoples of this country, predates your you know, your
colonial constitution that was written on the boat, probably in
a scrap scrap.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
No, I don't know what they were right.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
For the for the voice specific episode.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
In fact, we're going in, but we will dive into.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
That topic and and explore those Courtney and I are
both supportive of the voice, but I do think it's
worthwhile us taking a look at, you know, members of
our own community who are against it, and discussing those
and and sharing our perspective as well. So keep an
eye out for that that episode as well.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Good plug about to record it, I know, But yeah,
so I mean the theme for our elders. I think
as we've just kind of like dove into it, there
has been quite a quite a heavy call to action.
I think as well that the referendum, the Voice isn't
just the thing that we need to be pushing for.
There is there's so much more happening on the outside.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
So as we wrap up, court, is there anything you
want to finish off with, any wisdom you want to
give us calls to action for those listening.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Yeah, I think, as I was saying before, you know,
we can't underestimate the impact that we can have, and
there's so much that even just one person can do.
NATOC Week is for everyone to engage to learn to celebrate,
but to also know that like celebration comes with an
advocacy and allyship is a twenty four to seven job
(29:35):
and it's not when you feel like it. And I
think as a community, we know who's real and who's not.
And you know, I think the way a lot of
people are in positions where they want to be part
of the growth of our country. And you know, without
getting to like national with this, but I think it's
just a general global kind of phenomena that like, we
(29:58):
all want to be part of a better future, right,
and we're all looking forward and we're very forward focused.
But there's a lot of things, so much to learn
from the past, so much to learn from the past,
so much to to bring attention to, you know, through
truth telling. There's a lot of harm that we need
(30:19):
to acknowledge and heal from in order to shape what
the future looks like. We need to heal the wounds now.
But there's no better time than now to take to
take action. And there's a saying, like plenty of people
have said, I'm not the original creator of this, but
(30:39):
something that I really love to say to people is,
you know, the best time to have planted a tree
was twenty years ago. Second best time to plant a
tree is right now. So that being said, go plant
the trees. Start this movement. Started at the dinner table,
start it on your commute, started in the workplace, office,
(30:59):
Get moving. We can't sit back and wait for this
to happen. And we've all got a huge role to play,
and I just I give you all permission to take
it and run with it and work on your circles,
if for no one for our elders, you know, and
(31:20):
that is past and present, but also the elders of
our future generation.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
I saw this really beautiful poster once that said, we
are the elders of tomorrow. Act accordingly. And I'll probably
never be an elder, but I think it's a really
good thing to live by, particularly for people like us
who are working in this space, who are so passionate
about continuing to champion our mob and improve the country
that we live in. The thing I want to leave
(31:45):
people with is take some time this week or whenever
you can find the time to sit down with elders
in your community, elders in your family. There is so
much to learn from them, both positive and negative. There
are horrible things that have happened in our past that
we need to heal from and we need to know
about that in order to you know, do truth telling
(32:05):
and and share that. But there is also so many
like we've talked about, indigenous ways of being, connecting with
one another, running businesses, all of those things. So sit
down and have a chat with some elders around you
in your workplace and your family, and make your elders
a cup of tea because they deserve it. That's not
(32:26):
oddly people with today? Where can they find us? Cool?
Speaker 1 (32:29):
You can find us on at Coming Out Black on
the Gram, Old b Lak at Coming Out Back on
in Scam and yeah, anyway, you get your podcasts LinkedIn
at Matika a little at Courtney fu Quandy. You know
we're We're there, We're present poppin' and you can contact
(32:52):
us via email.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Yeah, got me up like a Gmail dot com.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
We are. We are currently this is you know, your
extra special surprise NATOG episode, but we are currently looking
for sponsorship and funding so that we can create a
season three that is everything you deserve to hear, that
has incredible guests, including elders. So if anyone is interested
or has contacts. Please feel free to reach out to
us via email or again wherever you can find us.
(33:20):
I think that's it for to day.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Thank you so much for listening, See you next time.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Season three it's coming at
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