The Role of Elders

The workshop agreed with the need for recognition of Elders and greater emphasis on the status of Elders in the community. The role of Elders as being the repositories of knowledge, of life accomplishments and the source of cultural transmission must be acknowledged and upheld. There must be acknowledgement of the separate but equal role of men and women, each contributing to benefit the whole of the community with men as head of the family, spiritual and cultural leaders and women as nurturers of people, land and relationships. The Goulbourn Valley Aboriginal Elders Group has maintained the role of women as nurturers of people with a focus on health and emotional management. This is practised in the involvement of Elders in the Goulbourn Valley Hospital Committee, the role of Elders in providing emotional support at times of trauma and grief the in the community and through involvement in the Woongi Spiritual Healing Program.

Relationships

Elders have a crucial role in strengthening the cultural and social position of the community. This can be done through working within family groups through family gatherings and organised activities that bring together all family members of the family. There is a need for activities which encourage interaction between Elders and youth to enable cultural transmission and to foster mutual respect. Such activities would provide a valuable means of conveying knowledge to youth of genealogy, language, stories and traditions and provide opportunities for role modelling, mentoring and developing youth leadership.



Elders discussed relationship with country. In this context ‘country’ means place of origin -literally, culturally and spiritually. Members of the Goulbourn Valley Aboriginal Elders Group have demonstrated their attachment to their country through providing evidence in the historic Yorta Yorta Native Title Claim.
Elders from other tribal groups spoke of their deep attachment to their tribal lands whilst respecting the country in which they now live.
There was unanimous agreement on the need to create awareness of tribal boundaries and the unique rights of traditional owners. Consideration must be given to people from other tribes who are connected to Yorta Yorta through marriage and children. There are long term residents in Yorta Yorta territories who have tribal connection with other country. These individuals identify with their own tribal groups but have a ‘sense of place’ through affiliation with Yorta Yorta people and land and through participation in community activities. Nevertheless they respect tribal boundaries and traditional ownership.