12th June 2020
Many of the young people in our care, have Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage. AV’s Cultural Advisors Auntie Kellie Hunter and Uncle Ian Goolagong, led our cultural communications during the pandemic, spreading messages of good spirit, strength and togetherness at a time when communities were feeling isolation the most.
“As you know, the strong and resilient peoples of this land have survived climate change, food shortages, war and sickness long before today. Over thousands of generations of we have overcome big challenges by standing together, because it’s our strong community, connected in spirit, that make us strong as people. This virus our mobs are facing today is dangerous, but remember it’s really we who are the deadly ones, eh!” — excerpt from AV’s Letter to our Indigenous community during the pandemic.
Uncle Ian and Auntie Kellie also conducted a virtual smoking ceremony for young people and AV staff, to help lighten our hearts and minds as we move forward through this pandemic.
