Where I stand, there is history
Memories that we cannot ignore
A pull too strong to leave behind
Something we must acknowledge
A part of the land that we learn on together
We learn the history of the Land.
We learn the meaning of the Land.
We learn the beginning of the Land.
Bridging the differences we have made
So we know the story of where we stand, and what came before us
A land, that we were told was Terra Nullius
Lies strung by thread, a false foundation built for a country we call home.
A Home that was claimed before us
A Culture that was stolen
We keep it alive,
the Stories, the Connection, the Culture
Learning about their past,
Learning about how we came to be,
Learning about the Culture around us
From their hands to ours,
They pass on their culture to us
From their hands to ours,
We nurse the stories they’ve told.
From their hands to ours,
We open our eyes to a land we don’t really know
A path to connecting Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples
We must continue speaking the truth
The legacy of the land tells the stories before us.
Tell the generations of how we came to be
How we became who we are. Be honest.
We do not downplay the past for the future generations
We make a way to continue the Culture
This is not limited to me, or you,
but to everyone who stands with us.
Around us.
We learn together, not as two, but one.
Feeding the connection the First Nations have created with the Land
Learning from the Country, that they first had
Judges' Choice
A Bridge, A Path, A Way
Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School
Artist: Liliana P. (year 9)
Artist statement...
My writing piece is about showing history, what we are currently doing to keep culture alive and what we will do in the futyre to continue learning and appreciating culture. My poem focuses on pursuing the meaning and beginning of the land and how we will continue to educate and connect with each other.
Reconciliation means...
… different cultures and generations coming together to learn from each other and the land.