As part of National Reconciliation Week, Vertech Group was proud and humbled to welcome a local elder to present a traditional welcome to the Country, host a smoking ceremony and introduce the Koolangkas Kreate dance group in support of strengthening relationships and our bond between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and our team.
Welcome to Country:
Welcome To Country is a speech delivered by an Aboriginal elder of the land and is a sign of respect to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional custodians and ancestors and the continuing cultural, spiritual, and religious practices of Aboriginal people.
These ceremonies acknowledge and recognise the rights of the Noongar Peoples to Noongar Land. This acknowledgement pays respect to the traditional custodians and ancestors and the continuing cultural, spiritual, and religious practices of the Noongar people. Further, it increases awareness and recognition of Australia’s Aboriginal peoples and cultures.
The Smoking Ceremony:
It was educational, inspirational, and enjoyable for the Vertech team to host a smoking ceremony with the local elders as part of National Reconciliation Week. The ceremony is an ancient Aboriginal custom in Australia that involves burning various native plants to produce smoke, which has cleansing properties and can ward off bad spirits from the people and the land and make a pathway for a brighter future.
When you see a smoking ceremony happening, it is a gift from the Aboriginal people to all people in Australia, so make sure you go to the smoke and wave it over you and cleanse the past for a better future.
Koolangkas Kreate Indigenous Dance Group:
Koolangakas Kreate is an all-boys dance group encouraging young boys to embrace their Noongar Culture. They have performed for many events, including major events for NAIDOC, Reconciliation WA, Recognise, and Wardanji, among others. They have performed at venues such as Optus Stadium for the City of Bunbury and the City of Perth, so we were privileged to have the team perform at the Vertech Group head office in Perth, WA.
The Koolangkas Kreate focus is on embracing our Aboriginal culture, inspiring these young boys to become future leaders, and teaching them to pursue their dreams because no dream is unattainable. We encourage each of the boys in the group to continue their education as it is vital for their future, and we believe that embracing other cultures and backgrounds is important for all of us to be strong people in this wonderful Country in which we live.
Dale Tilbrook from MAALI MIA – Bush Tucker Education and Tasting
A Wardandi Bibbulmun woman from the Margaret River, Busselton area, Dale has been a Swan Valley local since 1998, offering authentic Aboriginal art, gifts and souvenirs. Having spent many years gathering knowledge from her elders and other sources, Dale is often called on to talk about bush food, which she loves presenting and encouraging people to incorporate into their everyday cooking. The Vertech team was treated to bush tuckers of all ranges and educated on how we can still live in the bountiful Australian bush today.
