Posts By: Lance Briggs
Why Welcome To Country?
Since the year 2,000 a ceremony has crept into mainstream practice, which is promoted as a traditional Aboriginal ceremony. The ’Welcome To Country’. Australian governments at all levels now perform this ceremony daily, along with big businesses that are supported by Australian Governments and receive government funding accordingly (All institutions of eductaion, AFL, NRL, and Cricket Australia to name a few such organisations which have now become politically active and have brought politics into sport).
Selected indigenous people are chosen and paid to perform such a ceremony, and the going rate is $250, to $4,500 per performance. (Paid to say certain words – don’t say – don’t get paid).
As a traditional owner, who was born on, and has only ever lived on country, I have often been asked to perform a welcome to country. Which I politely decline, refusing to do so. In place I will offer an acknowledgement to country and (I never take payment – free to speak – I own my words), and I explain why…
I am Lance Briggs of the Kulin – A Boonwurrung man, born of Yalukit Willam. I am from what is known as the traditional owner family of country. For a moment please indulge me as I dearly want to welcome you to my world, and I seek your understanding in why I cannot do that without you knowing.
My elders and ancestors did not welcome the settlers of this country, nor do I. There is one recorded ceremony in Melbourne in the 1800′s (indeed a political tool of the time), which people now use as a proof of a ‘welcome’, I do not do this as a political statement – it is spiritually inappropriate for me, and any other Traditional Kulin person, to welcome many of you here today.
Understand the land now, people who live here do not have access to all the land as my family once did. The waters are polluted, the air is polluted, the flora and fauna nearly all gone, with something like 60% degradation, and re-vegetated with foreign fauna, the country feels a little different.
Being Kulin, Boonwurrung, aboriginal, indigenous – is to be born of the land. Here today I acknowledge this is the Land of time, of Bunjil, Land of the Kulin, the Boonwurrung and Woi wurrung, and acknowledge my ancestors. I acknowledge all Kulin and all people born of greater Melbourne. Living spiritually I acknowledge the presence of all my kinship ancestors, for they live spiritually. The past, the present and the future, are all here with us today, through country – through kinship, and as this is part of the belief system, it is superfluous (even alien) to say “past and present”.
Imagine this land before non indigenous settlement, the land as it was, close your eyes if you have too, NO FENCES. Can you really imagine that! I challenge you to now try and imagine the mind set of no fences, no paths – not one unnatural barrier, being able and free to travel in any direction at any time.
Imagine the economic system where everyone had equal ownership and access to all resources with onus and obligation. An ideal economy with the non-depletion of resources and no pollution. A perpetual economy with a zero footprint(one of the oldest living cultures on the planet and after many tens of thousand of years, what evidence of occupation did we leave behind) . In fact you belonged to the land (the economic system) you were part of this world. You lived with the country and all that is in it as you are related to it. Country that provides all needs every day, which it still is able to do today. It just has 4.5 million people, and the metropolis that is greater Melbourne on the same dream-time country.
Being Kulin, Boonwurrung means I am spiritually connected to my country, and all that is in it. I belong. It is my birth right. Any person born in greater Melbourne has the ability to obtain a spiritual connection with country. It would be very arrogant of me I suggest even blasphemous, to welcome people born here, to what can already be spiritually theirs.
Of those who live in greater Melbourne, how many of you have developed your own indigenous perspective of country. Do you try to truly belong. I feel we should have something in common – I want those who I meet to connect with country as kin.
I live and teach my family to live as Boonwurrung have always lived. To be self-sufficient. To be free, to be Boonwurrung. I have not taken up non-Boonwurrung beliefs. My ancestors encouraged us to continue to holistically understand our world and all that is in it, strongly encouraging us to get off the protection stations, and stay off the missions. To not develop a mission mentality, a hand out mentality.
I like to be known as Boonwurrung, or Kulin, or Yalukit Willam, NOT as an ‘Indigenous Australian’, which includes the Indigenous Australians that new race funded tens of billions of dollars a year, year after year funded as long as they live within the alien funded parameters set by Australian governments. It is especially the Indigenous Australians I know as Indigenous Australian Settlers who have taken up, copied, and now live the Australian settler way of life, and such Indigenous Australian settlers are well recognized and accepted as one people, by all Australians.
Posted in Uncategorized | By Lance Briggs
“Indigenous” – Terra Nuliuis lives on with government usage
“Indigenous Australians”
The use of the word Indigenous I believe is the perpetuation of ‘Terra Nullius’ – The current Australian Governments’ legislation that defines us as Indigenous continues to perpetuate the denial of identity of the various tribes and nations that make up what is now Australia. With events like World Indigenous Peoples Day, and the various International Indigenous Conferences held around the world, highlights the one country that consistently and perpetually denies identity to it’s original inhabitants. Every other country uses an indigenous word to describe their aboriginal population – e.g Maori – Inuit – Sasquatch – Cheyenne – Sioux – Gaul – Every country except Australia.
“Indigenous Australians” – that new race (perhaps category) of people, created, structured by, and funded by Australian governments and stakeholders at the rate of tens of billions of dollars per year, year after year, after year whether I participate or not.
Prior to 1788 we had Boonwurrung, Yorta Yorta, Arente, Yolgnu, Ginibi etc., all the individual nationalities. Why don’t so many people understand the differences? Australia as a land mass approximates the size of Europe. What is the direct cost of Australians for this – I would suggest tens of billion of dollars each and every year of direct government funding paid through the various governments’ departments. Billions and billions of dollars year after year allocated for indigenous affairs – for all the failing “successes” we have in Indigenous affairs today.
The Australian Governments’ new preferred term for aboriginals. How we have been described in legislation over the years? Savages – natives – aborigines – Aborigines – aboriginals – Aboriginals – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders which was shortened to ATSI. Now in Australian legislation – and Australian Governments’ policies and strategies, they use the term ‘Indigenous Australian’. Many people say why is it important? I agree with them why are these words important. But just try and get any Australian Government department to stop using this legislated generic name for us and to use a specific national tribal name, and they show you how important it is in their steadfast refusal to use anything other than their politically legislated terminology of the day – shows how important I think.
I love tribal Australian Aboriginal people for their unique perspective, their wisdom, and their knowledge of and connection with country. Their spiritual connection with their country, their holistic view of their world including their economic system and their community minded social systems which care for aged, care for young, policing and legal systems that include the use of payback to/for the victim. All systems developed and constructed without the use of dollars.
I was born on, I live on, and I work on Boonwurrung country. For me to leave is such an alien concept that I would not do so, it is such a “settler” concept and that I understand as I am surrounded by so many settlers, both indigenous and non indigenous.
Posted in Uncategorized | By Lance Briggs
Traditional Economics – Pure – Perfect
Economic systems of the traditional Australian Aboriginal tribes are that of the hunter gatherer model. To me the wisdoms and concepts set down by traditions all those years/ generations/ and elders ago – are relevant and necessary for Australian longevity today.
Imagine an economic system that has no fences, no unnatural boundaries. Everyone, every legal citizen, has the right to country, to access all of their country, and all of the resources within – with onus, obligation and respect – for them, for others and for country itself. The non-depletion of resources, and perpetual self sufficiency. No shortage of water, no pollution. An economic system designed to last forever. The efficiency of production systems designed in dream-time and equal to modern production systems, the most cost effective, time efficient, labour efficient methods, using just-in-time systems as used in modern society today eliminating/ minimizing storage costs.
Posted in Uncategorized | By Lance Briggs
A Beginning
My first post and not savvy with this media
Cautious of the written word, as my culture is steeped in wisdom. The wisdom of communication, the wisdom of time, the wisdom to allow.
Don’t ever quote anyone else, own all your words.
Take the time to listen. Listen without question. Take the time to know the person talking, and you will understand, and not need to question. Communicate on fact and certainty of thought.
The written word is taken out of context, misquoted, inappropriately cited, and often misunderstood from outside the originator’s frame of reference, and understanding.
So with this apprehension I begin.
Posted in Uncategorized | By Lance Briggs