A Statement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Co-Counsellors
We have listened to your words, and now we would like you to listen to ours.
We, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia, have been custodians of Mother Earth for tens of thousands of years. We have maintained deep connections with Her by participating in Her natural systems, doing so with the utmost respect.
Our physical and spiritual well-being depends upon the health of this connection. The extreme degradation and destruction of Earth, and the disrespect of Mother’s wisdom, is blatantly evident in our loss of culture and our failing health. Our dreaming is dying, yet we still feel and hear Her cries.
We are not the only ones affected. We now share this land with many, all of whom suffer in the absence of connection to, and the ongoing devastation of, Earth.
We now implore all peoples to:
Take responsibility for their personal connection to the land,
Stop ruthless exploitation of the Earth’s resources for financial gain,
Seek alternatives, giving thought to future generations dependent on Her for well-being,
Shift our thinking—we are not separate from nature, we are one!
Embrace the peoples of this land, give respect to their cultures. Slow down, be still in nature. Don’t just hear, act without hesitation to sustain ALL life.
(Present Time 171, April 2013)