Making Connections (Loreto Centre Staff visit to THE LUME)
A visit to the Connection exhibition at THE LUME Melbourne was a beautiful way for the staff of the Loreto Centre to begin our exploration of the Uluru Statement From the Heart. This immersive exhibition begins with a powerful Acknowledgment of Country that washes over you with its sights and the smells of smoke and eucalyptus. Then nearly 650 works from 110 visual and musical artists present the story of this country’s rich and enduring cultural history. Being saturated in First Nations art, music and stories was the perfect way to start the workshop. Everyone described a feeling of calmness and stillness – like a meditation. By providing “a platform for First Peoples to share their stories and perspectives … through the lens of Connection”, its hope is to “play a role in fostering reconciliation and promoting positive conversations and unity among all who call this land home.” (The Lume Melbourne)
Connection certainly informed the many honest and poignant conversations shared by Loreto staff as we learnt about the history that has brought us to a referendum on The Voice to Parliament. In 2017, a constitutional convention brought together over 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders – for the first time – a very big deal! And they asked for the establishment of a First Nations Voice to be enshrined in the constitution. Loreto staff broke into small groups and read the Uluru Statement from the Heart – first in silence, and then aloud; taking a line each in our small groups, reading slowly and paying attention to what struck us as we heard the words spoken. It is a beautiful piece of writing. Every word carefully chosen and so incredibly powerful. Our conversations in small groups filled the room, before each group shared something of its reflections with the whole.
When was the last time you read the Uluru Statement from the Heart? Which words, phrases, or statements stand out to you? As this country continues its journey of reconciliation, spending time with this document is a powerful and important way to remember why we must continue to seek truth and work for justice.
Authors: Alison Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Loreto Province Australia & South East Asia, Carolyn Young, Director Mission & Identity, Loreto Ministries, Karen Fogarty, Manager, Communications & Marketing, Loreto Ministries
