What courageous person inspires you and why?┃Aunty Dr Rose Elu
Reflections
“My father showed me that leading and helping other people means taking initiative, and taking initiative requires boldness and strength,” says Aunty Dr Rose Elu
My father is the bravest person I have ever known.
As well as being a chief, my father was a devout Anglican, serving as a churchwarden at Holy Trinity Church on Saibai Island.
His leadership as a chief stood out because he was a servant leader, always caring for his people. It was his responsibility to come up with solutions, make decisions and use his influence for the common good.
My father knew that our low-lying island, which was threatened by tsunami, was going to become unsafe to inhabit in the years to come. So, in the 1940s my father, along with other Saibai elders, led his people to the Northern Peninsula Area of Queensland, commonly known as the Cape York Peninsula. He first sought the consent of the peninsula’s Angamuthi people.
My father showed me that leading and helping other people means taking initiative, and taking initiative requires boldness and strength.
I want to continue following in my father’s footsteps. I am often asked to speak publicly, including at United Nations climate conferences and by the media, about how the damaged climate is impacting the low-lying islands of the Torres Strait. This year I hope to seek out more speaking opportunities and solutions so I can advocate more strongly for my people.
Editor’s note: In his New Year message, Archbishop Jeremy shared about courage, one of our Diocese’s five values, drawing upon the examples of Torres Strait Islander elders, Aunty Dr Rose Elu and Uncle Milton Walit. So, this year anglican focus contributors will reflect on what courageous person inspires them and how they will draw upon their example in 2025.
Jump to next article
