anglican focus

The news site of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland: nourishing and connecting our faith community

First Nations knowledge

Justice & Advocacy Torres Strait Islander elder and young person Justice & Advocacy

Keeping the home fires burning — a very long way from home

“I have shared something of my culture here with you — how muiy (fire) gives physical and spiritual strength to my people. I have shared this from the warmth that I have for you in my heart. I encourage you to similarly share with someone this NAIDOC Week something of your culture, speaking from the warmth in your own heart. What keeps your pride in your culture burning?” asks Aunty Dr Rose Elu

"When I look back to those moments of teaching in the rainforest with Nguma, he was teaching me the value of connecting, stopping to listen to see, and establishing a relationship to something greater than myself — for me that is God," (WestMAC teacher and MaMu woman Phyllis Marsh
Reflections

“Holding my mala (hand), Nguma would guide me”

“Through Nguma’s teaching I have learnt that no matter what trials I face, I can always find joy in my heart through my connection with God, as written in scripture,” says MaMu woman and Christian Phyllis Marsh from WestMAC, who will be speaking at this year’s Provincial Clergy Conference
Reflections

"The first Easter I remember"

“As a community, after the Easter Day service we celebrated the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with a big kai kai (feast). People from all over the Torres Strait Islands and Papua New Guinea (which was then still administered by Australia) came via sailing canoes rather than by motor boats, bringing seafood, taro, sweet potato, casava, sago and other traditional foods. We then had traditional dancing with men wearing headdresses made of emu feathers and women wearing grass skirts,” says Uncle Milton Walit from NATSIAC and The Parish of Laidley

Resources & Research

My experience navigating the Anglican Church as a Torres Strait Islander person

“I also often invite other Anglicans to see that Torres Strait Islander Christians are Christians in our own way. We seamlessly blend our ancient sovereign ways and knowledges as Traditional Custodians with the wider Church’s ways and knowledges. For example, as part of my baptism as a baby, my mum removed my clothing and nappy and held me up in the sea breeze to be sprayed, to first be blessed, by the malu (ocean). She then took me to the church for the service,” says Aunty Dr Rose Elu

Justice & Advocacy

''Mother Earth''

“I will be giving thanks for the gift that First Nations knowledge has given me by helping me to understand the sense of connection I have to the place in which I was born and lived the first third of my life,” says The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt

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