Edge Environment’s monthly ‘Make More Good’ donation sends $300 to a worthy cause nominated by a staff member. This July, Office Manager Holly Ferris chose the Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council Aboriginal Corporation (MMEIC) of Stradbroke Island in Queensland to be the recipients.
I’m passionate about building a stronger connection with Australia’s indigenous heritage. My husband and I recently returned to Australia with our three primary school-aged boys after 10 years living abroad in New Zealand. Having experienced the richness that the Maori culture brings to the New Zealand identity, it saddened me to see how comparatively absent our indigenous heritage is from our cultural identity. There’s been progress in the years we were away and it is heartening to see the Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country are now respected introductions at many public events. However since being back in Australia, I find myself missing the sense of connection and pride towards indigenous heritage I experienced in New Zealand, and feel we are all poorer for it.
My husband and I will be travelling the east coast of Queensland and NSW with our kids in the coming months and I have been looking for opportunities to connect with our indigenous culture during our trip. I first became aware of Stradbroke Island’s MMEIC when it was awarded the NAIDOC 2017 award for Caring for Country. The MMEIC operates to preserve and share the language and culture of Minjerribah and Moorgumpin, particularly with young people. They provide cultural awareness and education services to more than 6000 participants per annum, teaching knowledge of local languages, bush plants and the environmental management skills that they learned growing up.
As well as education, the elders are preserving a regional ecosystem that includes significant vegetation and habitats. They are involved in cultural heritage assessments, the publication of books on the distinctive flora, bush tucker and medicinal plants of Stradbroke island, and the re-introduction of the local language to the younger generation.
Our boys will be holding their own stall this weekend to raise money for the MMEIC and we are looking forward to visiting them on North Stradbroke Island to experience in person what they have achieved there.