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STATEMENT OF MEANING

'We Aboriginal people of Victoria have existed on this land for thousands of generations. We have nurtured the environment for thousands of years, always acknowledging our inherent responsibility to care for country. The lore of the land is the very heart of our identity, our existence, and our culture - this is what land means to us. Within this meaning lies our great respect for the land and the understanding that it is vital to maintain a holistic relationship with country.

Past government policy has dispossessed us of our country, and forcibly removed Aboriginal communities from their traditional lands. Lawfully acknowledging the legitimate traditional ownership of the land to its ancestral custodians has not happened in Victoria yet, and we wait for that day.

For the moment we walk a difficult and challenging path towards reconciliation. In terms of natural resource management Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures must genuinely engage with each other, learn from each other, and recognise the value of black and white knowledge in regards to the environment. Working side by side, we have a greater chance of responding appropriately to current environmental challenges.

Now that we are slowly regaining access to parts of our country it becomes even more important that we learn to manage country together. The involvement of Aboriginal people at all levels of land and water management will benefit the whole community. Our aspirations as Aboriginal people extend beyond the need for preserving cultural practices. We would also like to see Indigenous land owners achieve economic self-sufficiency, environmental sustainability, and create more employment and training for the community.

For our part, we continue to honor our ancestors by upholding cultural lore and traditional methods of caring for country, while we also endeavor to practice western concepts of land and water management. We hope this land management strategy benefits all Aboriginal land owners and communities in Victoria, and all government natural resource management agencies.'

SAMLIV Aboriginal Reference Group
July 2003