"At the heart of everything is the land. It is the way we think and feel about
the land that makes us Aboriginal. It is the only way to keep our culture.
For many, many years our ancestors worked out how we should live
in this country. How we should use everything around us
and what to do to keep our relationship with it strong.
These are the things the Europeans don't understand about
the way the bush can help us. These things can help Europeans too
when their own way of living makes their lives sad.
We can teach Europeans all about these things.

They are the things we have always known. Today my people can see more
than one way of living. Now there are many things in our lives
that were not there before. Our lives are changing but this does not mean
we should forget the things that it took us thousands of years to work out.
These things keep us clear and straight and make us strong inside.
They show us the proper way for Aboriginal people to live.

Our bodies must keep doing the dances and living in the bush, and making
the artefacts that keep our skills alive. These things are what we need
to keep the head and the body together until we are given back our land
and the land can make us whole again."

Jagarairee
The late Larry Lanley
former chairman of the Mornington Island Council

welcome