Consent Ceremony

Now that it is starting to become clear who the elders are, we can finally observe protocol. We now have another chance to seek “the consent of the natives.“ 

A Consent Ceremony will finally ask for that consent, and recognize the traditional owners properly. It will observe protocol. It will mean we can finally say that consent was asked and received. It will be prophetic – because there will remain much to do, but it will speak of the necessary respect and recognition required to go forward. 

The families have not yet made their plans for such a ceremony, so this is simply an example – something Cedric and I have spoken of. The final Ceremony may be quite different to this.  

Imagine this:

A ceremony near the South Perth Mill

• Nyoongar people recognize Elders as bona-fide representatives of the traditional owners
• Elders give commitments to uphold qualities, and lead in ways that are good, & wholesome for all 
• Elders welcome all attending, (and to who will offer the same respect in future via the symbol.) Elders invite all who wish, to ask consent. 
• All who wish, to ask consent. The Governor must participate in this. 
  (Repeat line-by-line) something like:

-   State name
-   State reason for living on this land (eg. Resident, work, interest.)
-   “We are here to right the wrong done by colonial commissioned officers, who failed in their duty to ask for the “the consent of the native people” to settle here.
-   We apologize for the failures of our people, for disregarding your people, and all the painful episodes this did set in motion.
-   Today we respectfully ask your forgiveness.
-   Today we respectfully ask for your consent & blessing, for us to live on this land. We commit ourselves to seek to bless you and your lands.” 

• Governor plants a tree. (Foundation Day was commemorated by chopping down a tree, as the land was wrongfully “claimed” in breach of their Commission. Environmental disaster has followed. Planting a tree would be a highly significant statement for the future!)
• Church representatives approach the elders,
  Repeat: “we wish to remove the curses we have caused your people & your land.” 
  Lay hands towards the elders – “we now place the blessings of our people on you and your land.” 
• Elders rise: accept the apology, & welcome the people to live on the land with their blessing. 
• Elders also confess the destructive reactions, lift their curses, and give their blessings. 
• Reconciliation dance: Aboriginal dance group dances the reconciliation dance, and invites a non-Aboriginal dance group to join them. Dance the reconciliation / mutual blessing dance together.  
• Eat together: Bread, made with bush-ingredients, ground by the South Perth Mill
  (George Shenton first made bread here, but explicitly refused to give it to aboriginal people. Now we grind healthier bush food, a symbol of mutual improvement, & give to all.) 

Since it was the commissioned representatives of the Monarch who breached the commission, including Governor Stirling, it seems only fitting that the Governor as the commissioned officer of the Crown, should finally redress the injustice – to finally ask consent.

Church involvement

Pastors and leaders of churches (and parachurches etc.)

We have been part of the problem of colonization – especially to the degree our denominations have been aligned with the State authorities. We have participated in the harm done. Or at the very least we have failed to stop harm being done.

These days, virtually every denomination has a statement of apology, which is good. 

But the Consent Ceremony is a profound prophetic act. It’s an act of justice, but also an act of declaring a new future, a way forward much more in line with the way God wants it to be. And we are supposed to be the ones who take the first steps in that way.

 I call upon all denominations to be represented at the consent ceremony. Comment below or RSS  if you will.

Elders e-list

We’re supposed to look after the land properly while we’re on it!

One of the reasons the word custodian is often used, is that the aboriginal leaders don’t simply own the land – they want to look after it, they want to make decisions about its well-being. So if we can keep listening to the elders’ advice about land-care, then we’re actually following the rest of the protocol after the ceremony & symbol. And we’re making our respect real, not just token.

One idea is that when you pay for the symbol of consent, you would subscribe to an e-list from the elders. This would be your way to respectfully keep your ears open to the elders’ specific concerns about the land, in an ongoing way.

Occasionally they would send emails out on their key issues, and land-care advice. It would be our way of listening, and give them a voice directly to people who care.

This hasn’t been arranged yet, but if you think it’s a good idea – comment below.
And if you can help logistically, definitely comment below!

Message Stick equivalent

How can we do a Message Stick today? It’s pretty impractical…

Back in the “time of Sovereignty,” if you wandered onto the land, you’d be stopped by a warrior asking your business. Then you’d be taken to an elder, and if he was OK with you being on their land, he’d give you a message stick. It’d normally give some idea of who you were, but more importantly why it was OK that you were here. It was a token of consent.

Well these days, toting a message stick around would be pretty impractical. They could be as tall as you – like a walking stick. 

So the idea is that when the Consent Ceremony finally happens, a symbol will be available, for all those who wish to observe the consent protocol. If you couldn’t participate in the ceremony, the symbol would be your way of showing respect, and gaining the consent of the elders. 

So what would be the modern equivalent to a message stick? A lapel pin? A wristband? Bracelet? Neckchain? A pendant to be fitted to any of these?

And what should the symbol be, that can be mass produced for thousands of residents who would want to have such a symbol?

These are the decisions which the elders will make when the time comes.  

To gain the symbol, one idea is that you would pay for it, and subscribe to an e-list from the elders. This would be your way to respectfully keep your ears open to the elders’ specific concerns about the land, in an ongoing way.

Breach of Commission

The officials at the “time of Sovereignty” (the last time the aboriginal people were soverign owners of the land) officially recorded who owned the lands. Therefore how could they not have declared a Treaty with them, or at least asked their consent!!!

In fact, as Cedric Jacobs points out, The English Authorities in 1768 commissioned its officers prior to their departure from England to Botany Bay, Australia with the following words.

On your arrival you will settle sections of the land with the consent of the Natives. Should there be no native people living on the land then you are to claim the land in the name of the Monarch of Great Britain.

But these so-commissioned officers declared the land empty – Terra Nullus. And claimed the land, with no consent asked nor given.

Terra Nullus was a blatant breach of their own commission!

Governor Stirling was no better here in Whadjuk lands. And to this day, no consent has been asked for, nor given. No treaty has been signed. We immigrants have simply taken over.

And done this in direct violation of our own Monarch’s commission. Before we become a Republic & set aside our Monarchy, we’d best address this fundamental breach of royal orders.

And there’s more.

Gov Stirling couldn’t find a rock to lay a symbolic foundation stone, so instead he felled a tree to mark the foundation of the new colony. How’s that for symbolic – we’ve pretty much been felling trees ever since. I think it’s time to undo this foundation!

Before we go any further, we need to redo our foundations: Identify the elders, ask forgiveness, and ask consent to be here. And plant trees from now on!

The Elders are smart, they know the good that has come here with the bad. They know they can’t get us to leave, but they wouldn’t mind being asked! And it’s their place to give us consent, and ask us to look after the land properly, and to show us how. And it’s our place to pay attention.

It’s a matter of respect.

And justice.

Ownership?

“Custodians OK, but well isn’t “OWNERS” a bit strong?
I mean, they had recognized boundaries, but the didn’t really own the land did they?”

Well the early officials recorded it as ownership!
Take a look at this copy of the Census taken in Yellagonga’s day…

It is entitled:
“Names & Census of Natives, original Owners of Land on the Right & Left Banks of the Swan, from Fremantle to the Head of River.”

 

Yup – they owned it. 

We already, officially said they owned it. Makes you wonder why we argue about it now, doesn’t it! 

In fact, if it was officially recognized that they owned it – then how could we not have declared a Treaty with them! 

In fact, as Cedric Jacobs points out, The English Authorities in 1768 commissioned its officers prior to their departure from England to Botany Bay, Australia with the following words.

On your arrival you will settle sections of the land with the consent of the Natives. Should there be no native people living on the land then you are to claim the land in the name of the Monarch of Great Britain.

They declared the land empty – Terra Nullus.

Terra Nullus is a blatant breach of their commission!

What’s the protocol?

He was stunned – this was the first time anyone had ever asked him that question.

Now it was my turned to be stunned. How could someone not have asked already! I mean, you don’t just walk into some strangers’ house and make yourself at home, raid their food, flop on their couch, sleep in their bed! Not unless you already know that you have their blessing to be there. So why would I do that to the traditional owners of this land! I wouldn’t. I wanted to say hello, and see what the protocols were. Seems obvious to me.

But… who do I ask, and what do I do?

That was my question back in 2001. My wife and I were finally settling down – we had bought land to build a house to live in. So I thought about this place.

Who were the traditional owners? We went and asked at Yanchep National Park where there was an Aboriginal cultural show. We asked the fellas who was the person we should ask our protocol question to. They said, Cedric. So I called him up. He came to our house. We had tea.

I asked my question again: “If it were 200 years ago, and I walked onto this place, what would I do to show proper respect to be here?” After a long, motionless pause, he murmured, “no-one’s ever asked me that before.”

I also asked, “is there anyone else I should ask?” I didn’t want to take sides in any aboriginal politics. So I visited the Sydney Road mob, and called Bropho’s mob. Cedric had me walk the bush all day for a suitable stick for a message stick.

But no-one gave me a definitive answer, not because they didn’t know what to do, but I soon realized it was because there were disagreements between them about who had the right to speak on behalf of the others.

Cedric knew what to do, but he was stalling while groups were hammering out who the right people to talk to were. Then he had a heart-transplant. Finally he began to make progress.

With 6 other families with recorded family trees, they have been working with the South West Aboriginal Land & Sea Council (SWALSC) to recognize their family lineage back to the owners of the lands, as written by settlers records.

Now we are beginning to prove who the right elders are, to tell me the protocols we need to observe today. Soon I’ll be able to do it. Till then I wear a wristband in aboriginal colors…

But I know that for Cedric, the fact that we so desire to do it, is enough for now.