For Our Elders

NAIDOC week is held across Australia in the first week of July each year to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of First Nations peoples. To celebrate and honour the 2023 theme, ‘For Our Elders’, Darling’s guest writer Marc Bennie had the pleasure of interviewing living legend Aunty Glendra Stubbs.

NAIDOC week has its roots in the 1938 day of mourning, one of the earliest formal protests against the callous treatment of our First Nations people. It appealed to the Australian nation to make laws for the education and care of First Nation peoples, and a new policy to give full citizen status to their people.

Aunty Glendra is a Wiradjuri woman who grew up in the Warrimoo area of the Blue Mountains “without a heap of material possessions but rich in family love” saying that “knowing where you come from and your place means family will be there for you”.

Aunty Glendra currently holds Elder In Residence positions with the University Of Technology Sydney, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, ID Know Yourself and Knowmore Legal Centre. Aunty Glendra says these roles “Provide a person you can talk to when you don’t know who else to talk to, someone that has your best interests at heart and is not going to be judgmental and has life experience to back up their support.”

With over 40 years of providing practical advice and assistance to survivors of trauma and families working through issues that arise from out-of-home care Aunty Glendra says, “There is nothing that you can think of that I haven’t seen, witnessed or been a part of.” She sees the roles of Elders as twofold, ensuring they are making a difference and sharing the narrative of hope beyond struggle.

She says Elders play a unique role in healing, justice and sharing of knowledge. Aunty Glendra’s way of doing this is through the simplicity of a yarn - telling stories around the kitchen table or campfire. Aunt says the best opportunity to engage with issues that affect First Nations people in 2023 is by supporting the Voice to Parliament campaign with “simple, calm and positive messaging”.

As always, Aunty Glendra finishes the conversation with a gift. The offer to help in any way that encourages everyone to walk together with First Nations peoples.