For many years my personal journey toward cultural awareness remains a work in progress. I have become aware the more you learn, the more you realise you don’t know. I’m told this is a good thing. I am grateful to the Traditional Owners who are open to sharing knowledge. I’m looking forward to the coming AILA Festival, COUNTRY, to continue my personal journey and to share our stories so that as a profession, we can continue to grow and enable this respectful and fitting acknowledgment.
My work world is largely in the land development sector. A decade ago (in my experience) any reference in the project team meetings to cultural heritage was simply the commissioning of an artefacts exploration report for the project site. Through AILA, the help of my peers and through attending cultural training workshops, I was becoming increasingly aware of the value of authentically consulting with Traditional Owners.
Not revolutionary, I know, but I was challenged in how to convince my clients and co-consultants of the appropriateness in building this into the project approach. The process can’t be rushed to meet construction programs. Time builds trust and finding the right client that is open to building relationships with Traditional Owners is key.
Fast forward to today where we experience many more clients who are building genuine and appropriate engagement into project delivery. A professional shift for me is one such client who has prioritised Traditional Owner consultation. We are thankful to the Trafitional Owners who have provided their time and knowledge and have lent their stories to ground our land development project which is located very close to the coast. Our client has adjusted planning to accommodate retention of areas of significance to the Traditional Owners and has allowed time in a fast past demanding industry to develop respectful relationships to co-design the landscape works. I am certainly not pledging this a first, but it is a first for me.
Last month, during the civil construction works, the Traditional Owners notified the project team that the land had become ‘tense’. There was a spiritual corridor which was blocked, which led to the ‘tension’ being felt. The energy blockage was caused due to some form of past traumatic event(s). Our client immediately stopped civil works and a ceremony was conducted to unblock and dispel the presence, which apart from spiritual and healing benefits, we were informed would also make works on site run smoother. I am buoyed that cultural awareness is growing with so many open to developing understanding.
Peta-Maree Ashford, AILA Director and Vice-President