Reconciliation
Acknowledgement of Kaurna Land.
Kaurna miyurna ngadlu Kaurna yarta tampinthi.
Yaintya miyurna ngadlu, ngaitalya..
Kaurna people we acknowledge, Kaurna land we recognise. All Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes peoples we acknowledge with our respect.
We also acknowledge Ngangkipurka and Purka (Elders) that were and are. Our organisation welcomes all Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes peoples, acknowledging they are the traditional owners and custodians of the unceded land and waterways throughout our Country.
We wanted to create something to tell the story of how we got to the launch of our second Stretch RAP (we are now on our third Stretch RAP). To do this, we engaged MadeAdelaide who worked extensively with us to understand who Gowrie SA is, and what we do that contributes to reconciliation, and turned this into a beautiful video to share our story.
We are committed to the process of reconciliation and our vision for a just, inclusive, equitable and culturally respectful society with strong relationships between our broader community and Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes people.
At Gowrie SA, as part of our specialist early childhood programs, we strive for all Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes children to fully participate in quality education. Our goal is to focus on learning outcomes for children and work together with their parents. We strive to create a culture of safety and encourage non-Aboriginal educators, children and their families to learn about value and respect Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes cultures, histories and people as being essential to our national identity. We encourage respectful questions and conversations and the implementation of cultural protocols as taught to us by the Elders and Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes peoples we work with.
The rights, wellbeing and learning of children, families and educators are at the heart of our vision for early childhood. Gowrie SA prioritises cultural learning and reconciliation in our community with the belief that children’s voices will shape future generations. As part of Gowrie SA’s Reconciliation Action Plan, we warmly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to apply for listed positions vacant in our Programs. Applications from Kaurna people will be highly regarded and prioritised.
Gowrie SA supports the work of the Coalition of Peaks (https://coalitionofpeaks.org.au/) who created a National Agreement on Closing the Gap bringing together Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes peoples community controlled peak organisations and members around Australia to create Priority Reforms.
Gowrie SA supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes peoples held dialogues and came together In May 2017, leading to the historic formation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The Uluru Statement can be read here: https://ulurustatement.org/ or https://fromtheheart.com.au/
Gowrie SA is excited for state and federal initiatives that contribute to self determination and community control for Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes peoples. This includes the 50 word project (https://www.firstlanguages.org.au/50words), the South Australian Voice to Parliament (https://www.firstnationsvoice.sa.gov.au/), and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations as some examples.
At Gowrie SA, we access local Aboriginal businesses and implement procurement targets to support Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes employment. We believe this is a key factor in achieving economic independence and self-determination and work with Aboriginal Elders to identify authentic opportunities. Our programs have helped us to create mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal Elders, services, organisations and community members.
Reconciliation Action Plan
Gowrie SA’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was launched in October 2012 in response to the National Apology (2008) and the Closing the Gap strategy. As an organisation we have an ongoing appreciation for the change that is required throughout the community to contribute to reconciliation efforts. As education providers, we have a responsibility to raise awareness about reconciliation.
We will continue to share our experiences of positive collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with other organisations and stakeholders, particularly in the early childhood education and care sector, to empower the broader community to embrace reconciliation.
Our current Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan builds on our previous two RAPs. Its content was shaped and informed through earlier important conversations with significant Kaurna Elders including Aunty Leonie Brodie (deceased), Uncle Lewis O’Brien, Aunty Josie Agius, Aunty Pat Waria-Read, and Uncle Ivan-Tiwu Copley. We endeavor to work with the Gowrie SA Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes Reference Group members to learn and share knowledge and protocols, as well as from other Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes members from the broader community to support the Gowrie SA Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group's actions.
Read our Reconciliation in Action newsletters:
Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes Reference Group
Gowrie SA works with an Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes Reference group in an advisory capacity to work towards cultural respect and safety and minimise cultural risk within our organisation.
Current members of this group are:
***Gambarnu Alex Houthuysen (Hill)
*Kauwanu means Uncle in Kaurna
**Awa means Uncle in Zenadth Kes
***Gambarnu means Uncle in Yamatji/Wajarri
For further reading, download Gowrie SA's Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2024-2027
For information about action towards reconciliation:
- Reconciliation Australia - www.reconciliation.org.au
- Narragunnawali supports schools and early learning services in Australia to develop environments that foster a high level of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions.
- Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care - http://www.snaicc.org.au
Links to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses:
