During September, the Board of Mercy Community Services Australia Limited (MCSAL), the CEOs of MacKillop Family Services and Mercy Connect, and our Senior Executives responsible for First Nations practices and partnerships, undertook a cultural immersion at Lake Mungo in New South Wales – made famous in the 1970’s for the discovery of the remains of Mungo Woman and Mungo Man, proving that Aboriginal people have continuously inhabited Australia for 40,000 years.
Our leader was Vicki Clark OAM, a proud Mutthi Mutthi woman whose clan, along with the Paakantji and Ngiyampaa clans, are the traditional owners of Lake Mungo.
Vicki, a former Board Member of MacKillop Family Services and later Mercy Community Services Australia, explained the cultural sensitivity of removing bones of Aboriginal people from Lake Mungo; and the cultural significance of their return and reinterment.
Over three days, the group enjoyed a visit to the sand dunes of Lake Mungo with an experienced Aboriginal guide; a rabbit walk on country; yarning in the afternoon; sunrise and sunset ceremonies; an explanation of the spiritual purpose of a smoking ceremony around a camp fire; along with welcome and farewell to country. One notable experience for the group was learning about Dadirri, a unique gift of the Aboriginal people that leans into inner deep listening and quiet, still awareness. This contemplative state is similar to what we might practice as part of our discernment at Mercy.
We greatly appreciate Vicki’s time in leading this valuable cultural immersion at Lake Mungo, and encourage other Mercy entities to consider something similar. I will leave the last word to Vicki and her welcoming address: “Come walk with me in the footsteps of my old people.”
Charles Reis, Chair Mercy Community Services Australia
