In Australia today almost One million people indicate they have Aboriginal heritage. NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) is behind the week-long celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture, and achievements. At Kennedy we join in honouring the Aboriginal people of Australia. One of the wonderful features of Aboriginal people is their understanding and stewardship of the land. This has always been a reminder to me of God’s design in creating humanity, to “tend and protect” (Genesis 2:15) the whole creation with Him. There are so many fascinating stories of the long-developed skill’s the Aboriginal people use to be gardeners with God.
Because of this culture, it comes as no surprise that almost half of the million Aboriginal people today, according to the 2016 to 2021 census, recognise the God of the Bible as the maker of the land and identify as Christian. There is an assumption that missionaries moved people away from their traditional beliefs, but there is more to the story. There are references from many elders, cited in a thesis by Labhaoise Upton (Flinders University, 2021) of Jesus being known by Aboriginal people before any visits by Europeans. One elder is quoted as saying, “…I believe that God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit were here, and created us on Earth as a caretaker… we Aboriginal people already knew the Holy Spirit and Jesus.” Another elder said her people had names for them, “Ngardaknya (God the Father), Ngkarte (Jesus), Utnenge Ngkarte (Holy Spirit).” Further to these early stories, 100 years ago near Alice Springs an Aboriginal elder, Nebu Judialong, had a vision of the Cross of Jesus being the place of true forgiveness.
In 2023 the Forgiveness Cross was erected in the middle of Australia as a sign of God at work in the Aboriginal people. David Unaipon, who appears on our $50 note, considered the Gospel of Jesus the true fulfilment of his ancestral religion. His testimony of Jesus’ life-transforming power was: “Look at me and see what the Bible can do.”
Peter Chase
College Chaplain • Pastoral Care
