The Indigenous people of Australia have thrived on this beautiful land for 60,000+ years. White settlement has been here for around 200 years and we have already managed to almost completely destroy it. The Australian government, industries and big businesses are bleeding our country dry of its natural resources, completely destroying our delicate ecosystems that can never be replaced and wiping out millions of species of wildlife, all for financial gains and corporate greed.

Most of the current bushfires could have been prevented if we followed the advice from the First Nations people. They have systems and land care methods to prevent bushfires and have been doing so for thousands of years. 

If we don’t listen to the advice from Indigenous people soon (while the generations that have the knowledge are still alive), these important traditions may be lost forever, along with everything that makes our country what it is, including our many ancient sacred Aboriginal sites and also our World Heritage listed sites. 

Caring for the land does not necessarily mean only the traditional way. Modern carers for land, such as rangers, can use both continue traditions (deep knowledge about country passed on from generation to generation), as well as apply modern technologies and innovative land management practices. Combining traditional methods and contemporary practices can in fact get the best results for the environment.

Think about the term “traditional custodians of the land” and consider how Indigenous people see themselves as carers of the land with a deep connection to it, verse the way politicians see themselves as managers of financial portfolios i.e. the land and other natural resources with no moral obligation to it.

The Aboriginal people are the oldest continuous cultures on the planet and one of the oldest living populations in the world. They sustained this land for thousands of years using traditional fire management methods. They have 60,000+ times more experience than us. Does that not make them the best person for the job, so to speak? Why are we denying such an obvious truth?

There has never been a more important time for Australia to consider who leads this matter, and what giving sovereignty of the land back to the Indigenous people would mean for generations to come.

This is something that benefits every single Australian, future generations and visitors to this truly unique land.

More information on Aboriginal land management and care here:

https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/land/aboriginal-land-care