While watching Q+A on ABC TV recently I was inspired by the statement: Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Indigenous Culture was at the heart of our Australian identity, writes Sr Kenise Neill RSJ.

I began creating the sculpture with the conviction that healing our broken and wounded Earth depends on us now, one with all vulnerable species, to “learn the way forward from the First Peoples of all our countries” (27th General Chapter, Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. October 2020).

People from every country across the world are bearing witness to the death of their loved ones. This pandemic is bringing us closer on a global scale as we are all in this place and space together. The virus that is taking our breath away is also awakening our evolving consciousness to our common humanity.

Aboriginal culture calls us to Ngapartji Ngapartj – a reciprocal kindness and absolute obligation to each other. We receive from Earth and we are seriously obligated to pay back in kind… Ngaparti Ngaparti.

In the sculpture we all share the protective mantle of Earth protecting all life. The pouch, water font and/or chalice shape in our lap depicts our growing consciousness that divinity is within us, and within our shared humanity. We hold all creation in God’s love. Communion is Holy and is the only way forward.

The heart image behind Earth represents our Sacred Heart. The footprints on the back invite us all to ‘learn the way forward from the First Peoples from all our countries’… the First Peoples who held Earth gently, and tenderly cared for her and all living creatures for thousands of years.

Together let us unite and act “on new possibilities, wherever we are that will heal, include, untether, set right and serve” (27th General Chapter, Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. October 2020).

This is drawn from an article published on the website of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.