Trigger warning - parts of this may be viewed as controversial, however, I express these ideas out of respect and, most importantly, for the preservation of my shared Aboriginal cultural identity.
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The 'Blak, Loud and Proud' theme of this year's NAIDOC week brings a range of different thoughts to my mind that, for me, highlight the importance of being an Aboriginal person (and a descendant of Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti, Kullilli and Wakka Wakka nations) and what Aboriginality means to me in the sense of being, doing, knowing and belonging.
Throughout my lived experience, who I am is constantly balancing my identity as an Aboriginal person in both a community and cultural context, and as a person living in a modern urban environment interacting with people from all different backgrounds and nationalities.
Everyone's relationship and connection to their Indigenous (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander) identity is unique to them and their lived experiences. I consider myself slightly conservative when it comes to my perspective of being an Aboriginal person and identity, especially in today's world where we're being further entrenched in Western life.
But being Aboriginal is 24/7 and not something that can or should be switched on and off.
Blak, Loud and Proud resonates with me because I'm very vocal about what I believe is important - the need for more people in our community to be standing strong in their cultural identity - and growing this in a way that seeds and leverages the platform and the strength our ancestors have left us over thousands of years.
For me, this means building strength in cultural identity and using it as a platform to define the way we all connect with Indigenous being, doing, knowing and belonging.
Too often I see and interact with people in our community who outwardly represent their Aboriginal identity only in certain contexts.
In the Indigenous business sector - which has taken off in the past eight years due to the Indigenous Procurement Policy - there's been an influx of people claiming Indigenous identity outright and publicly.
But many of these same people are non-existent at community events and gatherings.
I've been vocal about this select vocalism and many people ask: "Why does this matter and why are you making a thing of it?"
With my lived experience and view of the world, this matters because we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors who survived and thrived for thousands of years, and the survival and strength of our community has been embedded in being, doing, knowing and belonging.
In the 250 years or so since the British invasion, this has meant our people have had to rally together more and build strength as a collective in a community-first approach.
So, I implore people in our community to continue to build on our collective strength and cultural identity and think about, and act, on their role in building our community for future generations, as our ancestors have done for us.
My point is that if you're going to tell people that you're Indigenous in one context, you need to tell this in all contexts and be loud and proud of it; don't hide it or be ashamed of it.
Former president John F. Kennedy said: "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."
This call to action rings ever so true for the way that we as individuals within our community should be thinking about 24/7 and how we're building a sustainable legacy built around strong cultural identity.
For me, this also embodies the principle and practice of reciprocity. If you are going to take from it, you also need to give back to it in order for it to be sustainable and have the opportunity to thrive. We need to continue to build on this together so we can sustain being "Blak, Loud and Proud".
Ultimately, these words mean being Aboriginal 24/7 and in all contexts.
This is not to discount that some people in our community have diverse cultural backgrounds and can't respect and live by the values and practices of these cultures as well. It's important to do this.
My point is that if you're going to tell people you're Indigenous in one context, you need to tell this in all contexts and be loud and proud of it; don't hide it or be ashamed of it.
If you're someone who is still going on your journey to discover your Indigenous identity, then by all means start doing this and get involved by connecting with community at a grassroots level. Don't expect anything in return, just go on your slow and progressive journey to connect and eventually become immersed in it towards achieving a sense of being, doing, knowing and belonging.
I believe this approach can help us all stand tall together and support each other to be Blak, Loud and Proud, and continue to keep the fire burning for our cultural identity that has been the legacy our ancestors have passed onto us, so we can grow in a productive and sustainable way and pass their legacy onto our future generations.
- Liam Ridgeway is a proud descendant of the Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti, Kullilli and Wakka Wakka nations. He has built a successful career in the technology industry, co-founding Indigenous tech businesses Indigitek and NGNY - Ngakkan Nyaagu, and was the first Aboriginal person to work at Microsoft.