Poem: Spiritual song of the Aborigine
15 December 2021
A special recording has been made for this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, celebrated globally on 9 August.
Principal of Worawa Aboriginal College, Dr Lois Peeler AM, has recited a poem, 'Spiritual Song of the Aborigine’' written by College Founder Hyllus Maris.
The video has been shared on PoV’s social media channels, as we continue to look at ways in which we can proactively engage with Victoria’s First Peoples by working collaboratively with indigenous groups, as set down in parliament’s strategic priorities.
Dr Peeler and Worawa have been working with parliament’s community engagement team to produce a new education resource, Aboriginal Change Makers, that was published online recently.
“ There are an estimated 476 million indigenous peoples in the world living across 90 countries ”
United Nations report on indigenous people
The International Day of the World's Indigenous People was established by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1994.
'There are an estimated 476 million indigenous peoples in the world living across 90 countries,' the United Nations notes.
'They make up less than 5 per cent of the world's population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world's estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.'
The 2021 theme is 'Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract'.
'We must demand indigenous peoples' inclusion, participation and approval in the constitution of a system with social and economic benefits for all,' the United Nations states.