Peek Whurrong Elder Uncle Rob Lowe Senior delivers message on National Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week

Peek Whurrong Elder Uncle Rob Lowe Senior today presented Warrnambool City Council Mayor Vicki Jellie with a message stick that will welcome visitors to the Civic Centre.

The gift to Warrnambool coincided with National Sorry Day and ahead of events marking National Reconciliation Week which starts today, May 27.

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The timber message stick was made by Uncle Lowe over four weeks and contains the message: "Ngatanwarr, welcome to the Maar Nation", which is surrounded by intricate etchings.

"It's a message of reconciliation," he said.

"The shape of the message stick is the nation, the notches at the side are the six tribes.

"Four circles depict significant Aboriginal sites at the racecourse, Moyjil, Picnic Point and Levy's Point-The Cutting."

The border of the message stick depicts sand dunes.

Message sticks have great significance in Aboriginal culture and were used as a way of communicating across tribes and regions and to help manage large gatherings.

Cr Jellie accepted the message stick on behalf of the council and said it would be displayed prominently at the entrance to the Civic Centre.

"I would like to thank Uncle Robbie for this gift to the people of Warrnambool," Cr Jellie said.

"This is a very important symbol.

"It's a warm welcome to all and a great reminder to everyone that we live in Maar Nation traditional land.

"On National Sorry Day I would like to acknowledge that Aboriginal people have had to endure terrible treatment and discrimination over a long period of time.

"This message stick is an enormously generous gesture of goodwill.

"As a council we need to ensure that our decision-making is done with a goal to build reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians."

Wata Waetnanda is hosting a number of activities all this week to mark Reconciliation Week.

Activities include:

Reconciliation Australia's theme for 2021, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.

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