“We want to contribute to change and be heard” - Sheila White, Message Stick Member, Strong Women for Healthy Country Network
The Strong Women for Healthy Country Network started out in 2019. At the time I had only just started working as a ranger. Only 70 women were invited to the first Forum, but it ended up being 150. That was a big mob! It started out with Aunty Annette Miller, the kindest and humblest teacher. Women shared about what they do on Country, across the Northern Territory. I didn’t know there would be women rangers from everywhere. We wanted to do it our way, with yarning circles, sharing stories, and people telling their stories through their art. It helped us make sense of our world and how we want to do things differently. This forum was my first impression of the Strong Women for Healthy Country Network.
One moment that really stood out for me during the growth of the network, was how Elders made a platform for all the women to lead together. We stood in a circle and Annette spoke on the mic and said that people could hold hands if they wanted to be part of our Network - and everyone held hands. Then they said, if someone wanted to be a leader as a Message Stick member, then take a step forward. Individuals made that decision for themselves, and we all cheered them on. Now Message Sticks meet regularly to make decisions for our Network.
We’re all in this together, and we’re all committed to supporting each other. Advocating and collaborating and communicating as a network of strong women.
We now have a strategy and we want to become our own independent organisation to do more training, exchanges and provide services that women need so they can be strong and affect real change. Because strong women means healthy Country. We also have really cool t-shirts!
There’s also a national Network and Forum that’s in the works, which is really exciting. We want to be able to amplify our voices, not just that one person talking, but making change for all First Nations people and become many voices talking about all the good things. Everyone has a role to play. It gives me hope that we have set this up for my grandchildren to continue and be changemakers for women. We hold responsibility for the next generation in what we do now.
We want to contribute to change and be heard.