The City of Stonnington held its fourth annual Healing Ceremony on Sunday, 26 January 2025.
It was a day filled with cultural richness, storytelling and connection, and we are grateful to everyone who joined us.
More than 220 community members gathered at Malvern Cricket Ground to honour, listen and reflect on the valuable contributions our First Nations peoples have made to our nation's cultural landscape for over 65,000 years.
Setting the spiritual tone for the day, Kiernan Ironfield opened the event with the soulful sounds of the Yidaki.
We thank Mayor Cr Melina Sehr JP for her heartfelt words, acknowledging the resilience and cultural contributions of the First Peoples community and to Wurundjeri Man Daniel Ross for sharing his knowledge and conducting a moving Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.
Daniel also spoke of the past experiences of Wurundjeri Elders such as Billibellarry, William Barak and Simon Wonga, highlighting their struggles as they were forced to live on mission land at Coranderrk, starting in 1863 and ending in 1924.
John Wayne Parson and his band then took us on a journey through songs from both sides of his Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background. Themes included caring for Country, respecting Elders and the Stolen Generations.
The Healing Ceremony aligns with Stonnington's Reconciliation Action Plan and encourages us all to discover, learn and help cultural healing through the truth-telling process.
Pictured: John Wayne Parsons.
