This year’s celebrations for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) in Australia took place from May 27 – June 3, with events across the country commemorating the shared histories of the wider Australian community and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Tait supports Reconciliation Australia to help with their mission to inspire and enable all Australians to contribute to the reconciliation of the nation. An important cause that should not be overlooked, funds for reconciliation are often lacking, but it is a purpose that has been a key requirement throughout Tait’s history.
As part of our social responsibility, Tait has always worked hard to be respectful of indigenous land. In places like Australia and New Zealand, these areas are always taken into consideration when designing Tait radio networks. Generally, sacred land tends to be on hilltops – which is usually the best location for tower or repeater sites – but our design engineers always observe the sacredness of these areas and never build sites on this land. Instead, we look for alternatives that provide equally reliable coverage while maintaining the integrity of indigenous land.
As part of this year’s celebrations, the Tait Brisbane office hosted a breakfast and invited a local Elder to speak about some of the first people who settled in Australia.
Songwoman Maroochy performs a traditional prayer
Elder Songwoman Maroochy, the Songwoman and Law-woman of the Turrbal People – the original inhabitants of Brisbane – spoke to the audience about the challenges they face in today’s society, and how they manage to overcome struggles and continue moving forward.
Attendees were also treated to a rendition of “Monda Barita”- a traditional blessings prayer that asks ancestors and the almighty to be with all those at the gathering. Songwoman Maroochy performed the prayer in the Turrbal language.
After her formal address, the audience was given the opportunity to ask Songwoman Maroochy questions while enjoying refreshments and reflecting on the stories she shared. Also among the crowd were Tait customers and partners, invited along to share the meaning of NRW with the Tait Brisbane staff.
Songwoman Maroochy with attendees at the Tait Brisbane breakfast
Moving forward, Tait will use an indigenous-focused recruitment agency to assist with maintaining a culturally aware and diverse environment. We are proud to raise awareness for reconciliation and encourage others in Australia to do so too.
Inspired by our founder, Sir Angus Tait, Tait Communications continues to embrace social responsibility as a core purpose. Click here to read about our Corporate Social Responsibility policy, or check out our Core Values to see what drives us to serve you every day. You can also see the other causes we support by clicking here.
