In Australian Indigenous culture a smoking ceremony is used as a cleansing mechanism.
As part of the ceremony, the playing of clapsticks is used to call up spirit ancestors, while the sound of a didgeridoo connects all participants of the event.
Now all these three traditional Indigenous elements are set to become an integral part of citizenship ceremonies in Campbelltown.
Veteran councillor Meg Oates, who is marking 30 years since first elected to Campbelltown Council, suggested the addition of these Aboriginal traditions to citizenship ceremonies.
Council consulted with local Aboriginal elders, who recommended a smoking ceremony, clapsticks and didgeridoo as the most appropriate ones to incorporate into citizenship ceremonies.
Next Tuesday, when council holds its first meeting in October, it is expected that it will support the change first proposed by Cr Oates back in July of this year.
Around eight or nine citizenship ceremonies are held every year in Campbelltown.
Between 80 and 100 local residents declare their allegiance to Australia at each of these ceremonies.
Currently ceremonies feature performances by a pipes and drums band, a vocalist leading the Australian national anthem and the singing of I Am Australian accompanied by a lone piper.
Those taking part also receive a local native plant when they are presented with their citizenship certificates.
A report to council which will be tabled at the meeting says incorporating indigenous traditions will add around $900 to the cost of each citizenship ceremony.
♦ Also included in next Tuesday’s agenda is the tabling of a report outlining the costs and benefits/disadvantages of incorporating gender inclusive language options in all future surveys, community consultation documents, records and data collection and incorporation of gender neutral language options into existing records and systems as they are updated.
Greens councillor Ben Moroney suggested in March this year that council look into this initiative.
• Cr Moroney has also tabled a notice of motion for Tuesday’s meeting calling on Campbelltown Council to encourage “broad, robust and inclusive engagement of the community in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.
A second part of Cr Moroney’s motion calls on council to “direct appropriate resources, including but not limited to Facebook and other social media posts, signage at council facilities and events, and messages on Council’s LED message boards, to remind and encourage residents to return their survey forms by the postal deadline of the 27th October 2017.’’
• Council will also go into confidential mode to discuss a St James Anglican Church Minto interim heritage protection order.
Council earlier this year rejected an application for the demolition of the 120 year old church building and the Anglican parish is appealing the decision in the Land and Environment Court.
The court will hold a conciliation conference on the site on October 25.
• Council meetings are held on the third floor of the Queen Street administration building and start at 6.30pm.
