We are welcomed to the Wiradjeri people's homeland

“Uamby” is part of what used to be the Wiradjeri homeland. The land was taken from the original inhabitants in 1770 when Captain James Cook claimed the entire continent for the King of England who in turn gave the land gratis to a bunch of pirates historians call “Squatters” to encourage them to settle it. The Wiradjeri put up a good fight in the mid 1820s – fighting the colonial military to a standstill, under the inspired leadership of warrior chieftain Windradyne. (More of him in a later blog.) But eventually they were completely dispossessed and destroyed as a nation, shuffle off to reserves. However we have great respect for the prior owners of the land we have in our stewardship… both black and white. (We are restoring the graveyard in which the original pioneering Lahy family was buried, down by the river. We stay in touch with the Bird family who owned the place after the Lahys.) Recently we invited Wiradjeri elders to visit us and help us understand the spiritual significance of the land we are living on. Tom Beckham and Rick Powell are from Dandaloo, several hundred kilometres west of us, out on the flat country before it becomes desert. Both men are teachers of the traditions who seek to build bridges between cultures so we can move forward towards living in a “vibrant, sustainable, integrated community”.



Tom and Rick showed us evidence of their people’s usage of the land.






The Wiradjeri cut bark canoes from trees near the watercourses.











They also cut “Coolamons” or carrying trays for the women to use while gathering berries, yams and wild grains.








The men used to go up to the high country overlooking the Uamby valley for ceremonial and educational sessions with the boys. They used to sharpen spears in the grooves of the rock.







Tom and Rick conducted a traditional smoking ceremony of welcome for us.



This involved small fires of different leaves and grasses held in coolamons.
We recited a short prayer of commitment to the spirit of the natural environment and to the community that lives within it.



This was an important symbolic event. It represents the Kiely family's private act of Reconciliation. Rick says we must draw a line in the sand about the past and move forward together into the future.

He is the most level-headed black I’ve ever met.

The ceremony was held at the point where the Cudgegong River joins Uamby Creek.


During the ceremony his young friend Colin, a Wiradjeri boy, danced a traditional dance for us. (He spent most of the weekend on a 4WD bike enjoying himself.)

Rick gave us many long lectures on his people’s spirituality and customs. He explained about totem animals and birds. He gave us our totem. (More on this later.)


We are interested in communicating with the spirits of this place, for both spiritual and practical reasons. They can help us and guide us to farm better.

I will explain more about these momentous events in future blogs. But we have big plans for involving Rick in a farmstay program which includes education in the ways and beliefs of the Wiradjeri and how they lived on this land.