Project team gains great insight into local Indigenous culture

Natural Resource Management Supervisor Shane Monk explained the significance of Aboriginal artefacts he had found and made to the 30-strong group visiting Seymour. 

The group first participated in a smoking ceremony, each bringing the cool cleansing smoke over them and on the soles of their feet. 

“This white smoke is clean, and healing compared to toxic black smoke. Aboriginal people would use the smoke as medicine if they had a sore throat or another ailment,” Shane told the group as they walked through the smoke.

“Now that you have been cleansed with this smoke on Taungurung country, our ancestors welcome and look after you.” 

Shane explained the life-long value of hand-sewn possum skin rugs every member of his Taungurung clan would own, made by their parents

“Your parents would add skins to the rug as you grew up, and you’d keep the same one until you died,” he said.

“You’d wear it fur-side out in summer to keep cool and skin-side out so the fur would keep you warm in winter. You could use it to make a quick shelter if you got caught in the rain and as bedding – it was your everything.”

Shane has found several artefacts on land where his clan started near Eildon, including scrapers, spear heads and blades used for cutting. 

As he showed an axe head to the group, he said: “I feel as if the blood of my ancestors who may have made this axe is running through my veins – it’s very special to me.” 

Many of the artefacts Shane had found were made from greenstone, which is the hardest rock found in Australia.

“Green stone was traded between clans across the country. Hundreds of hours went into grinding axe heads out of this stone. It was your prized possession and if you didn’t have anyone to pass it on to, you were buried with it,” he said. 

A few years ago, Shane had the opportunity to learn how use traditional methods to cut a coolamon and canoe from a tree in parkland at Seymour. He showed the coolamon to the group.

“This is another special one for me. It comes with me everywhere I go. This had a range of uses including to carry a baby and gather food. I’ve used it a couple of times to perform smoking ceremonies inside rooms and buildings to cleanse the area,” he said.      

The project team were grateful to Shane for sharing his stories and insight into Indigenous culture. 

The Tottenham to Albury project has been engaging with several Registered Aboriginal Parties Taungurung and Yorta Yorta to establish Cultural Heritage Management Plans where project areas are within land managed by these parties in Victoria.  

You can learn more about how Inland Rail works with Indigenous communities here.

NAIDOC Week will be held from Sunday 4 July to Sunday 11 July and Inland Rail employees will have a number of opportunities to participate. Read more here.