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First Nations Strategy 2022–25Acknowledgment of Country and impact statement Sydney Living Museums cares for 12 historic sites across NSW, with a range of traditional custodians and owners. We acknowledge all of these Aboriginal communities, their Elders of the past, those whom we are so honoured to work with and learn from in the present, and those we will work with in the future. We show our respect by our actions, and in our commitment to improving our work, stepping back and listening deeply. We acknowledge the local families and community leaders who share their stories, history and knowledge with us so that we can increase understanding, awareness and appreciation of First Nations cultures and peoples. We acknowledge that the sites we care for have complex histories and contexts, and that some of them represent stories and histories that arose from colonisation. We are committed to truth telling, to strengthening and amplifying the voices of First Nations people, and to ensuring that our sites are more inclusive and welcoming for local communities and that the work we do better reflects our First Nations histories. We also acknowledge and appreciate the rich and beautiful history of our First Nations peoples and cultures, celebrating their ongoing wisdom, strength and resilience. Was, is and always will be Aboriginal land. Performer Terry Owen prepares the smoking ceremony at the Eel Festival, Elizabeth Farm, 2021. Photo © Joshua Morris for Sydney Living Museumsrepresenting the impacts of colonisation on, and the dispossession of land from, Aboriginal people, we recognise the responsibility we have as an organisation to reflect on and present the past to audiences in an honest and accurate way. We aim to present a truthful and challenging exploration of how colonisation has impacted Aboriginal communities and their connections to culture and Country since 1788. We will examine the ongoing impact and effects of colonisation, which are still being felt today. Our aim is to inspire empathy for and increase understanding of the experiences of First Nations people and communities. With truth telling, understanding and empathy at the core of our approach, we can build on our shared history, across our shared landscapes, and heal together for a united future. Vision Our vision is for Sydney Living Museums (SLM) to support and empower First Nations people, communities and cultures. Across the sites that we care for, we are committed to shifting perspectives, truth telling and delivering honest reflections on history. By focusing a clear and accurate lens on the past, we aim to increase understanding of the incredible depths of knowledge and connection to Country that our First Nations peoples have had for more than 60,000 years, as the oldest living continuous culture in the world. SLM was established in 1980 as the Historic Houses Trust of NSW to manage, maintain and interpret buildings and places of historic importance for the public. The 12 properties that we care for, at locations across Sydney and NSW, offer us an opportunity to explore the deep history of our sites and their connection to Country. With many of these sites ‘Putting First Nations first is a mindset and a practice. The strides forward we are making in inclusion of voices and perspectives must continue, at pace, until we are comfortable with uncomfortable histories, practices and issues. Only then will we be at a place where we can start the true work of placing First Nations first. And we are committed to doing just that.’ Adam Lindsay, Chief Executive Officer 4SYDNEY LIVING MUSEUMSStatement of commitment Sydney Living Museums is committed to empowering First Nations people and communities through our First Nations Strategy and action plan. We show this commitment in practical ways through our annual funding and budget allocation, prioritising First Nations programming, content and engagement and ensuring that they are embedded in all that we do and offer. We are committed to enacting change and encouraging new and emerging voices, representing First Nations people across history as well as today. As an organisation, we are determined to tell honest history, no matter how difficult or challenging that may be. We see this as our responsibility and part of our core business. Our aim is not to eliminate or stop telling the colonial stories and history of the places that we care for, but instead to add to those stories and to provide stronger narratives and deeper understandings of the past, to help inform our shared future. Our commitment will be demonstrated in our programming and exhibitions, onsite experiences, acquisitions, collection management, online content, ongoing conversations with community, and within our staffing and leadership. We will be led by First Nations voices, both within our staff as well as through collaboration and co-creation with artists, Elders, academics, creatives, historians, cultural leaders and more. While our approach is led and driven by First Nations people, our strategy and action plan will also be supported by our staff, leadership and the Board of Trustees. Delivering First Nations stories, content and experiences at our sites, led by First Nations people, we will offer our audiences unique ways to learn about, engage with and celebrate First Nations cultures. Collaborating with and opening up our properties to diverse artists and other creatives, as well as Elders and knowledge holders, we will amplify and prioritise the First Nations voice in all that we do and offer. This strategy aims to shift the ways in which First Nations people and their voices are heard at our sites, so that they feel a sense of belonging and trust, and feel safe to share their knowledge, stories, and interpretation of history. Through the work that we do, the communities and individuals we engage with, and the unique access and experiences we offer the public at our sites, we have an important opportunity to impact the ways in which society sees, understands and appreciates First Nations cultures and knowledge. By changing how people learn about history and interact with the past, we can support audiences from all backgrounds to attain a more authentic and inclusive understanding of our history and a stronger appreciation for our First Nations peoples and cultures. Our aim and hope is that with a deeper understanding of the past, we can create a better future. From left Jonathan Jones’s artwork untitled (maraong manaóuwi) at the Hyde Park Barracks, 2020. Commissioned by Sydney Living Museums. Photo © Pedro Greig. Artwork © Jonathan Jones; Performer Albert David teaches animal dance moves to the audience at NAIDOC Festival, Rouse Hill Estate, 2019. Photo © James Horan for Sydney Living Museums 5FIRST NATIONS STRATEGYGuiding principles Our guiding principles help us to stay focused on what is most important in our strategy. These four principles are aligned with our vision and practical in nature, ensuring they become part of our daily practice and core work. First Peoples first This approach means prioritising the voices, stories and history of First Nations people in recognition of their representation of the oldest living continuous culture on earth. In this country we have more than 60,000 years of rich history and culture to explore and celebrate. We cannot claim to care about heritage and history if we only focus on the last 230 years. Our ‘First Peoples first’ approach must be embedded in our work practices and in the ways that we operate, so that cultural elements are not a tokenistic or last-minute addition. Clockwise from top left Uncle Fred from Fred’s Bush Tucker shares his knowledge and story for SLM’s community profile video series. Film still © Sydney Living Museums; SLM staff with local Elder Uncle Wes Marne and cast and crew from the Cutter and Coota play, presented at the Hyde Park Barracks in October 2022. Photo Pamela Amores © Sydney Living Museums; Uncle Wes with the artwork Healing land, remembering Country, Tony Albert, 2020, during the NAIDOC Week event at Elizabeth Farm in 2020. Photo © Joshua Morris for Sydney Living Museums. Artwork courtesy Tony Albert and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney (see back cover for full credit information); Aunty Sue Blacklock in legacy interviews at the Hyde Park Barracks. Legacy Interview films © Grumpy Sailor. Photo © Evolving Picture / Chris Bennett for Sydney Living Museums; Hayden Walsh. Photo © Sydney Living Museums 6SYDNEY LIVING MUSEUMSBe proactive We must be proactive to ensure that we make progress and deliver on our aims. As a cultural institution and government agency, our scope of work is extensive. However, we need to remain on track and deliver on our commitments, producing results and not excuses. We must continue the important work that we set out to do and, when required, be adaptive, not stagnant. The work we do to empower and celebrate First Nations cultures and people is part of our core business. It must not be dependent upon special occasions or grants. It is built in from the start as part of our responsibility to the public and is as critical as any other area of our work. Deep listening It is crucial that we listen respectfully to our local community leaders, Elders and knowledge holders and build in opportunities for their ideas, concerns and feelings to be heard and understood. This will better inform the work we set out to do, build strong relationships with community, and ensure that we have their best interests at heart. Consultation and collaboration with community is an ongoing practice and one that we prioritise, along with creating opportunities for the voices of community to be heard at any time. We must be flexible and responsive in how we seek and reflect on input, feedback and ideas, ensuring that voices can be heard informally as well as through a formalised process. We must also ensure that the voices of First Nations staff are heard within the organisation and that proper support is given to empower those voices. Seek and speak truths To uncover the stories of our First Nations peoples and cultures, we must seek the truth at all times, and present it accurately to our audiences. We must not stop at uncovering the truth, but have the courage to ensure that these truths are spoken openly across our sites and platforms. We also recognise that truth can be nuanced, depending on what is true to a specific person or their community’s experiences. We recognise the powerful opportunity we have to enable those voices to be heard at our sites and spaces. ‘I am proud to lead the development and delivery of this strategy. It is something we have needed for a long time. I wanted it to be unique, from the heart, and something that our community can believe in and all our staff and stakeholders can be proud of.’ Hayden Walsh, First Nations Advisor 7FIRST NATIONS STRATEGYAction plan Our First Nations Strategy will be delivered via a three-year action plan that will be updated regularly. Actions are grouped into past, present and future. Maintaining a record of past achievements enables us to track our progress, celebrate the work we do and, most importantly, be held accountable, so that we deliver results, not excuses. It also provides us with a great opportunity to regularly review our results and make sure we are performing well as an organisation. Our record of present actions clearly articulates to staff and stakeholders how we are directing our efforts and resources and ensures that we focus on our key actions so that we are proactive and productive. Deliverables will be steered by the First Nations Working Group, with guidance and advice from the First Nations Advisory Committee. Our future plans include our long-term objectives and the broader changes we are going to make. Displaying our future goals and deliverables helps to keep us on the right path to achieve our long-term vision and outcomes. THREE-YEAR ACTION PLAN PRESENT what we are currently working on FUTURE what we aim to achieve over the longer term PAST what we have already achieved 8SYDNEY LIVING MUSEUMSKey staff and stakeholders SLM First Nations Working Group The First Nations Working Group meets monthly. It provides a safe space for staff to plan, discuss and share the work that we are all doing, and for First Nations staff to yarn, connect and lead. The working group decides on the deliverables of the First Nations Strategy, focusing on what we can do, when we can do it and how it will be done. SLM First Nations Advisory Committee The First Nations Advisory Committee will meet quarterly. This committee will provide advice, guidance and knowledge from a range of external voices with diverse backgrounds and expertise. Their involvement and feedback will provide new ideas and help us to be open to First Nations ways of working. SLM Executive and Board of Trustees The SLM Executive and Board of Trustees can provide input and advice at any time, which the Working Group and Advisory Committee will take into consideration. SLM First Nations staff SLM First Nations staff work with the SLM Executive to ensure that the outcomes of this strategy are of the highest priority, and engage with staff at all levels to inform and support activity relating to the strategy’s aims and deliverables, so that First Nations perspectives and representation are embedded in all that we do. First Nations staff deepen relationships with local First Nations community members and develop new opportunities and connections with other stakeholders. Focus areas Actions and objectives for our action plan will be chosen from four focus areas (detailed on following pages). EXPERIENCESKNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVES ACCESS AND OUTREACH PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS 9FIRST NATIONS STRATEGYNext >