Meeting with Traditional Owners

Image L to R - Stephanie Pokoj, Julie Englefield, Leanne Ruska, Michelle Ruska, Uncle Eddy Ruska, Aunty Denise Ruska & Rita Pryce

Ausdance QLD is honoured to have finally sat and yarned with the Ruska Family - Traditional Custodians and Caretakers of Yuggera and Turrbal Countries, upon which the Ausdance QLD office in Meanjin (Brisbane) is located. Respected Elders - Uncle Eddy Ruska and Aunty Denise Ruska visited our office with daughters Leanne and Michelle Ruska. This humble family, among other things, own and operate a Cultural Tourism business that recently won a Queensland Tourism Award. 

We are very grateful to Rita Pryce -Kulkalgal and Kawrareg woman, who introduced us and facilitated this very important and overdue gathering. It was our first and the beginning of many more to come. Rita is a member of the Ausdance QLD management committee.

Ausdance QLD staff and management committee are excited about increasing our knowledge and understanding of First Nations Peoples, and learning from them how we can best serve and support them. We are, every one of us, undertaking lifelong learning journeys which have begun with acknowledging, respecting and prioritising the perspectives of First Nations Peoples in everything we do.

We understand these journeys may include many mistakes and embarrassing moments for us... there is much we feel we should know already, but don't. We value what the First Peoples have to offer and are willing to stumble and fall for the sake of ‘getting it right’ through this relationship building process. We encourage all of our members, families and professional colleagues to also reach out to the Traditional Owners in your areas so you are able to get guidance directly from those who have cared for the many lands of this continent for tens of thousands of years.