A Wellness Message from Down Under: Reclaiming What Is Rightfully Ours

This is my story about my connections to the Native Wellness Institute and the profound impact these connections have had on my life and wellbeing. I'm passing through to give you all my love & gratitude!!!

Being in the presence of you beautiful people is something we in Echuca will never forget. A time in history when Native people from around the world were starting to give up hope, a time where love peace and happiness was becoming hard to find, a group of Indians guided by spirit came down under (Australia) in hopes to shine their light on our darkest days.

The Indians' light was so bright tribal people everywhere could see their way out of their own darkness.

It is everything that NWI stands for, the programs, the training, the Warriors who work for the organisation, the knowledge, the wisdom, the teachings, the sharing and most important the LOVE you all have for yourselves, each other and the rest of humanity that has helped me find my way back to my dreaming.

I've waited a long time to make sense out of my life, out of life in general. It's clear to me now: love, prayer, gratitude, generosity, kindness, compassion, ceremony, unity, mother earth, Spirit, we are all one! It is these philosophies that have given me the ingredients to live my life to its fullest and ignited the fire in my belly to do good, not only for myself but for others also. No matter whom they are and where they come from.

I was born in the city of Melbourne, I've always known and felt Aboriginal but I had never spoke my original language, I had never danced in my original regalia in our original ceremonies, I had also never participated in any of our original cultural practices. I was pretty much a black girl living and seeing the world through the eyes of the white man. I was not happy. I was deeply saddened to discover the truth as to why me and my mob were in these circumstances. Part of my healing has been acknowledging the past, accepting what has happened and making it my business to reclaim what is rightfully ours: song, dance, ceremony, language, love, respect, pride and dignity. Some days are better than others, but I know I am not alone which brings me strength and comfort to continue in the fight for wellness.

From the bottom of my heart soul and spirit, I say thank you. I now know how to live in the 'Spirit of the Warrior’.

Yours truly,
Nolita Edwards
The Koori Indian from Down Under xo

About the Author

Nolita Edwards has worked for the Victorian Aboriginal community in Australia for over 15 years. She is a psychotherapist and specializes in a type of therapy called Process Orientated Psychology, aka 'Process Work'. Nolita is very passionate about the healing of Native people everywhere and truly believes the answers we seek are in the teachings of our old people.

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