 You're going to do Marang. It's wonderful to have you as the inaugural interview for India Mara. And I have Senator Lydia Thorpe, who is a Ganay Gandhi Chamara Jaurang woman. And it's just a pleasure to have you today. It's a pleasure to be here. And I'm really honoured to be the inaugural speaker. You know, I think this is a really important topic. So thank you. It's now a pleasure. And you and I have something in common. And we mentioned that you left school at 14 and I left school at 16, running out of the school yards. Isn't it amazing that now you're in this place? And is this something now that you can make a huge difference with? Absolutely. I still have to pinch myself that I'm here. When I left school it was, I just didn't, I didn't have a good experience at school. Racism was really bad. And it was just, I just used to get into fights. And it just wasn't safe. So to then go to work in an Aboriginal organisation from the age of 14, I learnt more in that place than I did in my 14 years at school. But in saying that, you know, I had to still go back when I was older to get some more skills under my belt to do what I wanted to do in the future. And my dream was to become a CEO of an Aboriginal organisation, but I became a senator instead. And how amazing is that? So dreams. It's all about dreams, isn't it? And really giving Indigenous youth and young people an ability to fulfil their dreams. And is this something that we're really lacking in Australia today? Yes it is. Yes it is. Our young people need to know their potential. They need to know their worth. And they need to know that we can do anything. You know, and it is hard. Like the struggle is hard. And you know, our families are struggling. But you know, we can't give up. We've got to keep going because our ancestors rely on us to continue their legacy of speaking truth and keeping our mobs together. And continuing to call out the injustice that goes on in our communities. But also, you know, just having Black voices out there makes us proud. But it also makes this country better. Like, you know, people in this country don't even know what this country is about. And they only start to realise when they hear from us, they start to come along and understand what we're about and what this country is about. So the more of our mob that stand up, the more this country can come along on what we're really about as a nation. And I'm just, you know, inspired by our young people out there. And you know, for those that are struggling, you know, reach out to old people and reach out to people that you trust and have those yarns about, you know, some strategies on how to get through some of those tough times. And I always speak to my nan and my mum and my sisters and say, oh, you know, I'm having this terrible day. And they always remind me that, no, you've got to continue what our old people have been doing, Lydia. So, you know, we love you, we support you and you're doing the right thing. And the only other thing I want to say to that is my great nan, Nan Edna, you know, the one thing that she always, always said to me is never forget where you come from. And so in all the places that I've been, I always take that message with me. It's very strong. And the thing is too, I don't think all of Australia appreciates how much we really depend on our identity. And that's our identity, isn't it? Really in all things, in the environment where we come from, who we're related to. You've had some incredible activism in your family and your nan, Alma. So all of those strengths, plus, you know, who you are and representing on your shoulders are a whole mob who really are relying on you and many others in the parliament to really speak their concerns. How much of a burden is that? But how much of an opportunity is that as well? It's quite a big burden because I'm also a mum and I'm also a grandmother. And I'm also the oldest cousin of 90. So I have to play a leadership role in my own family as well as play a leadership role here and also be be answerable to my people out there because I I'm elevating our people's voice here. And I want to be pulled up if I say the wrong thing. I want to be guided by our people because for far too long, our voices have been denied in this place. And this is a real opportunity. You know, I so watch my mum speak in to public, you know, and do public speaking. And I just I'll just sit down in my chair and think, Oh, I could never do that. Look how amazing she is. I could never get up in front of that many people and speak. And here I am. Here I am. And some of my elders say to me, You sound just like your mother. And I feel really honoured when they say that because it's just through watching and learning that I've been able to come with a confidence and that grassroots perspective on making our lives better. But also putting this nation on notice that we ain't going away and you better sit up and start listening to us. And do you think that that's really been exaggerated now that we've had COVID? We don't really know what normal is. So we're all looking for a new normal. How does Black Lives Matter really stress that things have changed? This might sound a bit weird, but I think mob will understand this. And that is when I feel down or when I feel like I'm losing the fight, I reach out to my ancestors and I know our ancestors are there all the time. And I believe that our ancestors made this and ancestors around the world, First People's ancestors made the world stop and think about what's important in our lives, our families, our land, our water, the things that everybody should care about. And I think COVID has really been an opportunity for people to reflect on those things that are really important to them. So I believe our ancestors have had a big role in this in a way that's just made people reflect on what they're doing with their lives and how they're treating our land and our water. And a lot of people are starting to look at us for solutions and I think Black Lives Matter, even though it took a Black man on the other side of the world to elevate our voices, I think that's certainly been instrumental in making people realise how important our voices are and our stories and our science and our knowledge on how to repair land and water and people. And climate change is a really big issue for many people across the world and youth as you've seen, eight-year-olds, 10-year-olds, Greta Thunberg getting up and really speaking out those truths. How can we inspire our Indigenous youth when there's so much deficit discourse around Australia? How can we inspire them to really participate in global climate change? We have to elevate. We have to move over. I know no disrespect but some people have been in positions for too long and hold on to them and won't let them go. And I think that it's time to let go and move over and let our young people rise up. Don't go away altogether because our young people need that guidance and that mentoring and that support, which I think that they could play a really good role in supporting that. But our young people need a seat at the table and they need to be elevated and supported. And I for one will put my hand up and say to all our young people out there that if you want to yarn with me then let's have that yarn because I know what it's like to struggle. I know what it's like to be told to sit down. It's not your time yet. I know what it's like but we have to push a bit to make sure our voices are heard and particularly young voices. So you know us older people need to allow that to happen. We can't wait until you know our young people get old to give them the space. They need the space now because our young people are our future. Well I think we try to encourage a lot of Indigenous youth and secondary students and primary students to imagine themselves as being educated but also being reminded as you've said of a cultural education. So how can that happen today when there's just so much emphasis on getting a degree, going to university, getting an engineering degree or going to law school? How can we actually then say don't forget who you are? I think the best degree that you can ever get and that's the degree I have and that's a degree in life. That's a degree in our life experience because we can read it in a book. We can go to university and let white followers tell us how it's meant to be but only we know what it's like to live in this country and only we should be able to talk about that. So I really struggled. I do have a degree now and I struggled through that. It wasn't easy and I needed all the help I could possibly get because I find it hard to read a book and I always have because I left school at such a young age. I didn't know how to write an essay and I still don't know how to write an essay. I have people that do that for me now. I just think that don't be locked in to the white man's way of education because the best education you can ever get is from your old people and from your land and everything that belongs to the land. That's the best education you can get and if you can articulate that through your family and through with other young people then that gives you the authority to speak as far as I'm concerned and always check in. Try not to get too big headed about it and then run off and leave the elders stranded. You've got to keep checking in with your old people which I have to do that and sometimes I get a little smack to say you can't do it that way. You've got to do it that way and I don't mean literally smacked. I mean get told and I'm nearly 50 and my mum and my nan and my sister still tell me and don't take it in a negative way. Take it in and learn from that. Well I think the last question that I'll ask you which is one that really this program talks about is Yin-Yamata. What's your message for respect and respect of culture and the first peoples, the first Australians, what would you say? Well I'd have to say what my grandmother Edna Browns said to me and that is never forget where you come from and always be true to yourself and your people and always always respect your elders. That's fundamental you know our laws of the law of the land is what should be guiding us and that includes our old people and it includes looking after our land and water. We have to be guided by that first and foremost. Yes we can learn the white man's ways but we can never ever give up our old ways because that's what's going to get us through at the end of the day. Thank you for that powerful message. Mandangu and we look forward to a very very bright future for you. All I can say is thank you. Stay black and deadly you mob out there and please if you ever want to have a yarn I'm here. Thank you. That means deadly. There you go. Wonderful. And I think I said it all right.