A Smoking Ceremony at Heritage Now
Our Sydney team recently had the privilege of taking part in an Aboriginal smoking ceremony at our Leichhardt office – a wonderful opportunity to come together, learn and connect with a cultural practice that has been passed down through generations. Uncle Brendan from Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council led the ceremony, guiding us through the sacred ceremony.
Smoking ceremonies hold deep significance for Aboriginal people and can be used to cleanse people and places, promote healing and wellbeing, and mark times of welcome, transition and new beginnings.
We also learnt about the importance of the leaves used to create the smoke. Australia is home to more than 600 species of eucalypts, and our ceremony leader uses one particular species of gum for his smoking ceremonies – although exactly which species remains his closely guarded secret.
As the leaves smouldered and the smoke moved through our office and around our team, we learnt more about the meaning behind the ceremony and the connection between people, culture and Country.
Brendan explained that the smoke plays an important role in cleansing the space and the people within it, helping to create a sense of renewal and bring positive energy into the environment. As the smoke moved through our office and around our team, it was fascinating to learn more about the meaning behind the ceremony and the important role it continues to play in Aboriginal culture.
For Heritage Now, the ceremony was a meaningful opportunity to bring our team together – reflecting with gratitude on the people, experiences and connections that have shaped Heritage Now, while looking ahead to all that is still to come.
We are very grateful for the opportunity to participate and for the knowledge and culture so generously shared with us.