RECONCILIATION
We recognise the importance of listening, learning and collaborating with First Nations communities.
At PEXA our purpose is to connect people to place – and in doing so we must first recognise the centuries of deep connection First Nations People have to Country.
For many First Nations people in Australia, land is much more than soil, rocks or minerals. It’s a living environment that sustains, and is sustained by, people and culture. Before colonisation, the reciprocal relationship between people and the land underpinned all other aspects of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Today, this relationship with the land remains fundamental to the identity and way of life of many First Nations people.
The PEXA Group has a vision to use its unique place in the property ecosystem to share knowledge around traditional land ownership. We believe that meaningful engagement with First Nations communities is a key part of achieving this vision.
Acknowledgement of Country
The land we are on today has a rich history and is a place of culture, kinship and knowledge.
The PEXA Group respectfully acknowledges and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land we are headquartered on, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation, and indeed all Traditional Custodians.
Our head office is based in the Docklands region of Naarm (Melbourne) where the Yarra River and the Maribyrnong River meet the sea. For thousands of years these waterways have sustained life and hold a spiritual and cultural significance to Aboriginal peoples.
Obligations to care for Country remain integral to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lore, identity, culture and social and emotional well-being. The way in which traditional lands are being managed is of great interest to First Nations communities and the PEXA Group understands that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a significant contribution to make in relation to land management in the region.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present and, recognise the continued and enduring connection all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to this land and to Country.
Our Indigenous Engagement Strategy
To bring PEXA’s vision to life we recognise the importance of listening, learning and collaborating with First Nations communities in forming our approach. In 2020, we engaged with John Briggs consultancy and began running annual educational sessions for the PEXA team, which recognise the importance of truth-telling in our journey towards reconciliation. In the years since, our relationship with John has continued to grow and with the support of our internal reconciliation working group, we are currently developing our first Indigenous Engagement Strategy (IES).
Our IES and supporting initiatives are being designed across three key pillars:
- Employment and Cultural Awareness – Building an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace.
- Products and Services – Partnering with Indigenous organisations in the future growth of our organisation.
- Community – Establishing respectful, trusted and purpose-driven relationships with Indigenous communities, to build knowledge and awareness of land that can be harnessed across the PEXA community.
We are excited to continue our progress across these three pillars and look forward to sharing updates and details on our Indigenous Engagement Strategy, initiatives and subsequent commitments.
Ancient Connections
We are so proud of our bespoke artwork, Ancient Connections, a visual story that depicts the connections between Country, culture, kinship and community from both the past and present. Designed by artist Chad Briggs in 2022, it celebrates how we are all connected to this land, and for us at PEXA, it represents the complex nature of our purpose, Connecting People to Place.
The artwork spotlights the rainbow serpent, one of the only stories from the dreaming that spans all language groups nationally. Culturally, it serves as an inclusive symbol for the celebration of First Nations history and culture – it’s the creation spirit that formed Australia’s landscape and waterways. You can learn more about the rainbow serpent dreamtime story here.
Symbolises community, and the deep connections between all peoples.
Meaning of symbols in the Boras (circles):
Central Bora:
- Displays the Torres Strait headdress known as a Dhari, which symbolises the identity and unity of all Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Clockwise from the top left:
- Represents Bush tucker and Bush medicine, vital sustenance which Country provides.
- A symbol for Kangaroo, one of the most iconic animals in Australia. Vital to Indigenous peoples’ ways of life, Kangaroos have always served as an important source of sustenance, formed part of cultural rituals and Dreamtime stories.
- Represents Bush tucker and Bush medicine, vital sustenance which Country provides.
- Symbolises community, and the deep connections between all peoples.
- A symbol for home, more than just shelter, this represents a place where life is intrinsically linked to community and Country.
- A symbol for Emu, seen as a creator spirit, Emus are significant to Indigenous peoples ways of life, including Emu’s eggs and meat, collected and used depending on the time of year.
PEXA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. We recognise their valuable contributions to Australian and global society.
It’s our hope that by sharing this artwork, it will inspire you to reflect on where we’ve been, to learn more about and to celebrate the world’s longest-living culture.
Meet the Artist
Chad Briggs is an indigenous artist born in Brisbane. His mother is a Muralag woman from the Torres Strait and his father is a Noongar man from Western Australia.
Chad enjoys incorporating styles, techniques and colours from both his Aboriginal and Islander heritage – which creates completely original contemporary art pieces. Chad has been a full-time artist since 1998 and has been commissioned by the BRONCOS NRL Club, Imparja Cricket Australia, PEXA, Australian Federal Police and many more.
His completed artworks can be viewed on chadbriggs.com.au.