The Wurundjeri say that our story is similar to yours. Your story is by your chosen faith, our story is by the dreaming. We both have creators and we believe in our creators. Ours is Bunjil the Eagle. In the creation story we say we belong to the land, that we are part of the land and the land part of us. Wurundjeri also say that there is a place for everyone and everyone has a place on this land. St Patrick's Cathedral provides a beautiful place and a comfortable environment. We feel happy here too. Today and always we will share this space as the symbol of creation in the lives of all people. We are honoured to form this partnership in respect of your reconciliation of the Aboriginal people and their lives.

Message from the former Archbishop of Melbourne, George Pell.

The Aboriginal Message Stick housed in St Patrick's Cathedral and the beautiful Stone Inlay in the Cathedral forecourt are magnificent and poignant additions to the Catholic heritage of Melbourne.

For too long the Indigenous people of this country have been left on the margins of our society, and sadly this has often been true of the Church as well. My intention in encouraging the installation of the Message Stick and the Stone Inlay was to acknowledge the wrongs of the past and to highlight the special place that Aboriginal people occupy in the Church. 

I welcome you to this great cathedral, and encourage you in visiting it to remember all who have helped to build and maintain the Church in Melbourne, especially the Aboriginal people.

Stone Inlay

This beautiful Aboriginal stone inlay depicts the Creator Spirit who is the continuing source of life in both Aboriginal and Christian spiritual traditions. Encircled by a border of greenstone and a larger surround of basalt, the design of the stone inlay is based on the conceptual understanding that meaning is multi-layered.

Each symbol in the design has dual meaning. The particular perspective of the viewer will determine the interpretation of the design. The viewer also is given the opportunity to gain insight into another people's culture.

Symbols

Dove (white granite)
The Dove represents the breath and spirit of God as it flies over the water before teh act of creation.

Snake (yellow granite, brass)
Myndii, the great snake that punished unlawful behaviour, acted under the power of Bunjil; it could not act alone. the snake can also represent the Rainbow Serpent which is the Creator Spirit for different Aboriginal cultures in the north of Australia. It is reminiscent of the snake in the story of the Fall in the garden of Eden while for the Jewish people freed from Egypt, the serpent on the staff held by Moses was a sign of healing.

Eagle (red granite)
The eagle on the ground represents the shadow of Bunjil's presence. The Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation believe that Bunjil as their moiety is a spiritual being with spiritual power who created man, woman, and child, and all living things from the land. Bunjil the Eagle is one of the two skin groups of the Kulin Nation. Bunjil keeps a watchful eye on all people and offers guidance to those who choose to listen.

Trefoil
This Gothic symbol is used to represent the Trinity. It is present in Cathedral architecture. The snake is the shape of the trefoil.

Lines (bluestone)
The lines are based on a Kulin Nation design which was found on possum cloaks, shields and on bark used in dwellings. Under the eagle's wings the lines represent the two skin groups and the thirty eight known language groups found in Victoria. The line in the middle of the cross represents the language groups which, due to the effects of colonisation, are unknown.

Water
The source of all life. Lines sandblasted into the bluestone represent the water the dove flies over.

Message Stick

In Aboriginal culture message sticks were used as a means of communication with other groups. They were made of wood and came in various sizes, shapes and markings. They were not comprised of writing but of symbol; the messenger conveyed the details. The messengers were usually young men and, as they displayed the message slick to the elders of the groups they passed through, safe passage was granted.

On the 20th anniversary of the first National Aboriginal Mass celebrated in Melbourne at the time of the Eucharistic Congress in 1973, Aboriginal Catholic people once again travelled from the remotest parts of the land as well as from the Torres Strait to Melbourne. They undertook the journey to keep the story alive and to celebrate the second national Aboriginal mass. This ceremony was held on the banks of the Yarra River as the opening of the 1993 National Liturgical Music Convention.

In preparation for this ceremony, Agnes Palmer, an Arrente elder from Santa Teresa, Alice Springs, was asked to paint a Message Stick using symbols representing each of the Aboriginal Catholic Communities.

During the Gospel procession this Message Stick was carried with great pride, alongside the book containing the Christian Word. This was a powerful symbolic gesture manifesting the willingness of both cultures to accept the Word and the coming together of peoples of different cultures to worship the Creator.

At the close of this ceremony, before returning to their country, the Aboriginal Catholic elders requested that the Message Stick be kept in a sacred place. Their choice was St Patrick’s Cathedral. From 1994-1998 the members of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry acted as the appointed custodians of this important artefact. On Aboriginal Sunday, July 5th, 1998, it was installed in its rightful place in the Cathedral.

The Message Stick will continue to touch and heal the hearts of all who hear and believe the message of this story. It will become a legendary, authentic Australian icon.

The church by accepting it, is taking an important step forward on our journey together toward reconciliation.