This is a man of integrity

22 May 2023 · 1 min

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A Wiradjuri speaker explains yinjamara, a sacred duty that binds him to his community, land, and creator Baiame. He argues love is strength, not weakness, and invokes Martin Luther King Jr. to show how his people's tradition of love and justice can wear down oppression.

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And that's what yinjamara means. It means that I'm not just responsible for what I do, but for what you do. It's not just a word, it is sacred. It is what it means to be Wiradjuri. It is the core of my being. It is respect. It is respect that comes from the earth we are born into, from God, Baiame. If I break that, I lose who I am. I am down right now, I am. But I'll get back up and you can come at me again and I will meet you with the love of my people. My people can teach the world to love. As Martin Luther King Jr. said of his struggle, "We will wear you down with our capacity to love." Don't mistake our love for weakness. It is our strength. We have never stopped loving and fighting for justice and truth.