The Conservatorium Students’ Association acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters throughout Australia. We also pay respect to the past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and their continuing connection to culture, Country, and spirituality.

The Conservatorium of Music is on the unceded and violently stolen lands of the Gadigal, in the Eora Nation. The location on which our institution is built has been a long-standing place of learning, music, and storytelling for the Gadigal, being a significant place for coming-of-age ceremonies for their young men.

As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to implement the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart, a referendum will be held between October and December 2023 to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

Through an amendment to the Constitution, the Voice would be an independent and permanent advisory body to the Australian Government on matters that affect the lives of First Nations peoples. Its members will be chosen by First Nations peoples, and is based on the wishes of local communities.

The Association recognizes that a First Nations Voice is absolutely vital for the recognition and self-determination of Australia’s indigenous peoples. As an organisation we feel it is important that we contribute meaningfully to these conversations around it, especially because of the significance of music and art within Indigenous cultures. Being the representative union for music students in Sydney, it is the duty of the Association to showcase and support the voices of First Nations peoples all across Australia, and do what we can for reconciliation in this country - particularly reconciliation in music.

Music, art, dance, storytelling, and ceremony, are all strongly linked for the many indigenous peoples across the nation. Before colonisation brought written language to the continent, these arts were the main way that people can record history and knowledge - particularly in the form of Songlines.

Songlines tell the paths and routes taken by creator-spirits in Country through the Dreaming, acting as ‘maps’ of the lands and ‘books’ of history, and are the basis of many ceremonies. They are now an important part of connectedness to Country, passing down knowledge through families; where listening to the song is the same as walking on this songline and observing the land, and singing the song keeps the land alive.

They are an important part of understanding the landscape, allowing people to navigate through singing the lyrics of the song. As Songlines pass through many nations and languages, the songs are in many different languages; singing in these other languages shows respect to the people of that Country.

Whilst we encourage everyone to seek the information they need to form their own views on the referendum, the Conservatorium Students’ Association proudly supports the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution through the Voice to Parliament.

Always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land.

Resources

https://www.sydney.edu.au/nccc/the-voice-to-parliament.html

https://yes23.com.au/

https://www.unionsnsw.org.au/campaign/unions-for-yes/

First Nations Office

Statements

Statement in support of the Voice to Parliament