Ceremony cleanses council

SMOKE alarms in the council chamber were deactivated just before the Tuesday 4 July council meeting for an Aboriginal smoking ceremony.
The traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony was part of the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) weeklong celebrations.
The ceremony aimed to ensure the collective aura of the Casey Council was spiritually cleansed.
Aboriginal elders Jason Thomas and Darren Simmington from the Bunurong Land Council said the traditional ceremonial welcome created a spiritual connection from the land to the ancestors.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford said Casey was on the traditional land of the Bunurong and Wurundjeri people.
Cr Bradford said the council was committed to celebrating significant events and recognised the unique culture of our indigenous community.
He said the smoking ceremony was a way of celebrating and promoting a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their culture.
The smoke, created when leaves from eucalyptus trees are placed on to the fire’s embers, rises into the sky, carrying positive thoughts and feelings, and cleanses the spiritual aura.
The leaves contain an ancient aroma and have a longlasting fragrance.
Traditionally, fire brought renewal and growth to the land.