#164 Connecting to Country and Community with Ella Noah Bancroft

Today on the podcast, we are graced with the presence of Ella Noah Bancroft, An indigenous-born artist, storyteller, published author, public speaker, mentor, and founder of The Returning Indigenous Organisation.

A proud Bundjalung woman- for the past decade, Ella has been deeply invested in decolonizing to thrive across all aspects of community, helping both indigenous and non-indigenous folk connect to the immense depth of knowledge and spirit her culture and this great land holds.

Ella, accompanied by Jataya, a young Bundjalung girl she mentors, chats with Mason about the recent Northern Rivers Floods in which she has played an integral role at the Koori Mail hub in Lismore. This 100% volunteer, First Nations-led response team for a natural disaster that shook the Northern Rivers to its core saw our First Nations brothers and sisters protect, support, and provide for a broken community when they had nothing. Ella shares her experience of volunteering at the hub and witnessing her community stand up as a backbone to the people of Lismore. "It's been an incredible way for us to reclaim what our cultural role is here, which is to protect all community, anybody that is on these lands, that we, us that have blood ties to these lands- It's our purpose to be here, to protect everybody. More than human kin and the natural world included in that space".

This heart-centered, wisdom-filled conversation is about bridging the disconnect between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia through building better relationships, investing in country and community, and building businesses that replenish and work with the natural world rather than those that extract and destroy it. A must-listen, tune in now.

"Business doesn't need to eradicate just because we start to appreciate a more nature based world, or a more reciprocal way of being in the world. Actually, we can thrive and a big part of that thriving, I think is also moving away from individualistic needs and figuring out what community needs".

- Ella Noah Bancroft

Ella and Mason discuss:

-Localisation.

-Community.

-Mental health.

-Investing in community first.

-First Nations wisdom; guiding us to a better world.

-Lismore floods - the aftermath and where it's at now.

-Investing in the natural world over the man-made world.

-Koori Mail; A First Nation's led response team in the floods.

-Community work for indigenous mob affected by the floods.

-Business designed to work with and replenish the natural world.

Who is Ella Noah Bancroft?

Ella is a Bundjalung woman and also has bloodlines to England, Poland and Scotland.

Indigenous born artist, storyteller, published author, public speaker, mentor and founder of “The Returning Indigenous Organisation."

Ella has been promoting re-wilding and the importance of system change, as a way back to deep relationship nature and decolonizing of personal, social and ecological well-being for 10 years.

She has been on the board for Women Up North since 2019 . Women Up North is a Northern NSW service for women, children and young people who have experienced domestic or family violence or abuse.

Ella is an active community member to all humans, more than human kin and the natural world.

RESOURCE GUIDE:

Guest:

Work with Ella Noah Bancroft

The Returning Indigenous Organisation

Donate to The Returning Indigenous Organisation

Books:

It Takes Courage To Tell The Truth - book by Ella Noah Bancroft