Elizabeth Engelbrecht

Elizabeth has previously worked on Cultural Heritage Education Programs with goals to recreate sacred “Men’s & Women’s Business Circles” within her community on North Stradbroke Island. Elizabeth is a volunteer mentor to students from her old school, assisting them with transition, academic and co curricula activities and working with teachers to be more supportive. Elizabeth is also working on digitising and annotating the works of her great grandmother, Oodgeroo of the Noonuccal tribe. Elizabeth has also been travelling to schools across South East Queensland with her father educating students on tribal Aboriginal customs such as traditional songs, dances and techniques on making string and weaving baskets. Elizabeth picks up a key point that though human rights include a number of basic necessities, such as access to water, shelter and equality, which is outlined the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the declaration itself fails to address issues of assimilation and the psychological effect of trauma on genetics. Assimilation remains a national issue impacting on communities, with little being done to prevent the near destruction of cultures. Elizabeth is concerned about the exploitation of natural resources by mining companies in her region, drug and alcohol abuse and displacement that her community faces. Elizabeth hopes to see her people live in harmony and unison as an integrated society.