S6 E1: Acknowledging Country - with Terori Hareko-Avaivilla
We are so excited to be back with Season 6 of An Equine Conversation. This episode, to start off Season 6, is a little different. I’m straying, on purpose, from the particularly equine-focused discussion, to instead share a conversation with you on something that is really important to us here at Abbey’s Run Equestrian. I’ve invited my beautiful friend, Terori Hareko-Avaivilla along for a conversation about Acknowledging Country, which is what you hear me do at the very start of every episode.
We’re also going to yarn about Terori’s passion for wellness and the space she is holding for women to heal and be well. Annnd we end up down a few other important rabbit holes as well.
I met Terori through my past day-job, when I attended her Working in Two Worlds cultural awareness training after a colleague recommended the training to me. I then went on to champion this training and something like another 80 past colleagues have since attended, and, the gorgeous Terori and I have become friends. I love Terori’s training so much, it’s incredibly powerful, as is her passion for for wellness – something many of us could do with a hefty dose of.
I have been lucky enough to work for a couple of years in my past day-job, as an ally in the First Peoples Self-determination space. This has been some of the most important and most profound work I’ve had the pleasure of contributing to. It’s some of the work I’m the most proud of. It’s an incredibly important space here, a surprisingly fast-moving space.
Part of my work was helping other non-First Peoples folks to increase their own First Peoples cultural awareness to create spaces and work together in ways that are culturally safe for our First People’s colleagues and friends. What I observed from everyone I supported in this space, was the absolute desire to do the right thing, but with some confusion and some worry over what the right thing is, which was leading people to inaction. I think this is true of many of us.
So, I wanted to create this episode to help you, lovely listener, along on your own unique journey of cultural awareness. While this episode is Australian, and somewhat Victorian focused, there are learnings in this for many of us in our different corners of the world. As I said earlier, this is something we feel really passionate about here at Abbey’s Run Equestrian. Acknowledging and honouring the First People’s of this Country. I mean, how amazing it is to live here, where the oldest, continuous living culture on earth exists. It’s mind-blowing really. We are very privileged to be custodians of the land we know as Abbey’s Run just now and Acknowledge the care shown to this Country by those who came before. So, while we want to keep going on our own cultural awareness and cultural safety journey, we want to help support you too, with, as usual, some quality information that we hope helps inspire you to learn more.
NAIDOC Week
In this podcast episode, we make mention of NAIDOC Week several times. 2025 marks the 50 years of honouring and elevating indigenous voices, culture and resilience. NAIDOC Week is a National week of celebration held across Australia in the first week of July each year. The week is to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. It’s an opportunity for us all to learn. There are lots of events on around the Country, and usually relevant TV programming, particularly on ABC and SBS, and with book shops elevating titles written by First People’s authors. You can find out more about NAIDOC week by visiting naidoc.org.au – I’ll include a link in the show notes.
ANZAC Day
I want to note at the front end of this episode that we recorded this 2 days after ANZAC Day. ANZAC Day, on the 25th of April, is a national day of remembrance that commemorates those who have served Australia in times of peace and war. Unfortunately at the dawn service held in Melbourne, a small handful of individuals acted like jerks. They were overtly racist to First Peoples, disturbing the entire ceremony, disrespecting everyone. This behaviour is abhorrent. It is not okay that we behave like that towards others. Kindness costs nothing. Be kind.
Terori Hareko-Avaivilla:
Managing Director, Avaivilla Group. First Nation Cultural Educator, Wellness wisdom holder (Water and Koko ceremony), Artist and Storyteller.
Terori is a passionate cultural educator, artist, storyteller and wisdom holder of water and koko ceremony. She is the founder of Avaivilla Group, a First Nations business based in Narrm (Melbourne). Avaivilla Group provides the ‘Working in Two Worlds’ Cultural Education program, giving allies the cultural space to unpack and have a conversation about First Nations ways of knowing, doing and being. Avaivilla Group’s other arm of the business is Cultural Wellness, the ‘Ngarra-Djarra Gurri Bunmarra’ (meaning ‘Heal, Well Health’ in the Woi-wurrung language of the Wurundjeri Nation), is a wellness program focused on women’s healing journeys. It offers a cultural space for women of all cultures and beliefs to gather, to share cultural knowledge and ceremony. Nurturing First Nations understanding and practices of healing and wellness.
‘FLOAT’ is Avaivilla Groups destination wellness retreat for women 35 years and over. The focus of the wellness retreat is to nurture and ground women in traditional wellness practices, with Vanuatu as the background to offer a unique experience.
Much of the work Terori does focus on traditional water practices of healing, grounding and energy movement.
‘Healing is a personal journey for individuals, as a traditional facilitator of wellness and healing, I have the privilege to journey with women for some of their journey. And it is always so fulfilling when our paths cross, you feel the energy and you know that there is a story, a journey and the embracing of wholeness'.
Photo credit: Sally of Nicebola Photography in Port Vila Vanuatu
*FLOAT25 early bird registration is open now until end of July 2025. Women can find out more about our retreat via our website: www.avaivillagroup.com.au/wellnessevents
In this episode we discuss:
(1:26) - introducing today’s episode & guest
(7:36) - a note on ANZAC Day
(8:33) - welcome Terori & where in the world
(11:51) - coffee & rice cookers
(15:34) - connections to salt water
(17:15) - and fresh water too
(24:21) - cultural sharing & learning: general info & cultural protocols
(32:30) - Terori’s horsie connections
(35:34) - Acknowledging Country
(38:40) - why, when & how
(42:43) - authenticity & ‘lore’ versus ‘law’
(45:32) - Acknowledging whose Country you’re on & how to find out
(55:33) - increasing information available to us: conversations & curiosity
(1:01:36) - NAIDOC Week
(1:03:03) - approach cultural educators & appropriate organisations - not just anyone & get along to public events
(1:07:59) - The difference between an Acknowledgement of Country and a Welcome to Country
(1:10:52) - smoking ceremonies
(1:14:33) - proactive learning
(1:24:44) - tips for being a good ally
(1:28:35) - talking wellness
(1:41:58) - where to find out more
(1:44:05) - support First Nations businesses
(1:47:27) - we all need glasses to read the menu & connecting to maintain
(1:51:15) - a shorter wellness opportunity
(1:52:23) - the impact of racism & the importance of allies
(2:04:09) - episode wrap-up & what’s on next week
Link from Terori:
Main website: www.avaivillagroup.com.au
FLOAT wellness retreats: www.avaivillagroup.com.au/wellnessevents
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AvaivillaGroup/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/avaivilla_group/
Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Musuem
Our Links mentioned this episode:
Abbey's Run Equestrian website
Abbey's Run Equestrian on Facebook
Abbey’s Run Equestrian on YouTube
Abbey’s Run Equestrian on LinkedIn
Thank you to Matthew Bliss for podcast production & consultation. If you'd like him to help with your podcast, get in touch by email at business@mbpod.com