“Sovereignty is a spiritual notion”. The Uluru Statement from the Heart makes clear that Indigenous cultures and spiritualities are key to the story of the future of religion in Australia.

As Australians head to the polls to decide on the question of a Voice to Parliament, Wagadagam elder Gabriel Bani continues to work towards healing and self-determination in the Torres Strait Islands, whatever the outcome of the referendum.

Gabriel Bani is a tribal elder from the Wagadagam tribe on Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait. He was part of the 2017 National First Nations Constitutional Convention and is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

More info

• Read more about the Masig Statement, or “Voice from the Deep”.
• Listen to the Minefield: “When is a referendum an unethical way of resolving a political question?”
• Hear Wiradjuri man Glenn Loughrey on Soul Search: “A Voice to Parliament, a voice to the church”.