An indigenous elder running a five-day healing program in the Wimmera this week was recognised at a national award ceremony in Sydney last night.
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Aunty Lorraine Darcy Peeters was in Horsham on Monday and flew to Sydney yesterday to be inducted into the Deadly Hall of Fame.
The ceremony, at the Sydney Opera House, recognised her work with members of the Stolen Generations.
Aunty Lorraine of Warren, New South Wales, arrives back in Horsham today to continue running the Marumali Healing Circle program.
Aunty Lorraine is the author of the program and a first generation member of the Stolen Generations.
She presented then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd with a traditional indigenous coolamon in 2008 to say thank you for his apology to the Stolen Generations and last year was the first indigenous Australian to address a Sarajevo conference on healing.
"I've been doing the program now for 12 years," she said.
"The healing process for Stolen Generations is very important because the past policies have left a lot of untold damage to a lot of people who have lost dignity, belonging place and culture.
"We need to heal as a race to be able to come forward."
Wimmera Hub and Wurega Aboriginal Corporation hosted the program, which focuses on trans-generational trauma.
Pangula Mannamurna chief executive Karen Glover of Mount Gambier, a Wotjobaluk traditional owner, returned home to the Wimmera to learn more about the program.
"This program has a national profile, so I've brought an elder with me and someone who works with elders and people with disabilities," Ms Glover said.
"We want to experience the course with a view to working with Wurega in the future and create partnerships to strengthen people and connections."