Bundjil’s Statement: Living and Working Lawfully on Place

As individuals, our everyday activity in life and work is underpinned by our own ways of knowing, being and doing. These ways are shaped through formal education, life experience, and vocational choices. The process of shifting our perspectives and evolving our understanding of the world around us is a continuing journey of inquiry and learning regardless of age. 

As an RMIT community, we are developing new ways of knowing, being and doing in our organisation, based on our commitment to reconciliation and the understanding of Bundjil. 

As individuals, the Bundjil Statement outlines our dhumbali (promise/commitment) to Bundjil and to living and working lawfully on place. Bundjil’s Laws help us to understand our connection to place and provide a way to reframe our ways of knowing, doing and being in everyday life and work. 

As an RMIT community, Bundjil’s Statement reminds us that our ways of knowing, being and doing are implicit in how we conduct ourselves and speak to how we comply with our obligations in our place of business, wherever that may be. It provides us with a frame for how we develop policies, implement systems, deliver education, undertake research and conduct business on place, how we govern and regulate ourselves and our behaviour on place. 

Bundjil Womin Djeka ngarna-ga – Bundjil asks you to come and asks what is your purpose for coming and understanding:

Bundjil was a powerful man, who travelled as an Eagle. He was the head man of the Kulin people. Bundjil taught us to always welcome guests. Bundjil asks what is your purpose for coming and understanding place. 

When you are on place you make dhumbali (promise/commitment) to Bundjil and the land of the Kulin Nation. 

The first dhumbali, is to obey the ngarn-ga (understandings) of Bundjil. 

The second dhumbali, is to not harm the bubups (children). 

The third is not to harm the biik biik (land) and wurneet (waterways) of Bundjil. 

As the spirit of Kulin ancestors live in us, let the wisdom, the spirit and the generosity in which Bundjil taught us influence the decisions made on place. Do this by understanding your ways of knowing, your ways of doing, and your ways of being on place.