In this together – is now resonating in ways that could not be foreseen when it was announced last year as the 2020 Reconciliation Theme. It reminds us whether in a crisis or in reconciliation we are all in this together.

Think about the ways you’ve been “in this together” during these times.

Click here for the National Reconciliation Week website

Writing alongside our students

ANGELA BURROUGHS

It is fair to say that I have become obsessed with my reconciliation challenge to learn more about the traditional uses of native plants. Some might even say I’ve become a little too fixated with lomandra longifolia. This unassuming mat rush is probably growing in your school. It is very common in Canberra and I happen to have a lot of it in my garden.

Traditionally it was used in many ways by Indigenous people – for food, to make rope and for weaving. Its seeds were harvested and ground into a flour to make bread or damper. As I’m quite partial to a bakery item I began to look at my lomandra plants differently. I noticed, as we went into lockdown, that my plants were full of seeds. I had the makings of a bakery in my backyard!

Collecting the seed was simple and with a bit of patience, I quickly learned that the grain was easily released by tapping or shaking the drying seeds. Soon I had 150 grams of grain ready for grinding. I will be enjoying johnny cakes in no time….or so I thought.

To keep my experiment as authentic as possible, I set about grinding the grain between two stones. Okay, the pizza stone may not have been that authentic, but I reckon the hard rock that fitted my hand beautifully was on the money. However, I was getting nowhere. That grain just would not crush. I got a heavier stone. No better. I took advice from various experts - Adam, the Indigenous plant guru, from a chef, a gastronomist and, in desperation, the blog pages of other lomandra experimentalists. Reluctantly I turned to modern technologies. The mortar and pestle gave false hope. Satisfying sounds like the crunching of fleas emerged but the resulting flour would hardly do. I had to concede that I needed the most modern of technologies, the ‘b-oo-shure’ thing at the back of the cupboard. I don’t know where it came from, but about once a decade, when I’m moved to bake a flourless orange cake, it is perfect for transforming almonds into almond meal.

Success at last. Sort of. The top layer of delightful powdery dust disguised stubborn grains that refused to budge. Instead of burning out the ‘b-oo-shure’, I conceded I had enough flour to begin making johnny cakes. Surely, I could use those pesky remaining grains to add texture, much like poppy or sesame seeds. I divided my lomandra flour into two batches. One was my pure batch, 100% lomandra flour. In the other batch I mixed the remaining lomandra flour with plain flour and some of the lomandra grains.

I call these my lomandra infused johnny cakes. They came out of the pan first and smelt wonderful. They looked good and tasted fantastic, the lomandra infusion added a nutty richness. The only factor diminishing this marvellous culinary experience, and unfortunately it was a major demerit, was the inclusion of the lomandra grains. Instead of having the texture of poppy seeds, they were like ball bearings and threatened to do major dental damage. The pure batch produced one lomandra johnny cake. It looked a bit like vegetarian nutloaf. Its coarse, dense texture and strong nutty taste took some getting used to. An acquired taste bringing satisfaction that surely this cake is seriously good for you.

My lomandra experiment turned into the perfect reconciliation challenge. I learned new skills, appreciated the ingenuity of peoples past and still have questions that I will continue to explore.

How did you acknowledge national reconciliation week?

Angela

P.S. Click here for the Johnny Cake recipe. It is from Flavours of the coast: Koori cookbook

Tikarra Looke

Cultural Integrity Coordinator

The theme of this year’s Reconciliation Week is the most fitting theme for the whole year. With all that has happened I have felt more connected to my people than I ever have before which has helped me find a strength inside myself and my connection to my culture. In the context of Reconciliation Week, I have always had a strong belief that reconciliation means acknowledging and understanding the devastating and detrimental impacts that colonisation, government policies and severe maltreatment have had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as well as coming together to move forward and build a better future for our emerging leaders. Genuine reconciliation will create a society that values and inspires people to educate themselves further about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and perspectives and the importance of acknowledging all parts of our shared history.