Ali Cobby Eckermann is an Australian Aboriginal poet who writes about the experience of being an Indigenous person in Australia. Her poetry is deeply personal and often reflects on her own life and identity, as well as the experiences of her people more broadly. 

Some common themes in her poetry include:

Cultural connection to land: As an Indigenous person, Eckermann has a deep connection to the land and the natural world. Her poetry often reflects on this connection and the importance of preserving the environment for future generations.

Trauma and healing: Eckermann's poetry also deals with the legacy of trauma that Indigenous people in Australia have experienced, both through historical events such as the forced removal of children from their families (known as the Stolen Generations) and ongoing systemic racism. However, her poetry is also about the power of healing and the resilience of Indigenous communities.

Family and community: Eckermann's poetry often reflects on the importance of family and community, and the role they play in shaping our lives and identities.

Identity: Eckermann often explores the complexity of identity, particularly as an Indigenous person living in a country with a history of colonisation. She writes about the challenges of understanding who she is and where she belongs, as well as the ways in which her identity is shaped by her experiences.

Cultural connection to land

Having a deep connection to the land and the natural world alerts people to the  importance of preserving the environment for future generations.

Aboriginal dispossession from land has resulted in loss of cultural connection and fractured collective identity.

Tensions between Aboriginal Australian communities and other Australians will only be resolved when the truth of past violence and dispossession is acknowledged. 

Nature can reflect personal and cultural identity.

Dreams and ceremony bring to life cultural ancestry and collective identity. 

Trauma and healing

Historical events such as the forced removal of children from their families and ongoing systemic racism has left a legacy of trauma for Aboriginal people.

The ongoing impacts of past suffering are evident in the present.

Ancestral heritage and echoes of the past can emerge in the present and future. 

Having a strong and coherent sense of individual identity often involves struggles and a confrontation of past trauma.

Experiences of loss, separation and grief creates complex identity.  

In contemporary Australian society reconciliation with Aboriginal people will only be achieved when an accurate and true history of early settlement and contact is acknowledged.

When the true history of Australian settlement is acknowledged reconciliation with Aboriginal people will begin.

Family and community

Family and community play an integral role in shaping our lives and identities.

Reconnection with family and culture creates a sense of belonging and strengthens an individual's sense of identity. 

For Aboriginal people family, kin and country are inextricably linked and form the basis for collective and individual identity. 

Changing relationships to other family members result  from the process of  growing  up and defining our sense of self and identity. 

Memory brings to life our connection to family and how they shape individual identity.

A desire for connection and protection from family is a result of the stolen generation.

Identity

Our sense of self and individual identity is a process that evolves and changes depending on circumstances. 

Our identity is shaped by our experiences.

Understanding who you are and where you belong can be a challenge if your family has fractured and your culture has been denied. 

The complexity of Aboriginal identity is a result of living in a country with a history of colonisation.