For Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Aimee McCartney, culture is more than a part of her identity – it is the foundation of who she is.

A Taungurung, Wotjobaluk, Wemba Wemba and Boon Wurrung woman from Victoria, Flight Lieutenant McCartney grew up on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne and maintains strong ancestral ties across the state, from the Wimmera region and into the Kulin Nation. 

To celebrate NAIDOC Week, the personnel capability officer reflects on the significance of culture, connection to Country and the legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across generations.

“Culture to me is everything,” Flight Lieutenant McCartney said.

“It is who I am, it is my family, my community and everything I know about myself. 

“From the decisions I have made throughout my life to the things I value most, they all come back to being a proud Aboriginal woman.”

Flight Lieutenant McCartney said her connection to Country remained a constant source of strength and belonging.

“My connection to Country is the foundation of who I am,” she said.

“It’s travelling across Victoria, seeing the waterways and mountains and knowing that I have ancestral connections to those places. 

“Those connections influence my values and the way I live my life.”

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme, “50 Years of Deadly”, celebrates five decades of the NAIDOC movement and highlights the enduring strength, resilience and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

'My connection to Country is the foundation of who I am.'

For Flight Lieutenant McCartney, NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity to reflect on the resilience and contributions of First Nations peoples while recognising the work of those who came before.

“It’s about celebrating who we are and acknowledging our history, where we have come from and how we continue to celebrate our culture every day,” she said.

“We look back on the shoulders of giants. The opportunities we have today are built on the work and sacrifices of previous generations.”

Flight Lieutenant McCartney joined RAAF in 2018 as one of the first Indigenous liaison officers, serving at RAAF Base Point Cook and RAAF Williams-Laverton in Victoria.

The Indigenous liaison officer role focused on strengthening relationships between Defence and local Aboriginal communities through engagement, recruitment, retention and ongoing partnership initiatives.

“It was a new role within Air Force and one that allowed us to work closely with communities across Australia,” Flight Lieutenant McCartney said.

“Building those relationships is important because Defence members are often serving away from home and connecting with local communities helps create a sense of belonging and a greater understanding of the lands on which we serve.”

Flight Lieutenant McCartney believes these connections foster mutual respect and provide opportunities to contribute positively to local communities.

“Even though we are visitors on these lands, we can show respect, learn from local communities and contribute to the continuation of the world’s oldest living culture,” she said.

At RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria, that commitment to connection and understanding is reflected at the base’s Yarning Circle.

Established in 2021, the Yarning Circle provides a dedicated space for Australian Defence Force personnel, Australian Public Service employees and contractors to gather, learn and engage in meaningful conversations.

'Even though we are visitors on these lands, we can show respect, learn from local communities and contribute to the continuation of the world’s oldest living culture.'

The space hosts a range of activities, including smoking ceremonies, National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week events, cultural education sessions and informal meetings.

“It is a place where respect is at the forefront,” Flight Lieutenant McCartney said.

“It allows people to come together, build relationships and have genuine conversations in a space designed around belonging and community.”

Outside of her Defence role, Flight Lieutenant McCartney is also a contemporary Aboriginal artist. As the founder of Luruk-In, she shares culture through paintings inspired by Country, waterways, mountains, skies and the stories of her ancestors.

She hopes NAIDOC Week encourages all Australians to take time to learn, connect and celebrate together.

“NAIDOC Week is not only for First Nations people,” she said.

“It is a time for everyone to come together, yarn, learn and celebrate the things that matter most, including Country, family and community.”

As a First Nations woman serving in Defence, Flight Lieutenant McCartney said she feels supported and proud to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, stories and languages recognised and respected across the organisation.

“It is an exciting time to be a First Nations person in the Australian Defence Force,” she said.

“We are celebrated not only as individuals, but as part of a wider community, and that is something worth recognising during NAIDOC Week and every week of the year.”