Aunty Faye Lynam’s story is a compelling reminder of the reason for Sorry Day. The Yorta Yorta elder has told her story before, but with each retelling it only grows in power and emotional response. Each time she speaks of the atrocious treatment she received as a child at the hands of authorities and her foster parents, listeners are stunned into silence — and sometimes tears.
At the recent unveiling of a plaque acknowledging that the Greater Shepparton City Council offices were built on an historical burial site belonging to the Yorta Yorta people and their descendants, Elder Uncle Lance James talked about reconciliation. He talked about the importance of reconciliation not just being for a few hours on one day — not for the odd day, here and there, but for it to be part of every day.