GAWLER Council opened its April ordinary meeting in a special way last fortnight, with aboriginal speaker Jack Buckskin performing the Welcome to Country and presenting a Kaurna shield to mayor Karen Redman.

Mr Buckskin, who lives in the Salisbury area, is the first language speaker in his family, and is the first in the local community to be able to speak the native tongue.

He said it was a great opportunity to address council about the significance of indigenous culture.

“We talk about the continuing of the spiritual connection, but also the continuing practice of culture and it’s good that we not only get to hand (this shield) over to the council, but it’s good to see our young kids understand the significance of it,” Mr Buckskin said.

The Kaurna Shield is a two-piece item created from dry bark, which is taken from the first layer of a tree.

Mr Buckskin said the shield presented to council was forged from a tree in Gawler’s Apex Park.

“For all these years I’ve been coming back here, in the same park where we have our reconciliation event here (in Gawler) I’ve been eyeing this one tree off, right in the centre of the park, and thinking ‘I would like to cut a shield from that tree’,” he said.

“The scar left on the tree will stay there forever.

“If you go to my area in Salisbury, I’ve been lucky enough to cut a lot of shields and have a good relationship with the council.”

Ms Redman said it was “always quite moving” to hear Mr Buckskin, who is a regular speaker at local events, talk about the significance of aboriginal culture.

“I think it’s something to reflect on just how lucky we are that we’re living in an age where we’re learning more, and respecting more,” she said.

“We’ve still got a long way to go, but I think we’re getting better at these types of things.”