When I first came up here to Alice Springs from Sydney, I was blown away by the absolute beauty of the place. And I thought there are people who live on the east coast who will never see this. It is absolutely extraordinary. Now, after working with Aboriginal people across the territory and in NSW and WA for 12 years, while the landscape is still majestic, it is far surpassed by the experience of the cultural interface between white and Aboriginal people. The real gift and privilege has been to be jolted out of the comfort of urban white practice, to be challenged by different beliefs and attitudes and to be amazed at the resilience, humour and strong sense of identity and culture of Aboriginal people. The work is challenging, difficult and at times immensely frustrating, and I have a lot to learn. But the Aboriginal people I meet are generous and willing teachers.

Dr Christine Hampshire
Alice Springs, NT