Sufira-Mingara (LAI) | Indigenous Elder / Speaker / Author / Artist
My Beloved Family,
As my time on this earth draws to a close, I write to you from the depths of my spirit, guided by the wisdom of our Australian Indigenous elders and the timeless principles of KANYINI, Tjukurpa, Kurunpa, Ngura, Waltjya, and Self Responsibility.
In our culture, death is not an end, but a transition — a return of the spirit to the eternal embrace of our ancestors and the land that has nurtured us for generations untold. Death, from the perspective of our elders, is not a final separation, but a reunion with the Dreamtime stories, Tjukurpa, that have shaped us, sustained us, and given meaning to our existence.
It is a journey of the spirit, guided by the Kurunpa, the essence of our being that transcends the limits of the physical world. Our spirits are not confined to the boundaries of our bodies, but are intertwined with the land, the stories, and the kinship that define us as a people.
After death, our spirits return to Ngura, the sacred Country that has cradled us since the dawn of time. We become one with the rivers, the mountains, and the vast expanse of the outback, forever woven into the tapestry of the land. Our connection to Ngura is eternal, and in death, we are not lost, but find our true place in the intricate web of existence that spans across time and space.
Our journey after death is also guided by Waltjya, the enduring bond of family and kinship that transcends the boundaries of life and death. We are reunited with our ancestors, our loved ones, and all those who have gone before us, their spirits dancing in the eternal Dreamtime, watching over us and guiding us as we navigate the realms beyond the veil of mortality.
In embracing the principles of KANYINI, we understand that our journey after death is not a solitary one, but a collective experience that transcends the individual self. We are bound by the sacred obligations of kinship and interconnectedness, and our spirits continue to play a vital role in the ongoing story of our people, shaping the destiny of generations yet to come.
As I prepare to embark on this timeless journey, I urge you to embrace the principle of Self Responsibility, to honour the wisdom of our elders, and to carry forth the flame of our culture with pride and resilience. Our legacy is not confined to the limitations of the physical world, but resonates through the ages, echoing in the windswept deserts, the rustling leaves, and the beating hearts of our descendants.
My beloved family, as I take my leave from this earthly realm, know that I do not depart alone. I carry with me the love, the wisdom, and the enduring spirit of our people, and I await the day when we shall be reunited in the boundless expanse of Ngura.
With all my love,
Sufira-Mingara (2024)
(Dr.Jane Su-Ming Lai)
Editor’s note: Sufira-Mingara (Dr. Jane Su-Ming Lai), an Australian Indigenous Elder (Chinese/ Larrakia/ Torres Strait/ Arrernte), is a Social Anthropologist who has lived and worked in Alice Springs, Central Australia. She is also a Holistic Healthy Life Coach, Counsellor, and Metaphysician who believes in the wholistic approach to health of Mind, Body, Spirit and Emotions through her Art and her Voice. She met Uncle Bob Randall, an Indigenous Elder from Mutitjulu near Uluru a few years ago and he gave her permission to share the message of the KANYINI PRINCIPLES of Unconditional Love to the Indigenous Communities of the world. Her book Mega-Soar-Us was inspired by Uncle Bob and their desire to Inspire and Empower children globally.
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