The Congress seeks to unite in one fellowship all Aboriginal and Islander Christians who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, accept the authority of the Scriptures and desire to follow and serve Christ as his disciples.
Congress was established by resolution of the Uniting Church Assembly in 1985 and is part of the Uniting Church, but determines its own goals and objectives and decides its policies and priorities.
Today the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress is now the largest non-government indigenous agency in Australia. It operates in all States and the Northern Territory.
UAICC logo
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The logo of the Congress was designed by Djiniyini Gondarra. The logo is in the Aboriginal colours. The red is on top because the blood of Christ covers all. The black part below forms a U for Uniting. |
There are four separate designs on the logo. Their meaning is as follows:
1 - THE DOVE
The dove represents the Holy Spirit. It is drawn in the way that some Aboriginal people draw birds.
2 - THE FIGHTING STICK
The stick was given to the Chairman of the Congress, Rev. Charles Harris, by the Wangurri people at the time of the meeting at Galiwin'ku.
The stick has an important history going back to the early history of white missions. Though it is a fighting stick, it was used by important Aboriginal leaders to stop people fighting and to bring peace. The stick and a Bible were taken together by people who went with the missionaries, to say that the Church brought peace, not trouble.
The stick was handed to the Chairman as a sign of peace, reconciliation and friendship. That is why it is part of the design. It shows that Aboriginal people want to share common love with others, and bring past hurts to God for healing.
3 - THE CROSS
The cross is made from two sticks:
- A message stick (from Aurukun). This was also given to the Chairman. A message stick is a way to pass messages from one clan to another, to tell of good tidings and ceremonies. Here it is used to say that the word or message of God is one that brings life.
- The upright is a totem. It speaks of the time at Galiwin'ku when clan totems were brought out and placed before the Church, with the number one totem - the cross of Christ the Saviour - placed in the midst of the other totems. The totems were brought from darkness into light because of commitment to Christ.
4 - THE HANDS
The symbol of the two hands arose during the revival that swept through many Aboriginal communities. It indicates that all people belong in the body of Christ.
It is a sign that the Congress does not want separation, nor does it want to practise racial discrimination. The Congress is part of the Uniting Church .
The design was finally adopted after consultation with all the people whose symbols have been used in it.
To learn more about UAICC visit their website here
