tree of knowledge

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The Bundjalung Tribal Society began because a group of people were concerned for the plight of their Aboriginal brothers and sisters. Our founders described their objectives through the Tree of Knowledge. We have adapted their Tree, first described in 1979, for the next phase of BTS.

• Blossom or Fruit - Represent the FRUITion of our goals and achievements
• Leaves - Represent our stakeholders – members, tenants, partners, Bundjalung people, future   generations
• Branches - Each of the 5 Limbs has several Branches, representing our Initiatives and Actions to support and   progress each Core Business
• Limbs - Sprouting from the Trunk are Limbs, representing our Core Businesses
• Trunk - Connecting the roots to the Limbs are our Governance arrangements (how we plan and manage) and our Values (the way we conduct ourselves)
• Roots - Nourishing the Roots are the Directors, Staff and Members

Each part of the Tree is necessary to the other to make the whole:

• Take away the Roots - the Tree will die
• Remove the Trunk - there will be no Limbs
• Cut off the Limbs or Branches - there will be no development of life (Leaves and Blossom)

As our founders wrote:

"The principle of BTS is the uniting together of many people toward the betterment of the Aboriginal people in our community:

• It is not the voice of one person
• It is not to become a power struggle
• It is not to become known as one person’s domain nor is one person to have dominion over it
• It is not for an individual to establish his or her empire
• If this should happen, IT WILL be the commencement of its death"