The guests of honour at a smoking ceremony on Bundjalung country in northern New South Wales may not have understood the significance of the event, but it was not lost on their parents and grandparents.

The event was a first for the Ballina-based Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service, and part of its birthing-on-country Sistabirth initiative.

Mother-of-four Relicca Kelly brought along her youngest child, Yarambati.

"It's really nice … we can get a bit of our culture back," she said.

"People are raising their voice now just to show that our culture is still there, even though the majority of it got taken away.

" It's good to have these events just to feel connected. "

Elders' pride

Elder and grandmother Fay Anderson said it was special occasion, which marked a big change from the way

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