Julie Okely is a proud Kamilaroi woman from the region better known as northwestern NSW. She has been involved in business from the age of 19, when She bought her first Hairdressing Salon in Sydney whilst still in the fourth year of my hairdressing apprenticeship. This successful ownership peaked her interest in buying salons and I have added a further five hairdressing salons to her professional portfolio throughout her 25 year hairdressing career, all of them being based in both Sydney and Canberra. She currently owns and operate two hairdressing salons in Canberra, Dilkara Hair and Club Hair. Discovery After moving to Canberra in 2000, I received contact from one of my country cousins who was interested to complete our family ancestry. It was whilst researching this history of our family, a discovery was made and our Aboriginal heritage was confirmed. We discovered that we came from the Kamilaroi peoples with a history dating back 40,000 years and it was at that moment, I made a choice to embrace my heritage and take ownership of my story. Heritage After meeting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations based here in the ACT, I was able to legally accept my family history and identify and understand what being Aboriginal meant to me. I am aware of the Stolen Generation and I respect their pain. For me, I felt I was part of the Missing Generation. It was then, that I felt reconciliation and understanding became very important to me. It was through this process of understanding my heritage, I began to undertake the processes to “close my own gap” and take ownership of my future, my community and where I could be of a benefit. Culture I started speaking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and I read the stories of past, present and current Elders. I developed a strong sense of community where I began to be embraced, as I began to connect and assist with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and I was welcomed into the community. Education I believe with my 25 years of hairdressing and business experience, my heritage and my unique qualities, I could create an aspiring idea. So I began to investigate ways in which I could connect every essence of my being: My Aboriginal Self My Australian Self My Business Self and My Spiritial Self To create a business, built around myself, something unique, an example, an inspiration to others, within my community leading into the global community also. I have a dream. Reconciliation So, I started my dream…. and it grew into a unique and valuable concept. I wrote my dream down: “My dream is to combine my years of hairdressing, business knowledge and my cultural heritage to produce the best Indigenous range of hair products that the world has ever seen!” I began to study and understand the Australian bush essences and see how Aboriginal bush essences could be extracted and developed into a blend that could be used within my hair care range, whilst respecting culture and heritage of my peoples. Unite I have called my range Dilkara Essence Of Australia and it has captured every “essence” of my dream. Dilkara, in Aboriginal, means rainbow and it was chosen to unite all, accepting of all colours. The rainbow serpent, straight from the dreamtime, coloured with a body of ochre and the head of blue sea was chosen as the symbol as it spreads across this wide brown land we call Australia. There is an educational program being written that will be taught in every hair and beauty salon that chooses to stock our brand. This is how I can help “Close The Gap”. The desire to educate and initiate further reconciliation is vital to the future of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, past, present and future. Vision My vision for Dilkara is to see an Australian made brand, with Australian ownership and Australian heritage to grow into an International brand. I wish for Dilkara to be an International bridging ground that will connect us all, near and far, beginning under the great Australian Sky. My wish is for you to love my Dilkara with the passion and purpose that I do, please like us on Facebook, watch our growth. Think of corporate gifting, be part of that reconciliation and healing. Let’s Walk Together. It has been my pleasure to speak with you about Dilkara Essence Of Australia. Its here!!!! DILKARA ESSENCE OF AUSTRALIA
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 11:14:27 +0000