Trusted platform for documenting your elders’ stories.
Your one stop location for collecting and sharing your elder’s legacy stories with loved ones and beyond.
How it works
Manage Elders’ Stories
with the World
We support families to manage and hand pick the inspiring stories of their elders to share with the public. Whether it’s childhood memories or significant milestones, you can share your stories here safely and respectfully with us.
Who Are We?
We’re a Brisbane family creating space for our elders’ stories, legacy and memories.
Our story begins with the extraordinary legacy of Reverend Graham and Iris Paulson, whose lives of service, love, and dedication to community have inspired the creation of this platform. As pioneers in the Aboriginal, South Sea Islander, and Baptist communities of Australia, our parents showed us that true leadership means walking alongside others, practicing culture, and building bridges between communities.
Their work in bringing together Indigenous, South Sea Islander, and Christian perspectives has shaped not only our family’s journey but has touched countless lives across Australia.
Based in Meanjin (Brisbane), we carry forward our parents’ spirit of community service and cultural preservation through thoughtful documentation and storytelling. We believe every Elder carries within them a treasure trove of experiences, knowledge, and cultural wisdom that deserves to be honored, preserved, and shared. Our approach combines traditional storytelling methods with modern documentation techniques, ensuring these vital narratives are preserved authentically and accessibly for future generations.
We invite you to join us in this meaningful journey of preservation, celebration, and connection. Whether it’s capturing the traditional knowledge of Indigenous Elders, preserving Pacific Island cultural practices, or documenting family histories, each story we help tell contributes to a richer, more connected community. The legacy of Reverend Graham and Iris Paulson lives on through this work, reminding us that love, respect, and understanding across cultures can create lasting positive change.
Why Choose Us
Welcome to Honouring Our Elders
Here at Honouring Our Elders, we’ve created a space dedicated to preserving the wisdom and legacy of our elders. In every family, there’s a wealth of stories, memories, and life lessons that deserve to be documented and shared across generations. By capturing these legacy stories, we honour our loved ones’ lives and create a bridge connecting the past, present, and future.
Our mission is to support families in documenting parents’ stories and creating meaningful tributes. Whether you’re looking to capture an elder’s life journey, share their wisdom with the world, or prepare a thoughtful closing ceremony, our resources and community are here to guide you.
Create Your Elders’ Stories to Share with the World
Every elder has a story worth sharing—a journey filled with resilience, wisdom, and lessons that can inspire people far beyond the boundaries of their family. At Honouring Our Elders, our mission is to help you capture and celebrate these stories in a way that resonates with others, honouring the legacy of your loved ones while offering valuable insights to a global audience.
Creating a story about an elder involves more than just recounting events; it’s about capturing their spirit, values, and life’s work. Whether your elder’s story is one of overcoming adversity, building a legacy, or preserving cultural traditions, it can offer hope, encouragement, and wisdom to countless others. Sharing these stories with the world not only honors your elder but also builds a bridge of empathy and understanding across generations.
We provide tools, templates, and inspiration to help you get started, from crafting compelling narratives to selecting the right photos and mementos. Imagine creating a digital tribute, a blog post, or even a short documentary that brings their story to life for friends, family, and the wider world.
Collect and Nurture Stories for Future Generations
One of the most powerful ways to strengthen family bonds is by preserving the stories of our elders and sharing them with the next generation. Family stories help us remember who we are, where we come from, and the values that have shaped our lives. They’re the glue that holds a family’s identity together, connecting each generation with a shared history, culture, and purpose.
At Honouring Our Elders, we believe that every family has a treasure trove of memories waiting to be shared and preserved. By gathering stories from parents, grandparents, and other elders, you’re building a foundation of family history that will endure for years to come. These collected stories can be preserved in a family memory book, digital archive, or audio recordings, making them easily accessible to children, grandchildren, and even future generations who will appreciate the legacy you’ve left behind.
Our resources are designed to help you gather these stories in a way that feels natural and enjoyable for everyone involved. With our step-by-step templates and prompts, you can start conversations that lead to rich storytelling, unearthing details about your family’s past that may otherwise be lost. Ask your elders about their childhood memories, life lessons, and the values they hold dear. Collect stories about family traditions, memorable holidays, and the challenges they faced and overcame.
Preparing a Meaningful Closing Ceremony for Your Loved Ones
Saying goodbye to a beloved elder is one of the most difficult moments a family can experience. A thoughtful, meaningful closing ceremony can provide comfort, honour their life, and celebrate their legacy in a way that brings family members together. Honouring Our Elders offers guidance to help you prepare a closing ceremony that reflects your loved one’s story, values, and contributions.
A closing ceremony doesn’t have to follow traditional funeral formats—it can be a personalised event that embodies your elders personality and character. Our goal is to guide families to incorporate meaningful cultural elements or intimate gatherings where everyone can share memories, songs good food and stories. The design of this ceremony is in your hands.
Whatever your approach, the goal is to create a ceremony that reflects the life and legacy of your loved one, offering a space for family and friends to find peace and closure.
Our resources offer ideas and templates for planning a memorable closing ceremony, including ways to include personal touches that honour your loved one’s passions and personality. Consider incorporating favourite songs, cherished mementos, or even readings from their own writings. Invite family members to share stories, and consider creating a visual tribute with photos and videos that celebrate their journey through life.
