For Octavio Murillo Álvarez de la Cadena, stepping onto Larrakia Country during the 2025 AIATSIS Summit was far more than a professional engagement; it was a personal and cultural awakening.

As Director of Collections at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI) in Mexico, Mr Murillo Álvarez de la Cadena came to Australia with a mission: to share Mexico's journey of Indigenous rights recognition, cultural preservation, and policy reform. But what he didn't anticipate was the emotional resonance of being welcomed onto Aboriginal land for the first time.

"I'm really happy to be here, not just on Larrakia Country, but in Australia as a whole," he said.

"It's my first time on this huge continent, and it's such a privilege to share space with Aboriginal peoples and learn from their strength, stories, and resilience."

The AIATSIS Summit provided Mr Murillo Álvarez de la Cadena with the opportunity to present on the importance of collection practices; but his keynote reached far beyond archival methodology.

"Yes, I focused on collecting processes, but I tied them to our constitutional reforms and the hard-earned cultural rights that Indigenous peoples in Mexico have won," he explained.

"Our past is different to Australia's—our colonial history is older, but the scars are similar. The story of struggle is something we share."

Mexico's recent constitutional reforms now recognise Indigenous peoples not only as cultural custodians but also as an official level of government. Communities can self-govern through traditional assemblies and access direct funding from the federal government; empowering them to manage their cultural property and development priorities autonomously.

"This is the result of decades of struggle," Octavio said.

"But it's a model I believe Australia's First Nations could look to, especially in how self-determination is respected and supported structurally. We still have problems, poverty and marginalisation remain, but we are building a new Mexico, and we want to walk that road with other Indigenous nations globally."

Beyond the plenaries and policy discussions, Mr Murillo Álvarez de la Cadena was deeply touched by the everyday beauty of connection in Australia.

"One of the most powerful moments for me was something small; a child in a community we visited was playing with us, making jokes. That simple interaction made my day. It reminded me that joy, too, is a form of resistance and continuity," he said.

He also found unexpected parallels between Indigenous peoples in Northern Mexico and those in Australia.

"Our northern communities are more connected to the land than to grand cities or ancient monuments. They share that deep territorial relationship, similar to what I've seen with Aboriginal people here," he said.

Mr Murillo Álvarez de la Cadena's connection to AIATSIS isn't new; it dates back to 2019 when INPI and AIATSIS launched a series of bilateral dialogues, followed by a cultural exchange of exhibitions in Canberra and Mexico City. That growing relationship is now formalised under a memorandum of understanding, leading to deeper collaborations in digitisation, heritage repatriation, and research.

"AIATSIS has been incredibly generous and well-organised," he said.

"Jenna and Samuel have been like family to us during this visit. As both an institution and as individuals, we are honoured to be here."

Reflecting on the week, Mr Murillo Álvarez de la Cadena left with a renewed sense of global Indigenous solidarity.

"I'm most hopeful about the future of First Nations knowledge-sharing, across oceans, borders, and generations. When we come together like this, we don't just exchange ideas; we reimagine the world through Indigenous eyes," he said.

Here, Mr Murillo Álvarez de la Cadena found something universal; reminders that our shared humanity lives in the details, and that Indigenous leadership continues to guide a better path forward for us all.