Ella Noah Bancroft

ELLA NOAH BANCROFT a descendent of the peoples of the Bundjalung nation and has bloodlines to England, Poland and Scotland. 

Indigenous change-maker, artist, storyteller, mentor and founder of “The Returning” and Yhi Collective, Ella Noah Bancroft is active advocate for The Decolonisation movement. 

Through her writing and work Ella has been promoting re-wilding, the return of the black matriarchy, a remembering to deep relationship nature and decolonizing of personal, social and ecological well-being for 10 years.

She is a widely respected amongst her community and believes in local communities with local economies as a way to find hope for the health of our planet and people. 

Ella is the founder and director of The Returning a Not-for-profit event that takes place just outside of Byron Bay, Australia.

The Returning provides a place for all women, all walks of life to come together to relearn the way of their past, to connect to herbalism, activism, motherhood, health, movement and deep connection to the land. 

Ella believes that by creating small movements and communities of women to reconnect back with our wisdom, each other and the land that we can solve a lot of the  root causes of our current social and environmental crises. 

“Women are the backbone to our society, and healthy mothers who are healers create healthy communities of humans who care.” -Ella Noah Bancroft 

A current theme she has been exploring in her current world is “It takes courage to tell the truth”, the title of her podcast and first published book. 

She is currently on the board for Women Up North. Women Up North is a Northern NSW service for women, children and young people who have experienced domestic or family violence or abuse.

Ella is also on the RAP working committee for Yoga Australia, working along side many other Indigenous yoga teachers bringing cultural understanding to the practice and deep respect for the land we all stand. 

“As a proud Aboriginal gay woman, I am a minority of the population of Australia and it excites me.

I am excited to challenge contemporary ideas, to empower women to rise above and to challenge stereotypes that wider society have about Indigenous, gay and female peoples.

Growing up I could shape shift into most communities, both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous, but often I was confronted by both about being a “White Aboriginal” or not being black enough.

I have Scottish, English and Aboriginal blood mixed through my veins, and I’m proud to identify to all of them.

It did get confusing though constantly being challenged about my Aboriginality and then later in life being constantly challenged about my homosexuality.

Apparently I didn’t look Aboriginal and I didn’t look gay.”

She was raised in the Sydney, NSW, Australia and on a mission on her tribal lands. One foot in both worlds.  

Ella is the founder of the gather The Returning, which is a not for profit event, giving 70% of tickets to scholarship applicants and exchange applicants. The event was created our of Ella’s deep want to return to a time in her own linage where women would gather to trade, learn and skill share.

The event is also embedded in returning those who have rightfully been misplaced in our society to a community that cares for them, a place where they can reconnect and belong. 

She also is the founder of the sustainable clothing brand Yhi Collective, which is fighting the fashion industry by taking landfill t-shirts and repurposing them with powerful screen printing, messages such as “Decolonise to Thrive” and “Give a Fuck”. 

Ella is a poet and writer and also runs workshops with all identifying women, regaining power, connection and belonging to self and recently has begun weekend immersions on decolonising work, home and body, as well as how to be a successful activist, standing in your power and staying true to your integrity through ethics and intuition. 

“Teaching has become another form therapy for me. A way to make a difference through a direct experience.  I facilitate workshops and events in the Byron shire and Australia wide. The workshops include themes of sensuality, self care, Indigenous movement and activism.