The poem begins by describing the remaining members of an Aboriginal tribe. They are a "semi-naked band subdued and quiet," and have come to the place of their old initiation ceremonies (Line 2). Known as 'bora ground,' this place has been marked and violated by the ongoing effects of colonization. White men hurry about like ants, a sign allows for littering, and the Aboriginal people have been made to feel like strangers.
Despite this, the speaker identifies the community with the old ways and with the land. They are the corroboree, the bora ground, and the old ceremonies, as well as many other places, practices, and natural occurrences. However, all the old ways are "Gone now and scattered" (Line 20).
In the last movement of the poem, the speaker recounts how the landscape has been altered, and what that means for the Aboriginal community. Flora, fauna, and Aboriginal cultural customs are gone. The final line of the poem echoes the title: "We Are Going."
