There's a Maori word, mana, which found its way into a celebration of Aboriginal Australia at Parliament House on Monday.
Difficult to translate, it refers to a person's rare, natural authority. Their powerful charisma. And according to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Ken Wyatt - the first Indigenous member of the House of Representatives - has it.
The piece of paper that changed Australia
For Yanti Ropeyarn, it was a single sentence on a hand-written note that told the story of changing the constitution of Australia.
Turnbull was reflecting on his colleague at the unveiling of a portrait of the West Australian Liberal MP, who has also brought his Noongar, Yamatji and Wongi heritage to the ministry as the first Indigenous frontbencher.
As heated debate beckons over the next, historic step in the reconciliation process, the bipartisan audience for this addition to the parliamentary art collection was all smiles and warmth.
Those assembled were told that the artist, Mary Moore, had attempted to depict strength, humility, hope and sadness in the work.
Wyatt recalled his first meeting with Turnbull, who had invited him to his office for a cup of tea.
The pair, Wyatt said, discussed how they should let their emotions show when standing up for their beliefs and communities, agreeing that the "values we have should shape the way we fight for those things".
His new portrait will be joined by newly-announced depictions of Nova Peris, the first Indigenous woman in the Senate, and Linda Burney, the first in the House of Representatives.