I would like to begin by acknowledging the Dharug people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which I gather and live on today, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.
Australia’s Ignorance
For far too long we have failed to act. Blaming our ancestors. Blaming the government, blaming Indigenous peoples for their own circumstances. Not acknowledging the ancestral trauma inflicted generations ago and how the ripples of that trauma still vibrate deep in the hearts of Indigenous families today.
Never coming together, never really taking accountability on our own individual decisions for positive change. Have you ever thought about what small change you could do in your family that may cause a change in behavior or attitude towards the indigenous heritage of Australia?
'It really is awful what happened, but that was a long time ago'
I Invite You
What you can do as an individual that will help support the rights and healing of our First Nations people.
1. Building Awareness and Acceptance
Awareness > Relationship > Agency
One way to build positive change is by adjusting perceptions with knowledge. A person cannot build a relationship or connect with an idea if there is no awareness of the problem.
Expand young or uneducated minds with both sides of Australian history and the trauma behind it by reading great and engaging literature that help educate and inspire awareness for indigenous culture.
Some books I recommend reading are
Dark Emu/ (Young Dark Emu for kids)
https://www.booktopia.com.au/dark-emu-bruce-pascoe/book/9781921248016.html Very informative of the unjust actions placed on the indigenous peoples and recounts of how aboriginal people lived dispelling mistruths documented at the time.
Cooee Mittigar - https://www.booktopia.com.au/cooee-mittigar-jasmine-seymour/book/9781925936865.html Written by Dharug woman Jasmine Seymour that passes down her ancestral knowledge and language into a children's book.
Nanberry Black Brother white by Jackie French - https://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?keywords=nanberry&productType=917504 Teaches the history of the events around the first fleet for both Indigenous nations and British Convicts.
2. Learn About Indigenous Culture and the social issues of today
Discover who is the traditional owner of the land you travel on or live in, what language was or still is spoken. https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia
Speak to local indigenous people and listen about the problems the community is facing and think of ways you can volunteer or help support making changes in your local area.
Ever gone to a bush medicine or art gallery? Learn more about Aboriginal culture by taking a cultural tours/class. https://www.murumittigar.com.au . Attend performances/festivals, cultural centres and art galleries
Understand how trauma can have domino effect on generations and develop empathy as to how young indigenous people today may be lost and disconnected from their own culture. Could your business/ workplace partner with an organisation that will benefit young indigenous families or youth?
3. Visit Aboriginal places
When planning your next travel itinerary, find out if there are places of significance to the local Aboriginal community. By discovering the history and sites in your community builds an awareness of the importance of the land and culture to Indigenous Australians.
You can host performances and activities within your business or local community to support education and love for Indigenous Australian culture. https://www.naidoc.org.au
4. Support Indigenous Rights for future Indiginous Australians
Subscribe to Aboriginal News sources such as Koori Mail, get updated with journalism that reports an indigenous voice on local and global issues. https://koorimail.com
Support Indigenous land rights. A prime focus for traditional land owners is land conservation. Which is exactly what is being destabilised, threatened and ignored by government at the benefit of mining companies. In 1984 Bob Hawke withdrew his pledge and commitment to aboriginal rights after being threatened 8 Labor seats in WA. He then used media to blame Australian people were not supportive of Indigenous rights. - 'How the Murdoch press keeps Australia’s dirty secret', New Statesman 12/5/2011 Source: Aboriginal land rights - Creative Spirits, retrieved from https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/land/aboriginal-land-rights#2014-legal-challenge-to-invaders-right-to-land
Do not underestimate the power of change. One small step at a time.
