Australians all let us rejoice. Really?
January 26, 2009 by Megan · 3 Comments
Australia Day. Today. A day that Australia rejoices and values all that which is great about our wonderful country.
But what about Indigenous Australia? What about their social issues? Where is their celebration and voice of rejoice today? We do not celebrate those ‘black’ social issues because the state of Aboriginal Australia is our national disgrace.
White Australia has provided many disservices to black Australia. But, each of us has a choice: to either continue in those disservices or to do something different, something empowering, inclusive and non discriminatory. I am today choosing to debunk the urban myths that I too frequently hear about Aboriginal people being lazy, criminal, drunken, ungratefu, child and partner abusing bludgers.
I choose to address Indigenous Australian issues as though they are my neighbours issues: something that requires my assistance. Regardless of colour or socio ecomimic status, every person in Australia has the right to live a life of our high Aussie standards. My neighbours live as I do, why should not the thousands of Australian Aboriginal children living in poverty across Australia.
Tonight, the Imaginif household is having an international dinner. We have visitors from India, Sweden, Germany and Australia. Each person is contributing a food from their home land. As hostess, I will be addressing some previously domestic raised comments about Aboriginal people: Are Aboriginal people bad? Do Aboriginals get money from the Government just because they are black? Do all Aboriginals have sex with children?
Aboriginal people are far from bad. Aboriginal people are just like you and I and our white societies: some good, some not so good. Australian Aboriginal people had their land warred from them, their culture almost destroyed and their social rules of contact/non contact disrespected. Is it any wonder they have become a group of people struggling to again find themselves and their place in a predominately white country that has grown into a magnificent global jewel with a coveted lifestyle.
Australia is the lucky country, so c’mon, giveemabreak will ya. Australia Day is about ALL Australians. Let’s rejoice our rainbow of colours and cultures….after all the true Australia is Aboriginal Australia.
Congratulations to Australian of the Year: an Aboriginal man, Mick Dodson
Check out these amazing Aboriginal rock paintings: End of term excerscusion: Aboriginal Culture. We visited Laura as a home school experience and attended the Dance Festival (a display of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island cultures).
Picture is of my son and my “black” brother, Aboriginal artist, Joseph McIvor.
About Megan
Megan,
The ABC had an interesting interview today with Bob Carr on an issue very similar to this.
The former NSW Premier called up to discuss if the date should be changed which was met with mixed reaction and also some interesting comments on the joint celebration of Australia Day between indigenous Australians and white people (actually there’s a thought, why do we call Aborigines indigenous yet white people are, well, white people? Might file for a racism claim
) .
Did you catch it by chance?
Megan.
I know next to nothing about this subject so it’s fascinating and sad to read this. All Australians I’ve met have always said what a wonderful country it is but I don’t remember any mention of how the native Australians are treated. Is this a subject that’s openly addressed within the country or hidden out back (excuse the poor attempt at humour!)? I salute you for raising this topic and the reminder that everyone is a human being with equal right to respect.
Ian
Hi Andrew
didn’t see the show but I did read all the online stories re changing the date of Australia Day.
We’re not called Indigenous because we are not really Indigenous to anywhere…we white Aussies are so often a melting pot of backgrounds – I’m Pom, Irish, Scottish and Portugese. I wasn’t even born in Australia (Papua New Guinea) but I call myself Australian because that is how I identify rather than saying I’m a mixture of a free settler and a convict. lol,,,,can you imagine how that would go down!
Hi Ian
Australia is generally pretty good at putting Indigenous Australian issues on the table BUT we talk about it from our perspective. WE have not been terribly good at joining with and seeking advise from the people who are living in poverty or with unacceptable morbitity rates.
Australia is a HUGE country but our Indigenous population is only small and essentially concentrated to the top ends of Australia. Many white Aussies have never even met a black Australian, let alone visited an Aboriginal community.
When I was teaching at UNI many students wanted to work in Aboriginal communities,…..but the majority of then had never even been to one!
Racism remains rife in Australia and it makes me sick to my stomach. The saddest part is that many of us do not even recognise our own racism. Our Prime Minister made a public and emotional sorry to our Indigenous people for all they endured through the years of we whites stealing away their black babies (White Australia Policy now referred to as The Stolen Generations). I was amazed at the numbers of Australian people who were against a “sorry.” Their air seemed to be around, “we didn’t do it therefore why should we say sorry.”
To my Indigenous readers, I am sorry. I am shamed and I respect your sorry business. The future is better for all of our children…no matter what colour their skin.
Ian, thanks so much for showing some interest in this issue. That in itself is healing to those affected by it. Mxxx