The Culture of Dancing Corroboree for Child Safety
June 29, 2007
The Laura Dance Festival, an international event showcasing Australian Aboriginal dance and culture, far exceeded their intentions of remaining drug and alcohol free. In the current Aussie political climate of reacting to Indigenous child abuse, the Laura Dance Festival supported that not all Aboriginal people abuse their children and that child abuse is not a function of Indigenous Australian culture.
Children ruled the dance platform, the makeshift streets of the camp ground and the stalls providing promotional goodies to festival patrons. No matter where the eye focused, children stole the line of vision. Three thousand people camped and an additional 1500 were day guests to the three day festival. With such a large number of rural personalities juxtaposed against international interest, the penchant for black and white political stirring was huge. Unaware of the potential powder keg, the kids did what they wanted: wandered, chatted, sat where they wanted and talked with whoever indicated they were up for a quick yarn.
Normally a paranoid wreck around allowing my children out of sight, the Laura Dance Festival oozed child friendly pheromones. The culture smelt of being child friendly with plenty of willing adult eyes and arms should intervention be required. Nervously, I allowed Master 11 to walk down one of the lane ways, alone, to collect coveted show bags. Nervously, I craned my neck and hearing in an attempt to ensure my child’s safety. Safely he returned and safely he spent the remainder of the three days, under the ever watchful eye of thousands of child concerned adults.
The Laura Dance Festival is a celebration of Australian Indigenous culture. Dance (corroboree), paint, stories, art and cultural fashion are marketed as hallmarks of the event. However, the marketers have overlooked a seminal piece of Indigenous culture that in today’s news headlines requires much airing.
The Laura Dance Festival was child focused. The sub text of Laura Dance Festival acted out that child abuse is not culture. The children at the Laura Dance Festival blended their skin colour differences and joined a culture that viewed child safety as paramount.
Curious at how the culture of child protection had waterfalled into the Dance festival, I spoke with many mothers who allowed their kids to run wild in the grounds of the festival. In the words of one Aboriginal mother, “there’s plenty Aunties here. If my kid do something bad, any Auntie can growl him and shame him because all them other kids are doing right thing in front of all the Aunties. This is our way, our kids belong to all the good Aunties and your kid too.”
If you’re sitting at home wondering how to be a good Auntie, I sure hope that one day, if my white son crosses your path that you will watch out for his safety and ensure he develops in a culture where child protection is every-one’s business.
Tempted to make a negative assumption about Australia’s Indigenous child abuse situation? Before you wrongly blame culture, blame the perpetrators: black, white, brown or yellow, the sanctioned global culture of sexually predatory behaviour is something we can all work against. Join us in our safety talk forum and have your say about how to finish the culture of child sexual abuse and change it into a culture of child safety.
Have a look at some of the photos from the Laura Dance Festival posted over at our home school blog: End of Term Excursion: Aboriginal Culture
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Copyright © 2007 
Just LOVED hearing about the child friendly atmosphere and the cultural exchange. What an incredible opportunity for a child to develop a sense of independance within boundaries of expected positive behaviour and, above all, personal safety. Oh, I wanna got to the next Laura festival - ya got me yearning for the experience!