This date is only a new holiday celebrated by all states of Australia! What does it mean to you? Most of what I have read it is to celebrate Australia being colonise... But Australia had people already living here! Is it about the white Australians? I know most aboriginal people do not feel a time to celebrate on this day!
Some don't understand this! (For if it wasn't for us settlers they would not have a better life! Filled with cars, take away, electic and the like!) I have heard this sated over and over... Really is this a better life? Choking on polluted air, eating processed food and becoming more and more lazy! They would of know all they missed out on! For they would of contuined living their simple life at one with nature!
Saying this I really think it was inevitable that, like most other countries were found by other people across the water! But is this what is the meaning of Australia Day? Others that have explored and found new lands to conquer? Then to call it their own... Bringing diseases, tobacco and alcohol with them! None of which the natives have been exposed to... Sickness, addiction was soon to follow! Their bodies do not react to alcohol as most whites had have many generations expose to such things!
When such things are brought up the gap seems to widen! People tend to see only what they want to see! Hand outs are one if the many... People tend to bring of the natives get hand outs for everything! Where we do not! Stop! Do you a a white person get treated as a criminal? A shop owner keeping a close eye on you just in case you may steal! Grants for the arts, are a more recent comment that was brought up! Now if you know where to go you can get a grant to write, paint or any other art! Does not matter of colour of skin! But having grants in place for native people helps keep their culture alive! For most stories and languages have died out! Yes as was pointed out most of the young are not interested! But having this incentive for the elders and the young ones that are interested are keeping their culture alive. So when the younger generation does become interested in there ancestry they will have this to learn from!
It astonishes me how in this day and age how there are still racist comments! Let's think of what this does! It makes a separation between races! Causing hurt and hate! The person that the slurs are directed or indirectly thrown around that cause pain! This pain is then carried and transferred inwardly or outward by passing it on... Inwardly by self hate and self harm! Racist comment can consist of name calling or even the misinformed attitudes! On how they are treated better! Causing jealously! This In itself is very damaging!
In all cultures there are people that take things to far! But that does not give anyone the right to place the whole race of these people in one bag!
Simple comments like ( they continue to be heard time and time again! We have said sorry! What else!) OMG! Yes the as was stated England has been invaded time and time again! Yes this is true but we are not living in England are we! Let's stop and think! They want to be heard but people simply do not listen! So yes they are going to stand up and talk about the injustice they are experiencing! Putting aside the fact their land has been populated by a different race to their own! Where the general population of their race has been diminished and most tribe have been wiped out!
As for special treatment for being native! I am afraid they do not! They might grants for artists but the matter of the fact is white people can obtain grants for the same thing! There are no extra funding because they are native!
Life expectancy is much shorter!
Indigenous males - 56 years
all Australian males - 77 years
Indigenous females - 63 years
all Australian females - 82 years
Why due to many factors! Mostly what Europeans have introduced!
DNA is a lovely thing! Trees cousin had some tests done! Her results came back! With most people the African gene is present! In her results there are not any! Is this fact due to the natives of this land not coming from Africa! Could they be more of an ancient race then we comprehend? Could the estimated 70 000 years be a understatement?
An interesting Post Michelle, and a very difficult subject to resolve.
ReplyDeleteYou've included indigenous aspects as well as the immigrant population, with all its various stories which include at the time over-riding the indigenous folk's freedom to live with Australia as they knew how.
Unfortunately it doesn't seem to matter where one kind of folk invade another kind of folk's land there always seems to be a huge death of culture and knowledge involved.
I feel daunted when I think about how much knowledge has been destroyed simply because one kind of folk thought their stuff was better.
Maybe in Australia we can feel more the loss to indigenous folk because it has happened so recently and was too often ruthless too.
But then usually is, no matter where happens.
I believe many indigenous folk are reclaiming their heritage and connection to Country, with so much of their stuff (for lack of a better word) being introduced into non-indigenous communities, and acknowledged with respect.
Here in Pomona there is an indigenous woman giving Bush Tucker cooking classes using traditional foods and showing how to incorporate them with say western food styles. A wonderful opportunity for discovery and yummy eating.
I've noticed that in a lot of instances the sense of loss is changing into retaining who they are while at the same time incorporating who they are with the world as it is.
The Bangarra Aboriginal Dance Company for example is now definitely famous.
I've seen a combined performance happen with the Australian Ballet Company. Very powerful experience.
And I feel it is those aspects which are important... not how much is lost... because that has happened, right or wrong, for better or worse...
Those indigenou folk emerging from those ashes and incorporating what they can of their way of life as individual aspects and also as blended aspects, is a way for their culture to survive and non-indigenous folk to learn.
It is like immigrants who came to Australia... they learnt to blend into the Australian way of life, and they also introduced much of their own lifestyle into that blending.
Hence, there are now heaps of different types of cuisine available, and coffee too, which I can assure you was difficult to impossible to find during the early 1950's in Sydney.
I can remember my parents longing for real coffee when tea was the main beverage.
Now the choice in coffee for example is so vast it's become an art in itself.
Also, Australia is now producing wine equivalent to the best of known European wineries.
I know that seems a vastly different topic to the one you are expressing, but to me I see the parallel.
Indigenous folk who are managing to be who they are as well as blend into this new society are also successfully introducing the world to the indigenous reality that is also very much what Australia is as a country, a nation and a people.
Maybe one day Australia Day will be about celebrating the reality of both the indigenous and non-indigenous population with a Flag representing both.
DeleteWell that is definitely an overly simple optimistic concept... a unified flag, especially as Australia Day is about celebrating the arrival of the invading nation...
Oh well... I don't think that will be resolved anytime soon.
I think it would be very difficult for any indigenous person to want to celebrate that.
Personally feel that just maybe I find it a bit gross to celebrate landing somewhere and then carelessly taking over with mostly indifference to what already is present.
Though there has been many discussions about Australia being independent of England and having a Flag to suit that, I really believe Australia isn't ready.
There really does need to be a balance found with indigenous folk, and the Flag needs to represent that.
There are many nations making up Australia which includes indigenous folk.
Who was here first I feel is not as important as the Country which became known in general as Australia.
Indigenous folk know the Country and need to be respected for that knowledge.
Thankfully there are those who realise this, and support that knowledge by assisting indigenous folk get that information out into the world.
I'd like to believe Australia Day will one day be about celebrating its indigenous history still being part of the present - not lost like has happened in many other countries of the world - as well as celebrating having grown into a nation of diverse cultures.
Do hope haven't over-done it Michelle, but I did want to respond as deeply as I could. I could feel your emotions flow through what you were discussing.
It is a complex subject, and you have a more personal experience with that to bring into any discussion.
I like the merged photos you did...
but the one on the bottom.. what does it represent?
I haven't seen it before.
After all that I forgot all about that astonishing Map Michelle.
ReplyDeleteI find the map very enlightening. Thanks for putting the time into doing such an interesting and even controversial post.
A big hug to you as well.
Thank you Magda!
ReplyDeleteI really love your insight on things!