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Homework Help: Social Studies: World Issues: Reconciliation
by Emily McPherson
The elder sat on the ground, barefoot, and started to play his
didgeridoo whilst the others danced and sung. The haunting songs
mingled with the sound of traffic in the surrounding streets and
airplanes over heard. When he moved the hollow end of his instrument
closer to the ground, the tone changed into a deeper, humming sort of
growl, that seemed to be coming from the earth itself. The earth, I
realized had become an extension of the man's instrument, his music, his
way of life.
For five days during July, I attended the National Youth Reconciliation
convention held at Kormilda College in the Northern Territory. I was
just one of 350 delegates drawn from across Australia who came together
to celebrate the diversity of our unique country, and make a genuine
effort towards reconciliation.
Until attending the forum, I'd had very little contact with indigenous
communities and I knew almost nothing about the Aboriginal culture. I'd
always known that reconciliation was a good thing, and I never would
have considered myself to be racist, however I suppose I was affected by
the same kinds of uncomfortable stereotypes and images which influence
many other Australians.
The problem with racism is that many people don't think it exists in
Melbourne, and many live their lives not even realizing what is
happening around them. Others know all about it, but they don't realize
that they themselves, yes, themselves, are racists. And, even the
individuals that are not racist at all don't realize just how much
racism is a part of Australia, and just how with effort from everyone,
it could be gone again.
I will never forget the image of a group of Aboriginal children sitting
in the dust, and a solitary white figure, me. They each had eyes of old
men, mysterious and calm, in their young faces. I talked to them, had a
photo taken, and felt special that I had made new friends. Seeing these
people, I felt that this was their land, and I was an intruder. The
kids seemed so close to nature, free and untroubled, but on the inside I
knew they were hurting. They didn't make me feel unwelcome, quite the
contrary actually, but I had this deep sense that the country, all of
it, belonged to the first Australians.
One of the things that I found most saddening at the forum was speaking
to aboriginal children who were too scared to leave their houses in fear
of racism or abuse, and kids that would be followed around stores just
to make sure they didn't steal. Just hearing their stories made me feel
bad about who I was. I guess I'd never thought about these issues
before because I believed that in Victoria things like this never
happen.....but I'm telling you they definitely do. There are many
people, that for all sorts of reasons, feel lonely and never come out of
their houses, and when they do, they wish that they hadn't, and try to
escape from their lives.
No one deserves to be prejudged or treated like that. The prejudice of
people in Australia, especially of the indigenous Australians, is
disgusting. The worst offenders are those who think that they are not
racist and really are. They haven't yet come to grips with reality, nor
realized that what that say and do is racist. The worst part of it all
is that they don't even know that it is them that are causing the most
damage. They think it's just normal behavior, and it doesn't even
phase them when they do it.
Then, there are also those who are completely unaware of racism in
Australia. In their minds, we have no problems with reconciliation,
especially in Victoria. Many don't even realize that there are even
Aboriginal in Victoria, and others will argue that they are not real
Aboriginal because they don't live in the bush and eat live snakes.
Isn't it obvious why we don't see many Indigenous people around? Why
can't they see what is happening? Have they really lived such sheltered
lives? Or do they just not want to believe it is still happening?
Most of the indigenous kids at the conference had parents who had grown
up on missionaries and had been taken away from their families at very
young ages. They had been bashed and made to forget their
aboriginal culture. Their aunts and uncles had been killed and slaughtered
in massacres with police that have never been documented. Still today,
many people, including the government, won't acknowledge that this
happened. For many of the kids, they avoided admitting to themselves
that they really were aboriginal, and found comfort in telling their
friends that they were Italian, or from some tropical island up north.
After only the first day at the forum, I felt ashamed and sorry for the
way Europeans have treated Aboriginal and immigrants to Australia, so I
was grateful to have the opportunity to formally apologize and make a
genuine determination to build a happier future for everyone.
The Wukundi ceremony, of the East Arnhem people, was the most
significant event to show that reconciliation can work. The ceremony
was a traditional process that has been performed for thousands of years
by Indigenous communities, designed to bring two clans together to put
aside their differences. For me, participating in this was an extremely
kind gesture on the part of the Arnhem people, as this was the first
time I had experienced living Aboriginal culture, and it was the first
time that a white person, let alone a female, had been permitted to see
the ceremony.
During the ceremony, we sat in multi racial groups on the sand under
palm trees, face to face, and shared the same bread with each other in
silence, whilst watching the sun set. In addition, the Yolungu people
danced and sung, and played didgeridoos and clapsticks around a fire.
By looking into the eyes of the others who I was sitting with, it was a
way of saying that I was sorry, a determined to contribute towards a
better future.
The convention was all about young people's views and ideas on
reconciliation, rather than that of adults. Together, the 350 delegates
demonstrated the extent to which reconciliation can occur, by living
together and experiencing each others ways of life. We didn't just sit
around simply saying how we could reconcile, but we actively worked,
ate, played music, partied, and listened to guest speakers such as Ernie
Dingo, Tan Le, and Lowijta O'Donahue to identify each others problems
and find out practical ways of creating harmony. This was developed
further into a youth charter on reconciliation which we presented
personally in Canberra to the Federal government- Mr. Kim Beazley and
Sir William Deane. Currently, I am still collecting youth signatures
so that a similar document can be presented to the Victorian government.
Just by taking part in a forum like this, it shows that many school kids
from right around Australia want to voice their opinions on
reconciliation, and make a difference that will benefit everyone. While
at the convention, I met a part aboriginal girl, who had never spoken to
a "white Australian", and didn't even know what reconciliation and
racism were. She had really wanted to attend the convention, so that
she could learn about European culture, but her family did not have
enough money to let her go. So, she had spent her holidays working and
fund raising in the city, just so that she could get there.
Unfortunately, whilst doing this, she learnt first hand what racism
was-- she was physically assaulted.
Reconciliation means starting from the beginning. We have to admit to
ourselves that certain events have happened in our history together.
The past is still here with us. We cannot punish ourselves for our
ancestors crimes, but we can take responsibility for creating peace and
dignity now, for the future. Sorry seems to be the simplest, yet
hardest word for anyone to say.
Reconciliation is a journey which will only succeed if the whole nation
embraces it. It cannot be achieved by the government alone, nor by a
select group of the nation's leaders. We must acknowledge that
Aboriginal people's rights have been eroded over the last 200 years, and
we must be prepared to listen and rebuild their points of view. The
facts in history must be acknowledged, the correct stories must be told,
and apologies should be offered, so that the healing process can begin
for all Australians.
Children are the future. Our future is being destroyed before our very
eyes, and very few have stepped forward to do anything about it. That
is why I have helped to form a new group called the Victorian STARS
(Students Who Action Reconciliation Seriously) along with other
Victorian high school students who also feel the same way about
reconciliation. We feel that this is our chance, as the future of
Australia, to make our visions known and to show that even if adults
don't care about reconciliation, we do.
While reconciliation has come a long way in respecting everybody's
rights, we still have much more to learn. It will be many more years
before reconciliation is completed, even if all Australians make an
effort. It is important that the ideals of reconciliation are not
forgotten by the young people of Australia, as it will be us running the
country in a few years time, and if we're friends now, hopefully we will
be friends forever.
By reading this article, you have shown that you care, at least a little
bit, about reconciliation. It is possible for all Victorians to join in
reconciliation, in a practical sense, by smiling to people who may look
a sad or lonely, and making a special effort to speak to people, no
matter what their race, to make them feel proud about who they are.
By talking to someone about their specials of ways doing or celebrating
something, whether it be religious, cultural, or traditional , you are
demonstrating that you care about that person, and their background.
This makes a big difference!
I acknowledge the courage and graciousness shown by the Indigenous
people of Victoria, and I hope that in the future, we will all be
friends.
Homework Help: Social Studies: World Issues
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