NEWS

Yuranha Mawambul (Grow Together) (50cm x 100cm) By Dylan Barnes

I had the honour to display this artwork at the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence in Redfern back in October.

I wanted to express the personal journeys that we all experience throughout our lives, and the connections that we make with others along the way.

As we grow older, we meet new people, establish new relationships, gain new knowledge and expand our connections to our culture and community.

NEWS

60,000 years plus

Note: Whilst reading this article, take into consideration the geographic positioning of each of these sites. If Mungo Man dates back to 40,000 years ago, how long would it have taken Aboriginal people to inhabit the whole of Australia from Top End, down to Victoria and eventually Tasmania?

In an Australian classroom, the generic dating of Aboriginal Australia predates 60,000 years ago. This is only spoken about, and not supported with the archaeological evidence Australia has to offer. I personally would argue that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have lived a symbiotic life on the Australian continent for longer than this proposed date, hunting megafauna and perhaps even witnessing the slow separation of what is recognised as Gondwana in prehistory. The lack of consultation and recognition of such archaeological evidence has played a significant role in the dismissal of Aboriginal history and humanity that this vast nation has been home to. The following archaeological sites below are older than the proposed 40,000 years and show extensive evidence of habitation, hunting and farming long before colonisation. known seed-grinding tools in Australia. These

Kakadu National Park, NT, Madjedbebe:

Kakadu National Park, on the traditional lands of the Mirarr people of Arnhem Land, saw the excavation of 11,000 artefacts that date between 65,000 – 80,000 years old. These findings were first published in a Nature article and are thorough proof that Aboriginal Australia co-existed with megafauna and played a significant role in human dispersion across the world’s continents. Associate Professor Chris Clarkson from the University of Queensland states these dates assume Aboriginal people were hunting megafauna for 20,000 – 25,000 years more than what was originally proposed by archaeologists. The artefacts were found in the national park in what is known as Madjedbebe rock shelter and have been through several controversial excavations since the 1970s. With concluding evidence and data to support Aboriginal occupation of up to 80,000 years, Professor Clarkson hopes that this recent study can put all the controversy around dating to rest.

uncovered in a cave, in the layer known as the zone of the first occupation. These artefacts include the oldest unbroken groundedge stone axes in the world and the oldest

Of the 11,000 artefacts, 10,000 were tools, alongside bones of megafauna show the interaction between Aboriginal people and what we need to recognise as The Living Dreamtime. The narrations that keep Indigenous knowledge systems intact prove to be much more than stories when they derive from a time in which the Indigenous peoples of Australia were living alongside such giant creatures.

Madjedbebe site custodian May Nango and excavation leader Chris Clarkson in the pit. Image: Dominic O’Brien/Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation.

Skeletal remains of Mungo Man, which are approximately 40,000 years old and were found in 1974 at Lake Mungo, New South Wales, Australia.

Willandra Lakes, NSW, Lake Mungo: In the lake system of Willandra Lakes, two of the earliest anatomically modern human remains were uncovered by geologist Jim Bowler. Mungo Man and Mungo Lady, date to approximately 40,000 – 42,000 years old and had both been ritually buried. Mungo Man in particular had been placed on his back, his hands crossed in his lap and his body sprinkled with red ochre. There is continuity even into today’s traditional burial practices as the presence of ochre and body positioning is highly important, amongst other things such as eucalyptus leaves and tree bark. The remains of Mungo Lady proved to be highly extraordinary. Evidence shows that her remains were burnt prior to her burial, thus proving to be the world’s oldest cremation and ritual burial. To date, the skeletons of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady are the oldest human remains found in Australia. The site of Willandra Lakes continues to be guided by traditional owners of the Paakantji, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngyimpaa people. Guided by the traditional owners, excavations of the lake system still occur today under the supervision of Nicola Stern, from La Trobe University. The site of Lake Mungo provides a powerful perspective into the ongoing cultural and spiritual connections Aboriginal people hold between them, and the land around them. Archaeological sites show the significance of the cultural continuity Aboriginal people have sustained for over 40,000 years. significant factor of megafauna extinction:

Flinders Ranges, SA, Warratyi Rock Shelter:

Excavations at Warratyi Rock Shelter in the Flinders ranges, 550km from the capital city of Adelaide, contain the first reliably dated evidence of human interaction with megafauna. La Trobe University Professor Giles Hamm, alongside local Adnyamathanha Elder, Clifford Coulthard, were surveying the gorges when they uncovered the site. Over the course of 9 years, 4,300 artefacts have been uncovered together with 200 bone fragments from 16 mammals and 1 reptile. The dating of the artefacts and fossil finds prove humans occupied this part of South Australia from 49,000 – 46,000 years ago. Some of the fossil finds appeared to be bones from the extinct giant wombat-like Diprotodon, and hunting tools, proving that Aboriginal people upon arrival into the continent. Cuddie Springs in New South Wales is the only other recorded site in Australia where megafauna bones and hunting tools have been found together. This ties into an overall debate here in Australia determining the most

were hunting these monster-like creatures human hunting or climate change?

Co-authors Clifford Coulthard and Sophia Wilton with Christine Coulthard of the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association (Supplied: Giles Hamm).

Over the course of 11 years, the site of Moyjil has become the most extensive archaeological site in Australia, moving dates of occupation back to 120,000 years years old. With a consistent date such as 120,000 years, this doubles the generic

ago. An analysis of a shell midden that was already suspected to be between 70,000 – 80,000 years old, had been carried out in addition to uncovering charcoal and burnt stones indicative of an Aboriginal type cooking hearth. Thermoluminescence dating techniques were used to conclude a range of 100,000 – 130,000 years old, consistent with stratigraphic evidence. Such a proposed dating has entitled this site as potentially one of the last interglacial features of Aboriginal Australia. The official publications were a collaborative work between Jim Bowler, who we know from excavations at Lake Mungo in the late 1960s and other credited peoples such as Dr. John Sherwood. They were surrounding cemented sands, establishing this significant interglacial date of 120,000 able to date the shells, burnt stones and proposed date of occupation of Aboriginal Australia and should be at the forefront of all historical discussions regarding Indigenous occupation.

One of the digs at the Moyjil site at Point Ritchie, near Warrnambool. Photo: Ian McNiven.

Together, these sites show the extensive occupation Aboriginal Australia has had and will continue to have over this vast continent. The ceremonial elements, hunting practices and ingenuity uncovered at all four of these sites are indicative of the ongoing cultural legacy of the world’s oldest living tradition. Here is proof of the living legacy that flows through the veins of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. All of these sites show that The Living Dreamtime was something our ancestors walked through themselves, encountering giant wombat-like, and emu-like creatures.

Archaeological excavations in Australia are sadly underrepresented, and need to be more present in the education system, to show that Indigenous peoples were not just ‘huntergatherers,’ but a people group that held a symbiotic relationship to the land, that worked and farmed great fields and hunted some of the biggest animals of this continent’s past.

by Neenah R. Gray

A Groundbreaking Step Macquarie enters new territory with its new Indigenous Queer Studies Unit

Macquarie has made a landmark change to their Indigenous unit offerings through the introduction of a new hybrid unit looking to centre the experiences of queer Indigenous peoples.

As part of Pride Month, Indigenous Early Career Academic Fellow Andrew Farrel gave an online presentation titled ‘Developing and Delivering Indigenous Queer Studies,’ exploring the themes and concepts behind Macquarie’s new Indigenous Queer Studies unit. In explaining the creation of the new unit, Farrel stated that “While generally treated as separate fields of research, Indigenous Studies and Queer Studies share many empirical, political, and theoretical considerations.” Farrell further noted that the unit and event were aimed at exploring “the need for a better understanding of Indigenous queer identities and the specific challenges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQ+ people continue to endure.”

This announcement came alongside Macquarie’s decision to join in with a program of Pride Month events for the first time, in collaboration with other Australian universities. This collaboration is part of the recently created NSW/ACT Higher Education Pride Network, described as “a collective effort by several universities to foster LGBTIQ+ inclusion in the Higher Education sector by sharing leading practice on policy, processes and systems, learning and teaching, and leadership from our organisations,” by Izzy de Allende, Coordinator of Workplace Diversity and Inclusion at Macquarie and Network member.

The unit seeks to combine the fields of Indigenous and Queer studies as they both focus on the subjugation, marginalisation, and violence that minority populations experience. While both fields have sought to prioritise the voices of Indigenous and Queer peoples respectively, the new unit addresses the need for a better understanding of Indigenous queer identities and the specific challenges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQ+ peoples experience under colonisation. As of yet, no other Sydney universities have sought to create a program that bridges the two fields of research. This makes Macquarie the first to take this practical step in combining the disciplines to create richer cultural understandings and educational offerings.

The stories of Queer Indigenous peoples have historically been more in the territory of VICE documentaries and Junkee articles, however Macquarie’s new unit is changing that gaze. By centering these experiences in its academic offerings, the university has taken an important step forward in acknowledging the nuanced experiences of our First Nations people and recognising that these experiences are a fundamental aspect of contemporary Australian culture.

by Katelyn Free

“Racism is the Virus” A look into how the Black Lives Matter movement transpired around the world to evoke Australia’s dark past.

As the newsfeed of popular social media sites turned black and flooded with a single phrase, #BlackLivesMatter, the world came face-toface with a concept deeply rooted in every country’s history: racism.

On May 25th, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black male, was arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Receiving a call from the store employee about a 20 USD counterfeit bill which Floyd had used to purchase a pack of cigarettes, police arrived at the scene. After being handcuffed and restrained, Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pinned Floyd down with his left knee between the head and neck.

For seven minutes and forty-six seconds, Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck, the Minnesota prosecutor’s report had stated.

After repeatedly screaming the words ‘I can’t breathe,’ Floyd was dead.

Moments after Floyd’s tragic death, videos of his brutal murder were shared across all social media platforms. On May 26th, the four officers involved with Floyd’s murder were fired and hundreds of demonstrators showed up to the streets of Minneapolis and proliferated the largest Black Lives Matter movement, since it began in 2013.

Following the week after Floyd’s death, protests had transpired from national affairs to a global widespread call to action, unveiling issues buried deep under the blanket of privilege. As the sentence, ‘I can’t breathe’ was painted on every wall, every sign and every blank canvas in America, the movement narrated a story that extended further than the police violence against black people.

It spoke to the rage rooted in America’s slave past, which institutionalised black disadvantage and white privilege. It brought to light the legitimising of the subhuman treatment of black people, like what happened to George Floyd and to hundreds of others, even 150 years after emancipation.

Racism has existed and been instilled in America’s history for hundreds of years and continues to exist today. However, the issue has sparked a greater flame this time than ever before. In an interview with New Yorker, Opal Tometi, one of the community organisers who started the Black Lives Movement, discussed how the protests are different from what came before, and why they are different.

Tometi explains, “While we see that a lot of anger and outrage and frustration was sparked by the barbaric murder of George Floyd, it’s also clear to me that we have been sitting in our homes, navigating the pandemic, dealing with loved ones being sick, dealing with a great deal of fear and concern about what the day and the future will hold. We have millions of people who have lost their jobs and filed for unemployment and are living paycheck to paycheck and hand to mouth, and I believe they are just thoroughly fed up and thoroughly beside themselves with grief and concern and despair because the government does not seem to have a plan of action that is dignified and comprehensive and seeks to address the core concerns that the average American has.

“And so my belief and my view of these protests is that they are different because they are marked by a period that has been deeply personal to millions of Americans and residents of the United States, and that has them more tender or sensitive to what is going on. People who would normally have been at work now have time to go to a protest or a rally, and have time to think about why they have been struggling so much, and they are thinking, ‘This actually isn’t right and I want to make time, and I

“So, I think it is markedly differently in terms of the volume of demands we are hearing. People are absolutely lifting up names like Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, but I think they are very clearly in the streets for themselves and their family members because they don’t know who is next, and they are also concerned about the economic realities that they are faced with.”

The Black Lives Matter movement also speaks to a more profound connection between Indigenous Australians, African Americans, Asians, and other minorities. Numerous activists leading the movement around the world have shared a similar opinion that one has to be a person of colour to actually feel the discrimination, or injustice that individuals suffer on a daily basis. It has been described as a bond that is uniting people of colour, something which is innate, and not necessarily taught.

For Indigenous Australians, the Black Lives Matter movement has prompted others to learn more about their struggles. Storytelling is an integral part of Indigenous culture and it has been for more than 65,000 years. It helps Indigenous individuals to maintain a connection with their community, and it supports them to heal from the traumas of their past.

In an interview with ABC News, Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman Teela Reid, explains Indigenous storytelling as “honouring our ancestors and celebrating the fact we tell stories in different ways that don’t necessarily comply with Western forms.”

For non-Indigenous Australians, it provides an avenue to learn about the deep-rooted history that is written into Australia’s landscape and learn about the language that intertwines with the country we are in.

It invites conversation and by engaging with Indigenous content, it unlocks the door to our silenced history and unearths our nation’s dark past in order to step forward in the right direction. “Our storytelling is intricately linked with the Black Lives Matter movement because it demonstrates our ways of expression, and it is a movement that tells the truth about our experiences,” Reid explained.

With access to a plethora of resources, it is no longer about raising awareness, but using these resources to create change.

The conversation around justice for Indigenous people has been going for more than two centuries, but it took the death of George Floyd in the United States for Australians to open their hearts and minds.

When we are prepared to confront our past, we can start to empathise with those who reject symbols of those who oppressed them. Taking down statues of those who profited from oppression is not about rewriting history, it is about making the choice to not celebrate their oppression. It can be repeatedly said that in any case, history is not fixed in time, it is fluid.

However, no matter how many protests take place, and no matter how many communities come forward about the oppression they have faced, there can be no healing unless we acknowledge the problem that exists in our society.

Till then, it is our responsibility to continue to share the message and to speak out about the injustice that you as an individual might not face, but the injustice that your fellow human faces.

At the end of the day, it is the knowledge that the oppression of one is the oppression of all.

by Anonymous

NAIDOC Week A brief history and timeline of NAIDOC Week and the importance of commemorating the First Nations people of Australia.

NAIDOC stands for the National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee. It is an important week in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is a week to rejoice, to share our beliefs and customs, celebrate our history, join our diverse communities, and to show the rest of the nation that we have survived and revel in our culture. NAIDOC Week generally happens each year between the first and second Sundays in July. While there were some activities in July, November 8th-15th will be the official 2020 celebration week. This is due to the fear that Covid-19 might spread rapidly in communities and devastate our precious Elders.

NAIDOC Week events are held in various towns and cities where music performances, art showcases, cultural workshops, talks, and activities for children take place.

Before the 1920s, Aboriginal rights groups shunned Australia Day in protest against the ongoing marginalisation of Indigenous Australians. By the 1920s, they were progressively aware that the wider Australian public were mostly ignorant of their embargoes. If Aboriginal rights groups were to make progress, they would need to be more active. The Australian Aborigines Progressive Association (AAPA) in 1924 and the Australian Aborigines League (AAL) in 1932 emerged to promote Aboriginal rights. Their efforts were largely unheeded and due to police persecution, the AAPA abandoned their work in 1927.

In 1935, William Cooper, founder of the AAL and a Yorta Yorta man, drafted a petition to send to King George V, asking for special Aboriginal electorates in Federal Parliament. The Australian Government denied responsibility believing that the petition fell outside its constitutional responsibilities. The petition was rejected and thereby not presented to King George V.

One of the first civil rights events in the world was the 1938 Australia Day March in Sydney, when more than a thousand people marched and attended a congress. It was known as the Day of Mourning.

Following the congress, a delegation led by William Cooper, who was born in Yorta Yorta territory, presented Prime Minister Joseph Lyons with a proposed national policy for Aboriginal people. This was again rejected because the government claimed that it did not hold constitutional powers over the Aboriginal people.

After the Day of Mourning, William Cooper failed to gain support for an annual event after writing to the National Missionary Council of Australia. William was a Christian and achieved the creation of Aborigines Sunday, which was observed in Churches across Australia from 1940.

Until 1955, the Day of Mourning was held each year on the Sunday before Australia Day. It was known as Aborigines Day. In 1955, Aborigines Day became a celebration of Aboriginal culture as well as a protest and was moved to the first Sunday in July. The National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) was formed in 1956 and the second Sunday in July became a day of remembrance for Aboriginal people and their heritage.

After the 1967 referendum, the federal government took formal responsibility for Aboriginal people and began counting them in the national census. Researcher Matthew Thomas surmises on the Parliament of Australia’s website that:

“The significance of the 1967 Referendum has been somewhat obscured by a number of myths. These include the misconceptions that the Referendum granted Aboriginal people citizenship, the right to vote, wage equality and access to social security, among other things. In terms of its practical significance, perhaps the main achievement of the Referendum was to raise the expectations of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people regarding Aboriginal rights and welfare.”

Following this, in 1972, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) was formed by the Whitlam Government. It sought to foreground self-determination when it came to policy making regarding Aboriginal affairs.

In 1974, the NADOC committee was composed wholly of Aboriginal members for the first time. In 1975, it was determined that NADOC should cover a week, from the first to second Sunday in July. Since 1984, there have been calls for National Aborigines Day to be made a national public holiday, to help commemorate and appreciate the rich cultural history that makes Australia unique.

In the early 1990s, due to an increasing recognition of the diverse cultural histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, NADOC was extended to acknowledge Torres Strait Islander people and culture. NADOC then became known as the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC). This new acronym has become the title for the whole week.

Each year, a theme is chosen to signify the key issues and events for NAIDOC Week. For example the 2018 theme celebrated the strength and wisdom of ATSI women with ‘Because of her, we can!’ The year 2019 saw the theme of ‘Voice. Treaty. Truth.’ and in 2020 the theme ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ “recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years.”

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) took over the management of NAIDOC until it was dissolved in 2004.

The current NAIDOC committee makes decisions about themes, events, and activities for NAIDOC Week.

It can be found at: https://www.naidoc.org. au/about/naidoc-committee

by Wayne Charters

Maaaaate!

Neenah Gray dissects the history of Australia Day and her call to action to change the dates to acknowledge Australia’s Black history.

Australia Day is not an inclusive day for everyone who calls themselves Australian. For non-Indigenous people, the 26th of January is a celebration of national pride, that is marked by the coming of the First Fleet of the British Colony in 1788. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, this day marks the beginning of the foundation myth of Terra Nullius that justified the invasion of Australia and inherently the start of the genocide of hundreds of thousands of people. Alongside the White Australia Policy, Terra Nullius was the national foundation that laid Australia. Sadly, these do not reflect the true value and nature of what it means to be an Australian. Thus, a re-evaluation of the day and what it means to be an Australian should go under some consideration.

This article analyses the historical controversy that surrounds January 26th as a national holiday. This article will conclude with the need to move away from British Colonialism, and the subconscious White Australia Policy that still dictates the Australian Political System and the Australian ethos. I will also propose a new date for Australia Day – May 8th, or Maaaaate as I believe this is more reflective of the true nature and image of Australia. Australia Day is a controversial day, bringing uneasiness from its historical meaning to how it has evolved to be a national day. January 26th marks the arrival of the First Fleet on the shores of Botany Bay in 1788 led by Captain Arthur Philip of the British Colony. It marks the introduction of a new way of life that saw consequences for the ones who had practiced egalitarianism previously for over 80,000 years. Captain Philip, along with 1480 men, women and children, brought an entrenched world view that would later lay the foundations of Australian Nationalism. The raising of the Union Jack Flag was used to symbolise that the British were now in control and had dominion over what we now call Australia. The claiming of Australia was legitimized under the notion of Terra Nullius meaning ‘land belonging to no one’ to discredit Aboriginal Lore and custom that had already governed this vast nation. Terra Nullius was the foundation myth that stripped Aboriginal people of their cultural identity and human rights in order to prepare for the British control. The First Fleet meant for the convicts on board a fresh start and a new life. For Aboriginal people living, within the now Sydney region, it meant that their existing way of life and cultural Dreaming was in danger.

In conjunction with these entrenched views of White Australian Nationalism, the justification of the massacre of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people prevailed during Settlement. Government policies that existed, such as the White Australia Policy and Terra Nullius justified the murder of First Nations people between 1788 and 1901. In 1920, 250,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were killed, or had died due to diseases. A 1798 report by the Judge-Advocate and Secretary of the Colony, David Collins, indicates the extent of disease pursuing Aboriginal Australia.

He states:

“At that time a native was living with us; and on taking him down to the harbour to look for his former companions, those who witnessed his expression and agony can never forget either. He looked anxiously around him in the different coves we visited; not a vestige on the sand was to be found of human foot; ... not a living person was anywhere to be met with. It seemed as if, flying from the contagion, they had left the dead to bury the dead. He lifted up his hands and eyes in silent agony for some time; at last he exclaimed, ‘All dead! all dead!’ and then hung his head in mournful silence.”

January 26th stands for a beacon of change for both the British and the Aboriginal people: a change that brought bloodshed through the notion of survival. January 26th is a day that represents the cruel intentions to diminish a people group to justify the acquisition of Australian soil by the British Colony in 1788.

‘Australia Day’ as a celebrated national holiday is only relatively new within the scheme of Australian History. This acknowledges that January 26th is not well established. The date was depicted as Foundation Day or Landing Day prior to Federation but was not officially recognised or established as a public holiday until 1994 under the Keating Government. In fact, during World War I Australia has evidence of trying to secure July 30th as the National day of celebration. The idea of Australia being celebrated on the 26th of January came from a re-enactment of the First Fleet onto Botany Bay in 1938. The re-enactment saw 25 Aboriginal men being forced to dance and if they refused they were threatened with the removal of rations or simply shot. They were locked in jail cells the night preceding the event.

This inhuman celebration and blackmail sparked protests throughout the city of Sydney, and it was called a Day of Mourning in the Aboriginal community. The 150th anniversary celebrations saw the largest Aboriginal Protest to circum Australia. This original celebration of Landing Day has never illustrated a progressive society, or an inclusive community. To Aboriginal and Torres Strait people across the nation, this day has always marked a mourning period. January 26th reconciles with Sorry Business. It has been a day to recognise British governance over Australia, and the discrediting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait human rights and cultural lore.

From the beginning of Australian History, the hardship and the trauma that proceeded January the 26th is a constant reminder for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as the celebrations for Australia Day take place. Early days of Australian Colonialism is very much indicative of the ‘master and controlled’ intentions that the British had adopted as a framework for their relationship with Aboriginal people. The notion of Terra Nullius has been favourable to non-Indigenous Australians throughout the development of the nation. It has been reassurance for non-Indigenous people, reinforcing the archetype of the ‘discovery’ of the country and simultaneously dehumanising Australia’s First Nation peoples.

Terra Nullius strengthened by the notion of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, saw

for the extermination of Aboriginal people and a scientific approach was taken in observation for anthropological purposes. Proceeding such ideologies gave rise to 230 years of public policy and hidden agenda that justified significant numbers of murders, and massacres throughout Australian history. These massacres are remembered as events such as The Stolen Generation, Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and many more.

For Aboriginal people, celebrating on the day of the arrival of the First Fleet is remembering the deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from the time of Colonialism through to the 21th Century. It is the memory of the injustice that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have faced throughout major events in Australian history. January 26th marks the start of the Invasion that took a complex 232 years to complete and in some ways is still continuing to this day. Thus changing the date of Australia Day would recognise the dispossession, the injustice and the inhumanity that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have endured caused by Terra Nullius. The new date of Australia Day would also recognise the need for Indigenous people to be a part of Australia’s modern identity and to remember that White Australia has a Black History.

Australia is one of the leading nations in multiculturalism, yet a sense of belonging is questioned when notions of Australia Day and the symbolism of the Australian Flag still have remnants of the White Australia Policy. Multiculturalism was the dream that succumbed the nation during the 19th century. It was used as a defence mechanism against the“cheap imported labour” threat that immigration imposed. Since then, Australia’s migrant population has seen an increase, statistics depicting 60% of Australia’s population growth was due to immigration in 2013. Australia as a political body has played a significant part being exclusive to a predominantly white, male society that embodies ‘egalitarian’ values.

The difficulty with Australia’s multiculturalism is that people’s understanding is based upon superficial ideas of what constitutes cultural difference and cultural doing. This creates boundaries of fear. For some migrants, Australia Day and the overrepresentation of the Australian Flag illustrates the difficulties and the hardship faced by the racist heritage that depicted Australia’s unity. There have been numerous occasions throughout Australia’s History that have seen the idea of Australian White Nationalism expressed through the symbolism of the Australian Flag that has caused discontent throughout the migrant community. The problematic feature of Australia being a multicultural society, is that it does not overcome the fear of the different cultural practices that are seen to threaten and damage Australian identity.

In order to combat against migrant inclusion, the Australian Government has had Citizenship Ceremonies as part of Australia Day event programs. Sixteen thousand people have received their citizenship on Australia Day in 2019 to promote “unity as a nation and … commitment to Australia and its people, the values we share and our common future,” according to the Australia Day website online. Although this seems like a great idea, the inherent ideology behind this is similar to the Assimilation Policy of 1951. The quote above does not portray the true meaning of Australia, and does not acknowledge people coming from afar only to unify them into the current scheme of Australia. The ‘common future’ inherently is still indicative of racist colonial ideologies. The changing of the date of Australia Day would inherently diminish the White Australia Policy and justify the debunking of Australia preserving a Britishderived culture.

A new date for Australia Day is May 8— Maaaaate which I would like to argue is more indicative of the true nature and identity of Australia that we as a Nation are still in the midst of creating. The idea has stemmed from Facebook public influencer, Jordan Raskopoulos, in an attempt to explain, in a less than a two minute video, why January 26th raises controversy within First Nations communities. Coming from a migrant background herself, she understands the true nature that encompasses Australian identity – mateship. The idea of mateship has been at the heart of the Australian being since its first international affair of World War I. The Gallipoli campaign saw mateship strengthen Australia, asserting an independence and identity away from its motherland, Britain.

Mateship was centralised by the key features of ‘sacrifice and national duty’ that sought the discovery of Australia’s national identity. This is also a chance for Australia to recognise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers that sacrificed their lives for the greater good of Australia. The idea of the ANZAC Digger has played such an important role in history that it has idealised the heroic aspect of national identity for some Australians. It is a depiction of fulfilment of hope and ‘superhuman bravery.’

The Aussie Digger had encompassed the nature of patience and persistence handling the harshness of the bush, and patriotism and mateship that stemmed from their experience in the war – making for a holistic man, and at the same time acknowledging the women that played their part in the war effort. The ability of May 8 to acknowledge Australia’s past wrongdoings and to celebrate what it means to be Australian starting from Australia’s greatest military setback is more than plausible. Mateship today in modern Australian society is more than accepted within Australian vernacular and being. It has a platform with a strong historical background and something that can reside in all Australians.

In conclusion, the date of Australia Day needs to be readjusted in order to be more inclusive to those who have migrated here, and our First Nations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The changing of the date would acknowledge Australia as debunking values of British Colonialism that are still entrenched in the political system. The Australian Constitution, laws and policies are still drenched in colonial ideologies that have subconsciously been embedded into the fabrication of Australian society lingering with the notions of Terra Nullius and the White Australia Policy.

Moving away from British Colonialism is essential to the rendering of the Australian identity and would inherently cause for a more inclusive celebration of a national holiday. The notion of mateship has the potential to be more thoroughly embedded in Australian society, and would re-create Australia’s National and International Image. Celebrating Australia Day on May 8 would be an inclusive date as it encompasses the true nature of mateship, belonging, bravery and sacrifice that Us as Australians value and we know produces a better nation for all.

by Neenah R. Gray

Indigenous Studies Unit Guide

Marandayi maranama Dharug ngurra. Always was, always will be Dharug country.

A great way to learn more about Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, histories, practices, and the challenges these communities overcome is to enrol in the Indigenous Studies units taught by Macquarie University. These units are available at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. The Department of Indigenous Studies facilitates a number of areas of research including the Forum for Indigenous Research Excellence (FIRE) and the Journal of Global Indigeneity, a digital journal that features critical essays, workshops, and conferences, with a focus on Indigenous communities on a global scale.

Note: The following information is from the 2020 Macquarie University course handbook.

ABST1000 – Introducing Indigenous Australia

This unit offers a broad introduction to the histories, politics and cultures of Indigenous peoples in Australia. Students in this unit will study the historical impact of British colonisation on Australia’s first peoples and reflect on their own histories, politics and cultures. Students will learn about Indigenous political resistance focused on the protection of land, country, and cultural identities driven by goals of achieving social justice and the recognition of human rights and Indigenous specific rights. Students in this unit will also be introduced to the social, cultural and political outlook of contemporary Indigenous identity and explore the impact and influence of early colonialist race theory on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity. This unit presents as a thought provoking and challenging experience of learning about Australian history and contemporary politics through the lens of an Indigenous worldview. Thus providing a solid theoretical foundation for anyone wishing to pursue further Indigenous studies.

ABST1020 – Dharug Country: Presences, Places and People

This unit introduces students to Dharug perspectives about Country, spiritual concepts including human and non-human ancestors, and the importance of connecting to place and belonging. Students will learn valuable insights from a diverse group of Dharug community members telling their own stories about sites of significance to them. Students will be introduced to Dharug language, art and other cultural practices demonstrating the continuity of knowledges that Dharug people have maintained for over 65,000 years.This unit allows students to connect with contemporary Dharug people and learn about the impact of colonisation on the community and also better understand how Dharug people and communities have resisted and survived. Dharug people will share stories of importance so students can be more aware of the politics of place. ABST1030 – Introduction to Indigenous Queer Studies

This is a multidisciplinary unit that draws from both Indigenous and Queer Studies which have generally been treated as separate fields of academic inquiry. This unit prioritises the voices and perspectives of Indigenous Queer populations as transformative of the social, cultural, and political landscapes of Australia and beyond. Through critical engagement with Indigenous LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer) perspectives, students will develop an understanding of Indigenous Queer identities and the specific challenges that these communities endure under oppressive colonial regimes. This unit will explore Indigenous Queer worldviews and standpoints that interrupt, challenge, enrich and recalibrate our understanding of community, culture, gender, sexuality, the body and desire.

ABST2020 – Indigenous Culture and Text

This unit will examine Indigenous Australian texts to explore Indigenous peoples’ perspectives of culture and continuity. Students will be introduced to a variety of creative works, including biography, music, literature, and the growing presence of Indigenous voices in online spaces. We will consider the range of reasons Indigenous Australians write and create, from resistance to celebration, as well as the political motivations for publication. Students will also examine the impact of Indigenous creative works on national identity and understandings of Indigenous Australia.

ABST2035 – Global Indigenous Queer Identities

Indigenous societies have recognised diverse genders and sexualities for thousands of years. This unit will investigate global case studies of Indigenous gender and sexual diversities including Australia, the Pacific, and Northern American regions. Students will analyse the continuity and development of gendered and sexual practices and the ways in which they have transformed in multiple colonial contexts. This unit will

interrogate and challenge the influence and enforcement of western gendered and sexual norms by embedding an understanding of Indigenous worldviews situated within, beyond, and against the scope of the gender binary, heterosexuality, and gender and sexual taxonomies across the LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer) spectrum.

ABST2060 – Indigenous Histories and Knowledges

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are recognised as belonging to the oldest living culture on earth with over 60,000 years of history and knowledge to draw upon. This unit explores Indigenous history and knowledge from the Big Bang through to contemporary times. Students will develop an understanding of Indigenous relationships to land, water, fire, food and medicine and recognise the ways in which Indigenous knowledges are utilised in everyday activities. This unit will provide a significant understanding of how Indigenous knowledge about the world can inform future thinking about conservation, land management, climate change and sustainability.

ABST3025 – Indigenous Research Methodologies

This unit examines contemporary and historical research practices and explores decolonising and Indigenist research methodologies. This unit also provides students with the skills and knowledge to engage in ethical research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. Students are guided by a range of documents outlining ethical research practices including, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research guidelines, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s, Values and Ethics: Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research (Values and Ethics) and Macquarie University Ethics Approval process.

ABST3035 – Indigenous Queer Theory & Practice

This unit will explore the convergence of theories that inform Indigenous Queer Studies as an interdisciplinary space. Through an investigation of post-structural theories, this unit will explore the emergence of Indigenous Queer critique from the margins of social and cultural movements, such as feminism. Students will be introduced to Indigenous Queer readings of theories such as intersectionality and examine how Indigenous Queer perspectives unpack, translate, and reterritorialize knowledge in ways that centralise Indigeneity and Queerness. This unit will inform students understanding of multiple and complex forms of resistance to the ongoing erasure of Queer Indigenous and coloured populations and challenge the dominance of non-Indigenous ideas and knowledge which continue to enable and comply with settler colonial projects. This unit provides a focused reflection and critical analysis on the political histories of Indigenous peoples in Australia. Students in this unit will study past and current social and political movements dedicated to achieving social justice through the pursuit of human rights, civil rights, and Indigenous rights. Students will learn about a range of approaches to social and political movements striving for justice for past and present acts of colonial violence, protecting land and country, protecting sovereignty and asserting the political status of first peoples. Through a process of critical reflection embedded in the unit, students will also reflect on the social and political movements that have influenced their own lives or their family’s life. This unit presents a thought provoking experience of learning about social and political movements in Australia from an Indigenous perspective.

ABST8990 – Master of Research - Indigenous Studies

MRes Year 2 students in the Faculty of Arts will develop their knowledge and experience of research in their chosen discipline via a program of Faculty-level and department activities and assessments. Students will complete two assessed and two non-assessed tasks to assist with the design and implementation of an independent research project, the findings from which will be communicated via a 20,000-word, e xternally examined thesis. Alternatively, students enrolled in the departments of MMCCS or English may be required to produce a creative work and a 10,000-word thesis, which are also externally examined.

For more information: Visit the 2020 Macquarie University course handbook: coursehandbook.mq.edu.au

Visit the Department of Indigenous Studies website: www.mq.edu.au/faculty-of-arts/departments-and-schools/department-of-indigenous-studies

by Jodie Ramodien

#IMPACTOFTRAUMA Grapeshot interviews the founder of Letters to Strangers, Diana Chao, to learn more about BIPOC Mental Health Month and the key to creating a better society, mentally.

1. If you could describe BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) Mental Health Month in one sentence, what would it be?

Originally advanced by Black activist Bebe Campbell, BIPOC Mental Health Month is a celebration and acknowledgment of racial diversity and how ethnic cultures/identities can impact one’s mental health.

2. Mental health is an issue that persists amongst all walks of life, regardless of race, gender, or social class. What is the purpose behind having a mental health month dedicated to BIPOC individuals?

Western psychology and psychiatry as we know it today was established by and for White individuals. From over 85% of American therapists identifying as White, to the relegation of culture-bound syndromes (symptoms that manifest particularly within one culture, such as “hwabyung” in Korean communities or “ataque de nervios” among Caribbean Latinos) into only the appendix of the DSM (the diagnostic manual used by professionals to diagnose mental illness), a lot of the minority mental health experience has been ignored or even weaponized in medical history. For example, stereotypes (such as the idea that Black individuals have “thicker skin” – metaphorically and literally) has led to provider bias where doctors prescribe weaker (or zero!) dosages of medication to treat the pain of Black people. Some dismiss patients outright by delegitimising their suffering. And some patients have difficulty even accessing healthcare in the first place. Indigenous people in the U.S. (and elsewhere!) sometimes live isolated from major urban centers (due to colonisation and genocide, mind you) and have little to no culturally-competent mental health specialists on their reservation. So it’s very important that we recognise how BIPOC individuals are disproportionately affected in non-standardised (read: non-White) ways by mental health stressors and concerns. 3. What are some ways of appropriately raising awareness about mental health in BIPOC communities?

It’s important to elevate the voices of people in those communities first and foremost. Share your platform with their stories. Remember that there is nuance for everyone, so do your research and educate yourself, but don’t categorise all people of a certain background as one “archetype” of a mental health patient. If you want to help by starting a project, talk to leaders in the community first. Don’t just assume you know the best solution on their behalf. No need to build a whole new project from scratch, either, if you can help revamp/grow/emphasise the existing work of people in those communities. Remember that at the end of the day, awareness is important, but all the awareness in the world cannot make sustainable change unless we get to the ground and work. So post educational content, but also donate, support legislative reforms, and maybe even become a professional yourself so you can be the change from the inside out!

4. Why does mental health continue to be a stigma in societies all around the world?

There are a lot of nuanced reasons for this, but much of it is tied to history and culture. The need to be “strong” is already prevalent in society, but in the context of BIPOC, many grew up with generations of trauma (from survivors of slavery to refugees of war). This forced people to become “strong” to protect themselves and their loved ones for the purposes of sheer survival, which meant that any sign of “weakness” or “vulnerability” was seen as endangerment and carelessness.

Miseducation and misinformation also plays a part. Misconceptions, such as the idea that mental illness makes a person violent, or that people with mental illness are “unmarriageable,” etc. further this notion that mental illness is something that not only brings shame upon you, the

individual, but also upon your community at-large. But we are seeing more and more now that vulnerability is a sign of emotional maturity and strength; the need to be “strong” is a superhuman feat that no one should have to fulfill every second of every day; mental illness is not a death sentence and those who have a condition are not “inferior” but rather warriors who learn to live with and tame the fire in their hearts.

5. What is Letters to Strangers and how has it been at the forefront of raising awareness about mental health?

Letters to Strangers, or L2S, is the largest global youth-for-youth NGO seeking to destigmatize mental illness and increase access to affordable, quality treatment, particularly for youth aged 13 to 24. We operate through three main pathways:

1) Anonymous letter-writing exchanges with therapy-informed themes and guiding questions.

2) Science-backed peer education curricula, such as our world’s first youth-for-youth mental health guidebook (available on our website).

3) Policy-based grassroots advocacy efforts. We support 35,000+ people in over 20 countries on six continents worldwide. Highlights of our network include: the first student mental health task force at Rutgers University Honors College (NJ, USA); the first mental health professional ever brought to speak at our Karachi high school Chapter (Pakistan); the first Mental Health Resource Center in Monrovia with our Liberia Chapter; a short film series created with the Screen Actors Guild of New York. 6. How has Letters to Strangers been supporting individuals during these difficult times, i.e through COVID-19, Black Lives Matter protests?

We’ve always been committed to racial and minority equity, but the need for that commitment is more obvious than ever.

For COVID-19, we launched the COVID-19 Letters Collective (www.letterstostrangers.org/covid19), where we send letter bundles to frontline workers and those who are particularly isolated right now, such as seniors in nursing homes and chronic patients in pediatric hospitals. We also pushed up the launch of our online letter-exchange platform (www.letterstostrangers. org/letterexchange) to allow people from all over the world to partake in letter exchanges. Workshops have been moved online, and some of our Chapters are conducting workshops on sewing reusable masks, sanitary hygiene products, and other necessities of human dignity and function that have been increasingly difficult to access as import restrictions/travel lockdowns skyrocketed the prices of products in many nations.

We’ve also been conducting education on BIPOC mental health, using our guidebook (www. letterstostrangers.org/store) as a reference since it contains the first deep-dive into Race/ Ethnicity and Mental Health in the U.S. in almost 20 years (since the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report in 2001). For Black Lives Matter specifically, we are fiscally sponsoring a queer & Black-led organisation in Chicago (Activate:Chi) to provide medical professionals and equipment on protest frontlines (Chicago saw the most violent weekend in 2020 during the BLM protests).

7. As an individual, what can I do to create a better society mentally for others?

Practice empathy – learn the difference between that and sympathy. Practice active listening – learn the difference between that and passive listening. Practice normalization of vulnerability, of flaws, of human existence. Be vocal and proactive in your support of others, but also emphasise the importance of maintaining the self. By living the example, you can help others who are too afraid to seek help see you as someone who might potentially understand them, so that you can be a sort of “uplifter” to help them get to the point where they feel safe and sound.

The important thing here is that we are all protagonists of our own stories. This means your job is not to solve other people’s problems for them – your job is to help them get to that point themselves. We aren’t the knights in shining armor – and that’s good, we don’t have to be! The only lead role we play is in our own stories: how we self-care, how we approach healing, how we learn to amplify and protect. For others, we can walk side-by-side as a friend – as simply, but powerfully, someone who deeply cares. 8. In times of struggle, what keeps you motivated and enables you to continue what you do?

Honestly, it’s my community! The incredible L2S family keeps me going when I often feel burnt out or mentally drained. To see the passion and lived experiences of our network is both humbling and inspiring. But also, perhaps it’s my own belief as well that I must live this second chance at life right. I survived suicide attempts when I was younger, in the midst of the worst years of my bipolar disorder, and I feel the raw fragility of life acutely. Living is so precious; community is powerful even when you don’t know it’s there. Maybe, at the end of it all, it’s the faith that I think I need to have for a better future that propels me to fight on.

Optimism – and by extension, hope – is a luxury. But it’s one of the few luxuries we can afford ourselves.

To donate or learn more about L2S, visit their website at https://www.letterstostrangers.org/.

by Saliha Rehanaz