Photovoice - Sharing of Country

PHOTOVOICE

Sharing of Country

Photograph on cover by Brandon Cook

A special thanks to Elly Lukale, Chris Charles, Jeff Breen, Joyce Drummond, Robyn Wade, Cecilia Fernandez, IBN and the NAIDOC Committee for their contribution and support of the project.

This project is sponsored by The Shire of Ashburton

PHOTOVOICE

Sharing of Country In June 2012, eight local youths, both indigenous and non-indigenous, participated in a Photovoice programme in Tom Price.

The aim was to encourage participants to develop and explore their visual language skills by using photography to communicate their perspectives, thoughts and feelings about ‘Sharing of Country’ in the context of celebrating NAIDOC week.

Their engagement, effort and participation in the programme brought with it invaluable insight and perspectives that reveal an innate wisdom in our youth about our culture and communities.

Julie Glover, Photovoice workshop facilitator

Photographs and participation by: Brandon Cook Kyam Minga Mara Cook Skye Cook Tasma Cook Kyla Rassip Braiden Smith Phoebe Tomson Grace Tucker

School.

Work.

Towns.

We all share them.

It makes no difference at all.

Well, as a child I see none. When I took up these photography classes I talked a bit about it with my mum. She asked me what it was like being one of the only non-indigenous people in the class, then she laughed and said, ‘Well, I suppose you don’t see a difference do you?’. It got brought to my attention after that discussion that no, I hadn’t actually seen much of a difference. Not nearly enough to distinguish myself from the rest of the people taking the class. Even at school, there hadn’t been much of a difference. I treat them like I should, like they’re no different. No added respect and no added hate. This project made me realise the fact that as humans, on the inside, the way we think, it doesn’t become different because of our skin colour or nationality.

So I’m proud to be one of the people who shares country and land without a problem.

You should be too.

Phoebe Thomson, 11yrs Tom Price, WA

Sharing Culture Sharing culture to me means that we people are sharing the aboriginals land together. They made that choice of sharing land with people with different colour and different cultures. Because they want to know more about their culture and what they do over on their lands.

Sharing culture in the Pilbara means a lot to me because I was brought up in the Pilbara with my family and we would always go out bush with them.

Sharing of country means to me getting along with one another.

Sharing our culture is pretty good because people get to know more about the aboriginals culture.

Tasma Cook, 14yrs Wakathuni, WA

Branden Cook, 15yrs Wakathuni, WA

Sharing Country Sharing Country, means to share what belongs to everyone.

Skye Cook, 13yrs Wakathuni, WA

Sharing the Country The photos I took made me feel bright, loving, caring, sharing and it made me feel freedom and now by just looking at the photos I took this week it made me know a lot of things and what the country looks like and its very special to me because I’m only a little girl who doesn’t know anything about country.

It made me feel free.

This isn’t the time to make hard and fast decisions this is the time to make mistakes.

I’m proud that I’m Aboriginal but if I wasn’t I would still respect Aboriginal and non Aboriginal cultures.

Forever forward I am Aboriginal.

Kyam Minga Mara Cook, 11yrs Wakathuni, WA

Braiden Smith, 13yrs Wakathuni, WA

Sharing of the Country Sharing of the country is not an option; it’s an essential. We white people should remember that WE were the immigrants, not people like Skye, or Kyam.

People like us (the white people) have underestimated the capability of the natives.

I realized that a long , loonng time ago.

Grace Tucker, 13yrs Tom Price, WA

Opposite: Spray-paint Jacinta: Represents the tie of friendship and anyone can make their mark in this world.

The fish represents being foreign and different because they look like koi, which are Japanese.

Anyone and everyone should be accepted in this country.

Sharing the swing: Sharing our Country.

There are loads of birds on that one tree, therefore symbolising that we all share this one country and we should be glad that we do.

Sharing of Country A country is a vast land, and is symbolic of freedom, love, nature, care and both the living and non-living things that share and inhabit it. Although it can symbolise such beautiful things, it has been the cause of such fear, hatred and murder from the beginning of time.

Country, we have learnt over the centuries is a valuable asset, and is accredited to endorsing ones power if it is obtained, an example of this is with Monarchies and Governments. I say this because if Monarchies and Governments did not have ownerships over a country and or a particular piece of land, they would not have power, and power is what you need in order to rule a country and those who inhabit it.

If you have rulership, then you have then you think own a country.

Country is something we all think we own, but nobody owns it, not even the indigenous inhabitors, such as myself. I believe country is a gift and privilege and although it is something we share, it is something that is not to be claimed, but it is something that we all must work together to protect, in order to make it worth while sharing. It is our home, and your home is where you make it, although you think it belongs to you.

It is a mere privilege that has been bestowed upon everyone in which we all must share, to protect and to look after in order for the country to retain its beauty and richness, so that we can pass it on to the next generation in order take care of it, remember, something that is a gift, doesn’t necessarily mean you can keep it, country, is a gift, and it is something that is internationally borrowed from many different cultures and life forms around the world, and in the end, something that is borrowed, must always be given back.

Kyla Rassip, 17yrs Tom Price, WA