BLM: Australia
I’ve been incredibly quiet on the social media front over the last few months, with no post since #blackouttuesday.
I have tried to spend this time reflecting on my own privilege as a middle-class white male in a society that favours people like me and looks down upon and maligns those that don’t.
It is in this world that I am viewed as someone that belongs, that is home. But the Traditional Owners of this land are viewed as visitors, as people that aren’t considered or honoured or given any value. Which makes no sense because their experience, their knowledge, their culture of this land stretches back beyond 40,000 years. But more than that, even ignoring their long history, they are people that deserve to be treated as people - the way I get treated every day as a white person.
There have been over 435 black deaths in Australian custody since 1991, or as someone else has put it: 1 death every 3 weeks for 29 years.
What’s more, they are oppressed by a legal system that has been designed to make it harder for them. Some of the main contributors to Indigenous imprisonment and deaths are incredibly low-level, such as public drunkenness. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been drunk in public heaps of times, but not once have I felt worried or concerned I could end up arrested, in jail, and possibly die.
Not once.
And that’s uncomfortable to face.
As a result, I’ve been wondering what the best way forward would be to live in a society that doesn’t just accept people of colour, but raises them up as they deserve to be raised, to treat them the way the deserve to be treated: fairly, respectfully, honourably.
And I have no idea.
But one thing I have decided to do is acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which I take my photos. Sometimes it will be a generic acknowledgement if I can’t find who the Traditional Owners might be, but I will always do my best to name and honour them.
This might not seem like much, and some may even question why bother. Others might say it’s not enough, and that I should do more.
So why am I doing it?
To show them respect as the Traditional Owners. To draw attention to the fact we took this land from them. To not sweep it under the rug and go blithely about my life.
By putting it out there and acknowledging it, I am raising awareness. I am helping bring it into the public consciousness. Helping to normalise it.
Put it this way, First Nation people have been excluded, discriminated against, and oppressed for far too long. Federal Laws and equal rights didn’t apply to Aboriginal Australians until 1967, and up until 1965 most didn’t even have full citizenship or voting rights.
That isn’t that long ago.
So by putting an Acknowledgement of Country on my photos, I am showing them the respect they deserve. Respect they have been sorely denied.
On top of that, I have decided to support the following Indigenous charities and foundations:
Indigenous Literacy Foundation
A national book industry charity dedicated to lifting literacy levels in remote Indigenous communities.
An independent not-for-profit organisation that aims to inspire and enable all Australians to contribute to the reconciliation of the nation.
An Imagination Factory aiming to put a mentor in every kids life every day.
A national advocacy platform and touchpoint for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBQTI) peoples.
Working together with communities to improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island mothers and children.
Advocates for the collective human rights of women and girls in prison, their families and provides services to address their individual needs.
Yirra Yaakin is Australia’s biggest Aboriginal-led theatre company sharing Aboriginal stories through exciting, entertaining, educational and authentic new works.
An independent, national network of organisations and individuals working in support of Justice, Rights and Respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
They advocate for the development of law and a justice system which is fair, just and equitable, taking on the most challenging cases that will advance human.
Formed to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women to have a strong and effective voice in the domestic and international policy advocacy process.
Created to fund research in health and education in order to address one of Australia’s most urgent issues: the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians’ health and education opportunities and outcomes.
Founded to address the vast inequality in health between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. We do this by enabling communities to take charge of their own health and education outcomes creating transformative health change.
Now none of this may seem like much, but it’s me taking that first step down a road that needs to be walked.
I will continue to grow. To learn. To support.
And I hope you all do too.