Anonymous 1199

The colonisation has had a horrific impact of the first peoples. I have learnt this from listening to The Mission on 3rr, Bob Spearim’s frontier wars podcast and from stories my great cousin told me.

I’m fifty so I wasn’t taught anything at school about First Nations history and culture. So it wasn’t comprehensive. The only thing I remember about Australian history is that there was a picture book that depicted first people with spears standing on a rock, and British people with guns. As I had never met aboriginal people I was very upset because I thought they all had been killed. As I was told this is what the English did, I told off my mother who is English for killing all the aboriginals. She responded by saying it wasn’t just the English, and many English people like herself don’t approve of how the first people were treated.

As a parent I was pleased that my son was taught more about first people’s culture. However, I would like to see subjects taught by teachers who are first people. I would like to see Councils providing courses about first peoples culture and the history of colonisation’s horrific impact on first people nations.

I feel that the way non First Nations Victorians can contribute to the process of truth telling and treaty is by listening, not getting defensive, or riddled with white colonial fragility. Also by showing up and supporting events organised by first people.

I feel that the way non First Nations Victorians can contribute to the process of truth telling and treaty is by listening, not getting defensive, or riddled with white colonial fragility. Also by showing up and supporting events organised by first people.