Anonymous 1368

I understand that colonisation has had a focused impact on first peoples. Our policies and social fabric had a racist and genocidal agenda – tho at the time the idea and name of the British Empire a strong and justifiable logic. This inter generational trauma is felt today and the impacts I across social and economic factors show and ongoing impact. Aboriginal peoples are resilient and their culture and language still here.

I came from Darwin when I was 17 for university. The sovereign relationship here in Victoria was decades ahead of the racist and ignorance culture I came from. My limited education focused on heroic white history and was immediately challenged when I can here. I quickly learnt more and pushed my bias and understanding. Indifference turned to interest and then to connection. My education came from professional saftey programs, research directly with Aboriginal people and working on Aborignal focused projects and from discussions with peers. It was until a decade later that I began to understand Terra Nullius and Sovereignty never ceded! This was important civic and global contexts that made things really click in my relationship to First nations as an Australian. I feel it reaches the basics better than other states but no where near comprehensive in helping reconciliation and telling the true history of Australia so we all feel at home!

Regular yearly/seasonal celebration and connection of First Peoples – imagine Kulin hosting their trade gathering to bring rural and remote communities together. (All comms). I was to SEE a new expression and identity worry for the state: a modern showcase of Australian/Victorian identity that is Aussie shaped by treaty and being in relationship with one another. Place names and environments having rights EG Yarra as Birrung returned to blue Id we can finally stop talking in circles and make progress No children in prison. Decisions made for and by Aboriginal Communities.

Yes. It takes two (or more) to Treaty. Through being involved we can face our quiet shame of the historic injustices that built our modern world, mourn and celebrate our stories that together we can acknowledge and find a different way forward. There is such desire to do differently to our colonising ancestors and it starts by deeply listening and for once trying to FOLLOW apposed to dictating.

Yes. It takes two (or more) to Treaty. Through being involved we can face our quiet shame of the historic injustices that built our modern world, mourn and celebrate our stories that together we can acknowledge and find a different way forward. There is such desire to do differently to our colonising ancestors and it starts by deeply listening and for once trying to FOLLOW apposed to dictating.