Campbell Gome

I have some knowledge of the devastating and ongoing impacts of the colonisation of Victoria on the lives and culture of First Peoples. Also of the organised and ongoing resistance that First Peoples have led since invasion to protect country, culture and community.

As a student in Victoria in the late 1970s and 80s I learnt nothing outside of the lie of the Terra Nullius world view. Worse than that, I remember that in the suburban primary school I attended, on a Friday afternoon just before home time and the teacher asked if anyone wanted to tell a joke, it was considered absolutely normal and ok to tell racist jokes that vilified First Peoples (also women, Jewish people and others). As a ten year old I remember feeling embarrassed and angry about this, but also too ashamed to tell my parents or to call it out. A casual job with the Koorie Heritage Trust in 1988 started my journey of learning more about the true history of Victoria. Now that I’m a teacher, I’ve tried hard to listen and learn from First People and community organisations and to plan and implement units of work every term and at every year level that integrate a better and more complete and culturally appropriate and culturally safe curriculum.

Education and Curriculum- I learnt a huge amount from my years teaching at Thornbury Primary School. Their decades of experience in working towards a culturally safe and engaging program for First Nations (and indeed all) students is incredible and could be used as a case study/beacon in terms of what all schools should be working towards in consultation with their local communities. This is not just about the excellent Woiwurrung and what used to be called the Indigenous Studies programs which are/were developed and led by First Nations educators, it’s about building a whole of school curriculum, built environment, culture, community that is grounded in the journey towards better understanding and respect for First Peoples cultures.

1. Listening to and engaging with, and amplifying First People’s Truth Telling.
2. Telling our own Truths. I need to do more research to my own family and history but I do know that – Ancestors on my paternal side lived in and around Gunditjmara Country at the time of invasion. And as I think Professor Marcia Langton or Henry Reynolds said in their Yoorrook submissions that was a time when ‘you either held a gun or you held your tongue’ – Ancestors on my maternal side arrived as Jewish refugees between the wars. They were aware of and grateful for the activism and support of William Cooper and others – My ancestors, descendants and I continue to benefit from the historic and ongoing colonial violence inflicted on First Peoples here and around the world

1. Listening to and engaging with, and amplifying First People’s Truth Telling.
2. Telling our own Truths. I need to do more research to my own family and history but I do know that – Ancestors on my paternal side lived in and around Gunditjmara Country at the time of invasion. And as I think Professor Marcia Langton or Henry Reynolds said in their Yoorrook submissions that was a time when ‘you either held a gun or you held your tongue’ – Ancestors on my maternal side arrived as Jewish refugees between the wars. They were aware of and grateful for the activism and support of William Cooper and others – My ancestors, descendants and I continue to benefit from the historic and ongoing colonial violence inflicted on First Peoples here and around the world