Mandy Collins
Mandy Collins reflects on colonisation, how it devastated First Peoples and the trauma continues today. She recalls learning about the massacres in South West Victoria during her art studies in the 1970s, which shattered her belief in the distorted and twisted history she had recieved at school. She advocates for truth-telling on a community-wide basis, contributing to local truth-telling programs, and promoting First Peoples history and culture through documentation and yarning sessions.
Submission Transcription
Colonisation devastated First Peoples. The devastation and trauma continues today.
I had my eyes opened with my first shock when I was an art student at Warrnambool in the mid 1970s and had the respected historian Jan Critchett tell us about the massacres in the South West of Victoria, especially when she told us about the people, men, women and chikdren, being driven over the cliffs down there. This wiped out in one go any trace I had of believing the distorted and twisted version of history I had received at school. Since then I have had many experiences learning of the atrocities, genocide, and ongoing injustices and cruel racism inflicted through our institutions and society upon First Peoples.
Truth Telling. Whilst I know that the Victorian and Australian education curriculums address the past and are doing a good job, mainly by the crucial and huge input of indigenous historians and educators, I believe truth telling needs to happen on a community wide basis with ongoing programs delivered at a local level that tells the local and State histories within a national context.
As an educator and an informed person I believe that I can offer to contribute to the development of local based truth telling programs in Victoria. We all have stories to tell that are part of truth.
As an educator and an informed person I believe that I can offer to contribute to the development of local based truth telling programs in Victoria. We all have stories to tell that are part of truth.
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Reports and Recommendations
Read the official reports and recommendations of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.
Yoorrook for Transformation
Third Interim Report: A five-volume comprehensive reform report presenting evidence and findings on systemic injustices, and specific recommendations for meaningful change to transform the future.
Truth Be Told
An official public record that documents First Peoples experiences since colonisation, preserves crucial testimonies for future generations and creates an enduring resource for education and understanding.
Recommendations for change
Yoorrook Justice Commission’s recommendations for truth-telling, justice, and systemic reform in Victoria.
