Miranda Connaughton Kerr
Miranda Connaughton Kerr discusses how it feels “different and hidden” to be an Aboriginal person living in Victoria, their experiences, self-determination, and how they want their children and grandchildren to feel “no shame attached to their family’s history.”
Submission Transcription
Different and Hidden for the most part as we were told not to let people know we were aboriginal for a very long time, our adoptive grandparents made us feel ashamed to be aboriginal. Even though we now proudly identify, we are still cautious engaging with new people as the racism and hatred can be very hurtful.
Being lighter skinned (more milk in my coffee) has given me the opportunity to listen to some peoples uninformed and ignorant views on aboriginals in person, these views and those via the media can be traumatizing because they are generalized untruths.
Self determination to me would mean my self and my family being able to be accepted and live freely and happily, to be proud practitioners of our culture, to embrace our heritage as aboriginal people without the stigma that has been attached to us through ignorance, racism and colonization, to be appreciated for the good we do in the community.
No shame attached to their families history. That was out of our hands due to government policy of the time attempting to breed the black out of us. For them to be able embrace, enjoy and practice culture, for them to be a part of new generations of people that know and accept the historical wrongs that have been done in the name of right, and for those wrongs never to be repeated. to live in a world of truth.
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