Invasion Day - my feelings and thoughts, need for our people to stand up

[WarrigalD]

Invasion, clearing of our land, fences, strange animals, rum, stealing our half cast children and teaching the ‘black’
out of them, with clothes, with discipline, religion and violence. Stamping out the black – the badness. Missions. Bringing disease that we have been protected from for 30,000 years. Yes, 30,000 years we have lived on this land with our own mobs, with different
languages, different ceremony, different skills, different marriage systems. We had physical markers in our environment
that were like your fences that warned other mobs not to go there. Our own legal system. Rapists get speared in the leg. They get no bush medicine from their people. If they live, they are banished from the tribe. If they die, good. No jails.

No walls, just nature. We left no
footprints on our environment. No pollution.

So, when you ask yourself why we black fellas fight, abuse alcohol and drugs, have no respect to our elders anymore,
is because we are lost between two worlds.
White fellas can throw as much money into helping us. It won’t work. We need to find a way to live between two
worlds. We need to do it on our own. Our once strong, loving, dreamtime is fading away. We are a fractured,
damaged, struggling people. Australia was not settled. It was invaded. Which was quite a popular thing at the time. For any ‘civilised’ nation to find ‘savages’ living in a world of exploration, the ‘savages’ were considered nothing more than monkeys and the land was considered a resource.

And here we are now…some of us are making a difference. But then go to some places on
pension day and watch the entire aboriginal population have a full on riot in
the streets. And have a look at our prisons. Lots of us there for: Theft, battery, rape, murder. When all they needed was their elders to spear them in the thigh and leave them for dead.

So ask yourself a question. Where to now? We need to stand up. We need to maintain our identites, we can still go to university, get a good job, but need to keep our real culture alive. We can do this. We really can. Teach our young ones respect, identity, family values, culture.

Sorry for my ramblings, but I just needed to get this off my chest. I hope I don't offend anyone. I just see all of this happening, and I believe our ancient culture is worth fighting for.

[Chris_B]

Hi Warrigal, welcome to the forums.

I am a migrant to your beautiful country, from New Zealand. Our nation has its own poor history when it comes to treatment of Indigenous peoples, and I don't believe any of us can or should forget this or try to minimise it because it continues to impact on the present.

I'd really like to know more about what you are doing to make a difference, and as a whitefella, what I and people like me can do.

[white knight]

Hi Warrigal, welcome and thanks for sharing.

My ancestors were among the first settlers in Tasmania. Settlers that directly or indirectly, assisted in the extinction of the Tasmanian indigenous peoples. That was then and we shouldn't forget like, we shouldn't forget the lost souls of world wars black or white people.

In many ways I wished I was indigenous. You would have much to be proud about. The depth of your peoples stories, means to find food, your spirits and the management of your land to name a few. Well done to all of your people. Then to be invaded and treated as your fathers were was simply wrong. I'm sorry.

With my attitude about all that being sympathetic, Chris raised a great question, what can we do to assist now as individuals and on this forum? We can be understanding as much as a white fella could possibly be, we can be respectful which has been severely lacking between all races since the beginning of time and we can be considerate to your feelings that really have been dealt a terrible blow to you and your elders. How much is enough? I think it would be fair to say that no action or thoughts would ever be enough to erase the past and fair enough. But we can try.

So I can tell you what I can do. I can listen. I can treat you equally, I can admire you, I can walk the ragged edges of life with you and be there beside you. I can even love you given half the chance. Is there a catch?

There is no catch as such but it would be wonderful if you understood that we that are alive today cant erase the terrible past done by the white fella. That our soldiers black and white fought beside each other as one force in both world wars so we should honour those brave souls by walking beside each other today as one so the horrors of the past never happen again.

Finally, there is only one way now and that is - forward. Let us all remember the past but focus on the future. For the future we can shape, the past we cannot.

You can teach your children so you keep your identities. Unfortunately money is the ticket to many things and this means the Governments means of assistance is measured that way. But teaching one indigenous child about their heritage, their elders, their spirits and their culture will be far more valuable than one dollar of currency.

Thankyou for posting. It was enlightening to read.

Tony WK

[Starwolf]

Hey Warrigal,

Thank you so much for your contribution to these forums.

A lot of harm was done through ignorance, narrow-mindedness and a false sense of superiority. I live by choice in the bush, in so-called primitive conditions and away from the rat race. I am of white European descent, with a tinge of dark in my ancestry. My way of life has often been referred to as "worse than a blackfella's". This is of course meant to be demeaning. I'm not mainstream enough (but proud of it). Those who don't know me despise me. So I can -at least in part- get where you are coming from and also where you're at.

Strong, intelligent and articulate people like you have the daunting task of helping keep your culture alive. There's so much the world could learn...if it was humble enough. It can't be allowed to become lost. How can the culture clash be avoided ? Getting to know each other does help, provided our mind is open to different points of view. It will be a slow, difficult work but I couldn't think of a more worthwhile enterprise.

Many of your people are lost, suffering. I hope they hear your call and your thread can be a start towards recovery. Here at BB, we can meet and interact. We're all on the same boat, often misunderstood, rejected by society because we are perceived as different. Many of us feel they can't fit in. But you know what, I have found here less judgment, more understanding, compassion and support than is usually offered in society at large. Regardless of cultural differences, human beings is what we are. All of us.

Welcome to BB, Warrigal. Great to have you on board.

[Gruffudd]

Hi there Warrigal,

Thank you for saying this.

I come from another country and grew up with the story of our people being invaded and put down. You ended with something I have held onto for my country, I believe our ancient culture is worth fighting for. I acknowledge what has happened here in Australia and the people who have always been. Back home things are changing too, mine is the first generation to finish school and have a chance at university, small numbers but it is a big thing. We have had to do it ourselves and it is easier for some then it is for others. Our culture and language is not just being retained now, it is what inspires our young people and makes the rest of us so proud of them. I am not a big fan of this Australia day or as you rightly say Invasion day but you give me hope that there is a future for you and your young people and in a way that things will work out in my old country too.

All the best and let me celebrate the survival of culture and family because it is a beautiful thing and definitely worth fighting for.

Rob.

[blondguy]

Hi Warrigal

You are not rambling in any way. I have nothing but respect for what you have posted. I am also a whitefella and am from english and swedish descent. I dont mind being of swedish descent but I seem to have a major problem with my dads heritage being British.

I know what the British did when they came here and shame on them. My elderly mum was in Finland when she was a child and has a crystal clear memory of what the German troops did to the finns at the Helsinki Airport which I cant describe on the forums...It wouldn't be appropriate on a public forum (maybe it should?)

When my grandad told me what the British (his relatives) did to your people I still feel nauseous even thinking about it...I wish I had the ability to discuss it further.

My heart is with yours on this Warrigal

Paul...Southern Vic