Comments on: Art Centre of the week – Warmun, east Kimberley, WA http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2009/06/14/art-centre-of-the-week-warmun-east-kimberley-wa/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:11:15 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sachiko http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2009/06/14/art-centre-of-the-week-warmun-east-kimberley-wa/comment-page-1/#comment-507 Sachiko Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:20:27 +0000 http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/?p=1393#comment-507 Dear Bob, I work at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University. Each year we put together a calendar to give free (ie no charge, no revenue raised) to farmers who participate in our wildlife research to thank them for their involvement and to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. We would like to use the picture of the Australian Owlet-nightjar photographed by Gloria Morales. If you know her contacts, could you please let me know (ichisachi@hotmail.com). Apology for asking such a thing in the comment. Kind Regards, Sachiko Dear Bob,

I work at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University. Each year we put together a calendar to give free (ie no charge, no revenue raised) to farmers who participate in our wildlife research to thank them for their involvement and to raise awareness about wildlife conservation.

We would like to use the picture of the Australian Owlet-nightjar photographed by Gloria Morales. If you know her contacts, could you please let me know (ichisachi@hotmail.com).

Apology for asking such a thing in the comment.

Kind Regards,

Sachiko

]]> By: Cycling from Darwin to Broome – at night!! – The Northern Myth http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2009/06/14/art-centre-of-the-week-warmun-east-kimberley-wa/comment-page-1/#comment-506 Cycling from Darwin to Broome – at night!! – The Northern Myth Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:20:21 +0000 http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/?p=1393#comment-506 [...] had a chat later in the day on the verandah of the Warmun Arts Centre – which I’ve written about here when I was there earlier in the [...]

...] had a chat later in the day on the verandah of the Warmun Arts Centre – which I’ve written about here when I was there earlier in the [...

]]> By: cici http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2009/06/14/art-centre-of-the-week-warmun-east-kimberley-wa/comment-page-1/#comment-364 cici Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:49:04 +0000 http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/?p=1393#comment-364 Of course I meant Rudd and "overcoming indigenous disadvantage" - although I can hear many out there already screaming about "Aboriginal advantage". sue stanton Of course I meant Rudd and “overcoming indigenous disadvantage” – although I can hear many out there already screaming about “Aboriginal advantage”.

sue stanton

]]> By: cici http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2009/06/14/art-centre-of-the-week-warmun-east-kimberley-wa/comment-page-1/#comment-363 cici Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:16:16 +0000 http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/?p=1393#comment-363 Overcoming "Indigenous" Disadvantage - and the disadvantage of terminology. In my opinion "indigenous", as it is used in relation to "the Intervention" and all that is associated with that term - is NOT about people, and its not even about paedophilia - instead it is about programs, policies, power & politics - as well as exploitation, abuse, failure. Once upon a time I criticised the term Aboriginal - and the imposition of that stylised identity by the colonisers as a collective identity for mainland Aboriginal Australians. And while the terms 'Aborigine' and 'Aboriginal' are still among the most disputed in contemporary Australian language, the all-encompassing term of "indigenous" is not only unsuitable but highly inappropriate and extremly misleading. The term Aboriginal Australian or Australian Aboriginal itself is a wholly consumptive way in which Anglo/Other Australia goes about integrating a range of different aspects of diverse Aboriginal clans, their ideals, aspirations, philosophies, knowledges, politics, religious and cultural tenets and ceremonial practices. However, the term "indigenous" has been adopted as yet another Australian way of grouping together peoples who they know and understand little about, simply so as to to accommodate their limited understandings and out of their laziness and disinterest. Australians may have got away with the pan-Aboriginal identity thing in the past but the pan-indigenous identity categorisation of people leaves a broad and wide-open scope for almost anyone to take advantage of. Yes, true there were huge problems with the government/ATSIC definitions too, but they were much clearer to negotiate and to be understood in comparison to the carte blanche use of the term "indigenous". At least the colonists, who assisted in the creation of the term Aboriginal and therefore 'Aboriginal identity' did so in part to satisfy their own understandings of the Other. Aboriginal Australians, in the most part, accepted this identity too. However, nothing can take away the point that, whether this adoption of new identity was both clearly determined and determining [See: Bain Attwood, The Making of the Aborigines (1989)] the term Aboriginal/Aborigine has dispossessed these people of their separate identities. Placing Aboriginal people now in the neat little homogenous group known as "indigenous" further dispossesses and disadvantages - and regardless of the multiculturalism that supposedly thrives in the broader Australian community, or the "spirit of reconciliation" which supposedly unites Aboriginal and mainstream Australia, disadvantage - regardless of the flashy new identity of "indigenous" continues. It continues to strip, indeed further rob Aboriginal people of their basic human rights as citizens of Australia and it prevents them from being equal participants in the overall Australian social contract. I listened to Rudd on Darwin TV last night talking about "overcoming indigenous advantage" - the only way Rudd, Macklin, Henderson et al (including all the same olds (Aboriginal and Other) sitting around the round tables - is to give full citizenship rights to all Aboriginal Australians, including giving them the right to self-identify and to be in charge of their own futures. Aboriginal people MUST have an Aboriginal Minister! Its time!! I'm tired of people stating that there is no Aboriginal leadership - there are many strong and good leaders - and I'm not talking about the consultants and advisors and the "community managers" and other tyrants. A question to be asked here is - where are all the good and strong non-Aboriginal leaders in government? Most affected by the NT Intervention are disadvantaged, homeless and are refugees within their own country, this land Australia. Government has to address "indigenous disadvanatage" the same way problems are addressed in relation to international refugees and migrants - re re-settlement: social security, jobs, health, education, equity, restore dignity. It is time to turn "indigenous" away from "industry" and restore or introduce some integrity. Last: Rudd acts almost shocked to hear about the level of Aboriginal disadvantage - what rock did he live under in Queensland? Sue Stanton Overcoming “Indigenous” Disadvantage – and the disadvantage of terminology.
In my opinion “indigenous”, as it is used in relation to “the Intervention” and all that is associated with that term – is NOT about people, and its not even about paedophilia – instead it is about programs, policies, power & politics – as well as exploitation, abuse, failure.
Once upon a time I criticised the term Aboriginal – and the imposition of that stylised identity by the colonisers as a collective identity for mainland Aboriginal Australians. And while the terms ‘Aborigine’ and ‘Aboriginal’ are still among the most disputed in contemporary Australian language, the all-encompassing term of “indigenous” is not only unsuitable but highly inappropriate and extremly misleading. The term Aboriginal Australian or Australian Aboriginal itself is a wholly consumptive way in which Anglo/Other Australia goes about integrating a range of different aspects of diverse Aboriginal clans, their ideals, aspirations, philosophies, knowledges, politics, religious and cultural tenets and ceremonial practices. However, the term “indigenous” has been adopted as yet another Australian way of grouping together peoples who they know and understand little about, simply so as to to accommodate their limited understandings and out of their laziness and disinterest.

Australians may have got away with the pan-Aboriginal identity thing in the past but the pan-indigenous identity categorisation of people leaves a broad and wide-open scope for almost anyone to take advantage of. Yes, true there were huge problems with the government/ATSIC definitions too, but they were much clearer to negotiate and to be understood in comparison to the carte blanche use of the term “indigenous”. At least the colonists, who assisted in the creation of the term Aboriginal and therefore ‘Aboriginal identity’ did so in part to satisfy their own understandings of the Other. Aboriginal Australians, in the most part, accepted this identity too. However, nothing can take away the point that, whether this adoption of new identity was both clearly determined and determining [See: Bain Attwood, The Making of the Aborigines (1989)] the term Aboriginal/Aborigine has dispossessed these people of their separate identities. Placing Aboriginal people now in the neat little homogenous group known as “indigenous” further dispossesses and disadvantages – and regardless of the multiculturalism that supposedly thrives in the broader Australian community, or the “spirit of reconciliation” which supposedly unites Aboriginal and mainstream Australia, disadvantage – regardless of the flashy new identity of “indigenous” continues. It continues to strip, indeed further rob Aboriginal people of their basic human rights as citizens of Australia and it prevents them from being equal participants in the overall Australian social contract.

I listened to Rudd on Darwin TV last night talking about “overcoming indigenous advantage” – the only way Rudd, Macklin, Henderson et al (including all the same olds (Aboriginal and Other) sitting around the round tables – is to give full citizenship rights to all Aboriginal Australians, including giving them the right to self-identify and to be in charge of their own futures. Aboriginal people MUST have an Aboriginal Minister! Its time!!
I’m tired of people stating that there is no Aboriginal leadership – there are many strong and good leaders – and I’m not talking about the consultants and advisors and the “community managers” and other tyrants. A question to be asked here is – where are all the good and strong non-Aboriginal leaders in government?

Most affected by the NT Intervention are disadvantaged, homeless and are refugees within their own country, this land Australia. Government has to address “indigenous disadvanatage” the same way problems are addressed in relation to international refugees and migrants – re re-settlement: social security, jobs, health, education, equity, restore dignity. It is time to turn “indigenous” away from “industry” and restore or introduce some integrity.

Last: Rudd acts almost shocked to hear about the level of Aboriginal disadvantage – what rock did he live under in Queensland?

Sue Stanton

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