Public Announcement: Black Australia Proclaims July as BLACK HISTORY MONTH
January 27, 2008 at 9:02 am (Indigenous Australians, Indigenous peoples, Indigenous sovereignty, Redfern, colonisation, community, history, imperialism, land rights, power, race and racism, social movements, the state, theory, violence, whiteness, women of colour)
A message forwarded over e-mail lists:
26th January 2008
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
TO ALL AUSTRALIANS
On this 26th Day of January 2008, in commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the proclamation of SURVIVAL day, it is hereby announced that the month of JULY 1-31st is now proclaimed BLACK history month in Australia.
From this day forth and for all years to come, JULY will remain a month of significance and symbolism for the unity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations, in celebration of Australia’s rich, vibrant Indigenous histories and cultures.
JULY will provide an opportunity for ALL AUSTRALIANS to recognise the true Australian identity, giving Schools, Government, Multicultural Australia and most significantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities the opportunity to respectfully promote greater awareness of the diversity, innovation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander splendour.
Australia’s BLACK history month, will join the worldwide celebration of Black History Month, giving a greater international profile to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations, alongside Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The Australian community is hereby advised to BLACK out JULY in their diaries annually as a month of pride and celebration of all tribal groups and people throughout Australia and the Torres Strait.
1st JULY 31st JULY AUSTRALIA’S BLACK HISTORY MONTH
WE HAVE SURVIVED
Sylvia/M said,
January 27, 2008 at 10:45 am
This is excellent news! Here’s hoping that the contributions of Black Australia eventually stretch out year round!
David F said,
February 16, 2008 at 2:01 pm
An interesting idea.
Personally I don’t particularly like the theme of ‘Black History’. Besides appearing to be a kind of confrontational approach to the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians I tend not to like it because of the word History. It seems to place everything in reference to what was rather than what can be.
Personally I like NAIDOC week as it celebrates the survival and therefor continued existence of Aboriginal culture. Here in the NT we have the potential and possibly the opportunity to embrace a lifestyle that is more connected and aware of the original cultures of the land. Not by looking back but by participating in and learning to understand cultural protocols that have never been extinguished by the invasion and occupation. Those who share this place we live, could actually create a society that not only acknowledges articles of indigenous culture but one that adopts them as a cultural norms…
Languages such as Yolngu Matha which, although not universal, could provide a vehicle for greater understanding of the social structures Balanda people have for so long ignored and in many cases succeeded in destroying.
Will Balanda’s dare to learn the ways that will allow them to become a natural part of their own country?
Fire Fly said,
February 17, 2008 at 11:42 am
Honestly, David, I don’t see what you mean that “a kind of confrontational approach to the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians” is being fostered by the promotion of a Black History Month in Australia. Much of the “confrontational approach” was taken up by white colonisers in invading this country in the first place, and the colonisation has not ceased.
I tend not to like it because of the word History. It seems to place everything in reference to what was rather than what can be.
Well, history produces the present. Denying the past tends to compound present and future harm. Besides, to understand the way forward for Aboriginal society, you have to understand its history so as not to repeat mistakes of the past and to learn from it.
Besides, confronting the past may be vital for the future. You can’t make a future in ignorance.
Not by looking back but by participating in and learning to understand cultural protocols that have never been extinguished by the invasion and occupation.
I don’t understand why you’re contrasting “looking back” with “learning to understand cultural protocols” as if they’re mutually exclusive? Or as if they weren’t interdependent?
Will Balanda’s dare to learn the ways that will allow them to become a natural part of their own country?
Why are you framing the problematic of colonial relations in terms of “cultural protocols”? IMO, this is a dangerous approach to Aboriginal affairs, because it individualises and depoliticises the relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. The answer for the decolonisation of Australia does not lie in individuals learning new practices while leaving existing colonising structures in place, IMO. For the relationship of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal societies in Australia to be transformed on a just basis, there needs to be fundamental political change.
david F said,
April 29, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Apologies for not following up this conversation earlier. I totally lost track of this post.
FireFly, your points are taken and quite obviously valid. But I thought Black History Month was related more to African Americans. Has this now been expanded to annex Indigenous people?
My comments were based entirely on my gut reaction to the suggestion of a “Black History Month” as the means by which we can address indigenous and non indigenous relations in Australia.
I’m kind of short on time at the moment and can’t provide much detail about why. Something about the name of it made me cringe and still does. Using the word Black to identify all indigenous people. My previous resistance to the word history or possibly any suggestion that there is one definitive History. And the idea that one whole month should be spent focusing on historical events, mistakes, crimes etc. It seems rather a long time to be claiming from our consciousness.
As the month of July is approaching we shall see how it is received and if good comes from the idea then of course there shall be no objection from me. After all my original comments were only my own unqualified, personal opinion based on a gut reaction. I had no intention of offending.
Cheers
Fire Fly said,
April 30, 2008 at 5:42 am
I thought Black History Month was related more to African Americans. Has this now been expanded to annex Indigenous people?
Black History Month has obviously been expanded to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, by Aboriginal people themselves, otherwise there wouldn’t be a call for a Black History Month to take place in Australia.
Using the word Black to identify all indigenous people.
I’m aware that there are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who don’t identify as Black, however that doesn’t detract from the main point of the exercise, which is to focus on Black history.
My previous resistance to the word history or possibly any suggestion that there is one definitive History.
I don’t see any suggestion of there being a definitive history, and I know Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander historians will probably also claim otherwise. The call-out speaks of the diversity of Black experience and cultures, so I don’t see where you’re getting this impression from.
And the idea that one whole month should be spent focusing on historical events, mistakes, crimes etc. It seems rather a long time to be claiming from our consciousness.
Yet Aboriginal people themselves have to live with the effects of that history all 12 months of the year… So “rather a long time” compared to what? Nothing? The point is that the lack of attention given to Indigenous histories means that there’s little to no consciousness about them in the first place. Anything would seem like “rather a long time” compared to nothing.
david F said,
May 1, 2008 at 6:50 am
Yes, once again all your points are quite valid. Rather than continue along fruitlessly with an argument that goes nowhere. I’ll take your last point as the basis for all else.
On this point… Yes I agree! “…there’s little to no consciousness about them in the first place.”
So rather than argue about what I don’t like about the concept I will come back to the basis for the idea in the first place.
Australians need to know more about our history, in particular the crimes that were committed against indigenous people. But also about the cultures and people that existed here long before balanda set foot on the place. I agree that for change to happen we need leadership from our Government including gestures like the recent apology in order to make real the things that have gone unspoken.
Although we do need initiatives from Government to set us on the path of re-conciliation, there is also a lot that can be done by individuals. Without individual people stepping out of their own comfort zones, and attempting to meet each other with open hearts, forgiveness and compassion then we will not heal those old wounds. There is reason to be angry but anger can not sustain a healthy community.
Thanks for the opportunity to comment.