First Nations People — Body of Work

If I was a betting man and odds were available, there would be coin to be made on the date of Australia Day changing during my lifetime.

Of course, I have hopes for a long life, but I do not study the form placing me at a disadvantage when predicting worthwhile punting opportunities, however, I feel it in my bones.

This is not a sign of disrespect, rather, Australia Day is a relatively new concept and the young people of our nation, our next leaders, are much better at acknowledging the past.

Politics, News, LeadershipBrian Wightman23 January 2022Australia Day, First Nations People, #changethedate, social media

Batman

But thousands of years before European settlement the plangermairreenner, plindermairhemener, and tonenerweenerlarmenneclans (Ben Lomond tribe) called the mountain turbunna.

Hauntingly, following colonisation, it became a region synonymous with murder, dispossession, the Black Line, and "black catching".

LeadershipBrian Wightman16 April 2021John Batman, Batman Bridge, Ben Lom, Black Wars, First Nations People

Acknowledgement

A celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be traced back to the 1920's and 30's when the Australian Aborigines Progressive Association and the Australian Aborigines League began raising awareness and promoting rights.

Gradually, the notion of celebration has grown with Torres Strait Islanders added to the NADOC acronym in 1991 to recognise their contribution as original owners.

Like reconciliation, acceptance of NAIDOC Week has been a slow process

Tasmania's Special Places: His name was not Jacob

His name was not Jacob, but he felt at home on a ladder.

A Jacob's Ladder can be found in several forms across the world. From a pedestrian staircase in Brisbane and a bridge in New Zealand to a scenic path in Scotland and a section of Route 20 in the US.

It is also the name of a 1990 horror film, a three-part pocketknife, and a spiritual song of African American slaves.

The origin of Jacob's Ladder comes from a passage in the King James Version of the Holy Bible from The Book of Genesis: Chapter 28 Verse 12 which states: "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it."

When Coming First is Not Winning

Australia has an uncomfortable past. It is simple to acknowledge but difficult to repair.

I did not hear nor recognise blatant racism until 16 years of age. I was left feeling shocked and my father demanded to know who made the offensive comment. He understood the impact of intolerance, not racism.

In viewing the harrowing footage that led to the rise of the Black Lives Matter protests, and the unacceptable looting and rioting, it is unsurprising that the issues have also found a home in our country.