Acknowledgement
Like many acknowledgements and events this year, NAIDOC Week was rescheduled.
Celebrations occurred last week, running 8-15 November with the 2020 theme: "Always Was, Always Will Be."
NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week is a time we can all celebrate the history, culture and achievements of First Nations people.
The theme "Always Was, Always Will Be" was chosen to recognise that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years".
The Australian Education Union has been a strong and vocal supporter of the celebration since its inception.
Each year we encourage members and schools to participate in events and support NAIDOC Week. As a result, educators incorporate the rich historical, cultural and scientific knowledge of First Nations people into lessons. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture is a cross-curriculum priority and First Nations educators and students are increasingly seeing themselves reflected in learning at schools and colleges.
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.
Unwittingly, the Clarence City Council brought attention to the issue of the Aboriginal flag by refusing a bid to fly the standard outside of NAIDOC Week. A council meeting uncovered what could at best be described as unconscious bias and debate spilled into the public arena. Not surprisingly, the decision was reversed and, like schools and many council offices across the state, the Aboriginal flag will find a permanent place to signify acknowledgement and respect.
Although much of the feedback was rightly negative in response to councillors resisting flying the flag, the opportunity now exists for clubs, community groups, and all levels of government to be far more aware of the impact their discussions have and how they can positively engage with First Nations people.
Unfortunately, and not to be outdone, the Federal Liberal Party rejected an Australian Labor Party motion to fly the Aboriginal Flag in the Senate Chamber. Federal Minister's Anne Ruston's rationale: "The government believes the Australian national flag, which represents all Australians, is the only appropriate flag to be flown in the Senate chamber," she informed parliament." Sadly, we still have a long way to go to understand and acknowledge. Thankfully, the state government and the state Labor Party responded unanimously to a motion from the Tasmanian Greens last week to work towards flying the Aboriginal flag permanently above Parliament House and not just during NAIDOC Week.
The Aboriginal flag was first given official status by the Federal Government under the Flags Act in 1995, but was designed years' earlier by Luritja man, Harold Thomas in 1971. The flag was designed as a symbol for the land rights movement.
We continue to see a slow pace of change and there is much more to be done.
The most effective way to educate our society about history, tolerance, fairness, and cultural understanding is to inform and arm our young people.
Not that long ago, my own public-school education during the 1980's and 90's reinforced a misleading perspective, with Social Science taught almost exclusively from British point of view. My late father was a collector and I recently came across a Grade 5 Social Science exercise book from 1986. After watching the ABC institution Behind The News, we were tasked with a report, including a hand drawn picture.
The report described the upcoming bicentenary and the preparations taking place. My accompanying drawing was cringeworthy with Captain James Cook interacting with a confrontational Aborigine.
A follow-up lesson including the inappropriately described "last full-blooded" Tasmanian Aborigine, Truganini, which reinforced the fallacy of extinction, was the starting point for cultural misunderstanding and misrepresentation. Fortunately, some things have changed since that time, including the Australian Curriculum. The Australian Education Union in lutruwita/Tasmania has set up an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Network which is linking First Nations AEU members together to promote Aboriginal educators and tackle common issues. From a funding and recognition perspective, it should be remembered that Tasmania has a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and unfortunately, we continue to have some of the highest rates of disadvantage, per-capita, of any state. The Teachers Registration Board now mandates that teachers progressing from provisional to full registration must include examples of cultural understanding and improving learning outcomes for First Nations students in their portfolios.
Public schools have fully embraced NAIDOC Week and the Department of Education has highlighted and promoted the event. There have been flag raising and traditional ceremonies and banners and posters and social media posts.
And perhaps, through the eyes of our youngest leaders, flying the Aboriginal flag on traditional lands will not even be a matter that needs further discussion.
Brian Wightman is state manager of the Australian Education Union Tasmania