There is a lot going on in the world right now and things are changing fast. Everyone is dealing with something, and I think most are just trying to stay afloat and do the best they can with what they know and what they have to get them through. Unfortunately, seeing each other as human does not seem as important as power and greed these days.
For my people, this year is no different. We are still being oppressed by entitled approaches, misinformed and closed mindsets, and systemic government barriers that are embedded throughout colonisation across Australia to keep us silenced and powerless.
Louder racism, same resilience
The hate, racism and negativity that we face as the First Peoples of this continent is draining, and it has grown louder since the unsuccessful 2023 Referendum. We still face double standards, with strong and sometimes life-threatening consequences for our actions or for voicing our thoughts, no matter how mindful we are of what we say or how we carry ourselves.
At times it really feels like we are going backwards, where it is widely accepted to be openly racist with limited knowledge and no understanding of my people whatsoever. Yet here we are, still showing up, ready to engage, guide and partner for the betterment of this continent and all the humans on it.
The reality we are still living
It is disheartening when the days that cause division are still celebrated like there is nothing wrong. Our jarjums (children) are still not thriving when they transition to big school, and they are still being stolen. We still have far too many of our people locked up, often for minor offences, and since the 1991 Royal Commission there have been more than 600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody recorded, with no real accountability or apparent care for what has happened.
We are still looked down on as second-class citizens by many and we are still dying at a younger age. Can you believe any of this?
Honestly, the energy that goes into tearing us down is unbelievable, even though our ally numbers are slowly growing. It takes a lot to keep showing up, and it is only March and I am already tired. But if I am not in these spaces, talking the talk and walking the walk, then who is?
This is not a race
I am sure that with each generation of my Ancestors and Old People, things have become easier in some ways, but I am often still left questioning how we are still here. Some think we have come so far, but there is so much further to go.
This is not a race.
There is no finish line.
This is ongoing for each generation that has come before us and each generation that will come after us, so make sure you do your part as an informed human.
Practical tips for connection
If you are connected to us, check in and follow the individual’s lead. They might just need a safe space to download what they are carrying at the moment, or they may want to engage in dialogue about what is happening in your community or beyond.
- Checking in with your First Nations staff is always helpful. Having a quiet, private space close by to yarn when the time is right and when we are off the floor is appreciated. It is reassuring to know that the leadership team is open and culturally responsive to engage with when we need, and this helps ensure we stay, because we feel valued and supported.
- Utilising your Yarnin’ Circle space to engage with jarjums is a good place to start. Or when jarjums approach you to share or seek comfort, try to be available. Check in with families if you notice a change in a jarjum.
- With your families, you could host a yarn-up over a feed to connect and see if there are any recurring themes being shared. Then yarn together about how you can support, remembering that your ideas might be different to what they actually need. This gives you a deeper understanding and allows you to work together on real localised actions and solutions.
- Include a friendly reminder in your family newsletters that they can book time with you. Make sure you have a private space to yarn, and a plan with your team for when families need to connect while you are on the floor. For example, having a support person step in for supervision while you move to a private space for a check-in, or booking a more suitable time if needed.
Walking side by side
We all need to be connecting and checking in on each other because times are heavy. The only way to lighten the load is to step up, walk side by side, open your mind, learn about each other and carry it together for purposeful systems change, because all our jarjums deserve better than what we are currently leaving them.
How to stay informed and connected
Watch ABC, SBS or NITV, or read the National Indigenous Times or the Koori Mail.
Keep an ear out for what is happening locally, and if you are on social media, follow authentic First Nations pages, leaders and supporters.
Resources to read
Day of Mourning, National Museum of Australia
Call It Out report webinar, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research
Closing the Gap targets and outcomes, Closing the Gap
Six hundred lives lost since Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody by ABC News
About Lisa
Lisa Walker is a proud Galibal woman from Bundjalung Country, Far North Coast, NSW and has ties to the Yuin, Yaegl and Gubbi Gubbi Nations.
She has worked across the ECE sector for the past 17 years in local, State, National and Global roles and started her own Cultural Consultancy 3 years ago, to promote understanding of her Peoples diverse ways of being and doing.
Lisa is grounded in connection to both her Country and mob and advocates for much needed change for her people through grassroots two-way respectful engagement. She believes all jarjums (children) deserve the same opportunities to belong, learn, thrive and succeed in life and it is our role as big people to guide them through this, after all they are our future generations.