As an Indigenous woman, it’s been a long, hard journey to find out where my family is from
My name is Kristy McMahon, I’m an Aboriginal woman from Brisbane. I have been fortunate to grow up strong in my identity as an Aboriginal woman, but like many other Indigenous families affected by the Stolen Generations I have had to struggle with not knowing where my mob is originally from, not knowing any stories of that place, and having far too few family stories to try and piece it together.
I’ve always known I was Aboriginal, and have always felt accepted into the community I’ve been living in. I got my confirmation of Aboriginality when I was young with my father and sister. I don’t remember why we got the forms, it was just something that you had to do. I know that Aboriginality is much more than just a piece of paper though, and have been trying to learn as much as I can about our family history.
Reflecting on the Apology to the Stolen Generations – An Interview with Kevin Rudd
This week marks the 8th anniversary of Kevin Rudd's Apology to the Stolen Generations. I am hosting @IndigenousX this week and as part of that was fortunate to be able to speak to Mr Rudd in person about his speech and about his National Apology Foundation for Indigenous Australians.
IndigenousX Review: The Little Red Yellow Black Book
Anyone reading the “Little Red Yellow Black Book” (LRYBB) should expect to have their perspectives and understanding changed. It will surprise you, in all the right ways… Who knew I could gain so much, from a humble 140 pages? I consider myself pretty aware of issues within history and day to day events, but I was amazed at how many facts and perspectives in LRYBB were new to me. And stories of people I hadn’t previously heard about, and should have… I personally believe that too many people in Australia (and around the world) unfortunately don’t know enough about Indigenous Australia, but for those who are interested in learning more, this is essential reading.
As an Aboriginal woman, I’ve learned education is essential to our freedom
I am from both the Bardi and Gija peoples of the Kimberley. My mother, her mother, and all my mothers before her were Aboriginal women. I am the product of past polices and practices, but also of love and reconciliation.
I grew up all over Australia. My family never really settled and looking back, I think it was the pull between black and white, between my mother’s country in the Kimberley and my Gudiya (non-Aboriginal) father’s place in the Blue Mountains that replicated my own inner turmoil in understanding Aboriginality.
The past isn’t in the past and I can’t just get over it.
Today is Invasion Day for my people, officially known as Australia Day, an anniversary of the day when white Australia began its occupation of this country and commenced its mass genocide of the first peoples of this land. There isn’t much I can say that hasn’t already been said by countless others, but I grow tired of and frustrated by the relentless calls for our silence about this countries horrific history; particularly at this time of year.
This year, let’s ditch the Queen’s Birthday holiday and replace it with Mabo Day
Last June, the Queen’s Birthday public holiday passed by with very little fanfare. The Queen’s Birthday Honours were announced, and a small number of formal government events were hosted. But by and large, the meaning of the day has largely lost its significance among the public, becoming simply about getting the day off work. While we all enjoy the day off, the day could become far more symbolic of our national history.
This day commemorating of the Queen’s official birthday has little significance in the lives of the vast majority of Australians. It is a hangover from Australia’s colonial past. Last year my main emotion, along with many other Canberrans, was a sense of relief that Tony Abbott didn’t award another one of his infamous knighthoods.
Why we need to change the date of Australia Day
According to the Australia Day website:
“The tradition of having Australia Day as a national holiday on 26 January is a recent one. Not until 1935 did all the Australian states and territories use that name to mark that date. Not until 1994 did they begin to celebrate Australia Day consistently as a public holiday on that date.”
