Reconciliation is the coming together of Indigenous and non- Indigenous people to build a better Australia. Seems simple doesn’t it… just when you knock it out in one sentence like that. If it was that simple, we’d be there, but we are working towards it.
One of the crucial steps to reconciliation is raising AWARENESS of Aboriginal culture, history and affairs. This year the theme of Reconciliation Week is RECOGNITION! I don’t think that this should be the theme for the week but should really be the theme of the year. The times are changing and the conversation is shifting and we are starting to talk about the good stuff that is happening with Aboriginal people. Recently I have been able to attend some events that have really been a celebration of Aboriginal culture. The Message Sticks Film Festival was amazing, the Long Walk and Dreamtime at the G were awesome and the Bart Willoughby benefit concert was fabulous. These three events allowed me to smoosh heaps of Aboriginal talent into one weekend.
It’s the celebration at events like these that gets people talking and when people get talking they start doing… which leads to the next step of Reconciliation… ACTION!
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I’m lucky to be a teacher because schools are forums for change. But this isn’t my only action or my only forum. Do you have a family? Do you have a group of friends? Colleagues? Do you have a job? Do you have an income? Can you read? Can you walk? Can you sign your name?
If you have answered yes to any of these, check out the websites below to see what action you can take this Reconciliation Week. And if there is nothing else that you can do you must continue to talk and raise awareness.
Happy Reconciliation Week!!
