Educate

Your Learning, Action and Healing Journey

Introduction

Wominjeka – Welcome to this learning space, a place to explore your relationship with Australia’s First Nations people – to better understand their story, both historically and in more recent times.

As you become more informed, we trust you will reflect on how Australia’s colonial systems have impacted on and continue to impact on this country’s proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. And honestly reflect on how ‘you’ fit into this colonising story?

Becoming more aware of the truth is just the beginning. To gain a proper understanding, you will need to nourish your awareness with action, meaningful action that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The journey is one that evolves; one of growing awareness coupled with ongoing action, each part informing the other, in a balanced process. 

So where does the Healing come in, you ask? This learning/action journey, will likely be an emotional one and change the way you understand colonisation.  Commitment is likely to bring a change in your thinking and this has the potential, to begin healing your relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples.

The following sections contain different types of learning resources and we sincerely hope, that some of these resources will suit your learning style, and help you get started on your journey. For those who have already begun the journey it is hoped you find additional material that adds to your knowledge and understanding.

Some Key guides

  • It is up to non-Indigenous Australians to educate themselves and not expect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to do the work for them.
  • It can be helpful to learn in like-minded groups, so seriously consider joining or starting a discussion group. 
  • Where possible, it is important to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples voices over non-Indigenous for your information sources.
  • Your actions need to conform to the agendas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples led groups – be cautious of non-Indigenous controlled group objectives.
  • You will make mistakes, we all do – learn from them and move forward.
  • Begin with learning about the local Dja Dja Wurrung – what happened to them in the past & the present.
  • Check-in with yourself occasionally and ask the question: Why am I doing this?
  • Allow space and time, to just sit with what you have learned – to reflect and absorb. 

Begin with the End in Mind

  • Quote attributed to Dr Lilla Watson, a Gangulu woman from Qld:
    If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.
  • Reflect & genuinely ask yourself the important questions:
    Why am I doing this? What do I expect to get out of it

Reading – Books

(L = Available at Library)

  • L – Djuwima-Djarra : sharing together : Dja Dja Wurrung : our story / families of Dja Dja Wurrung, with Jessica Hodgens (Aboriginal author)
  • L – The Good Country : the Djadja Wurrung, the settlers and the protectors by Bain Attwood (Note: Non-Indigenous author and the material in this book only comes from colonial sources)
  • L – Black Gold : Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870  Cahir, Fred (Non-Indigenous author)
  • L – Living on Stolen Land by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Aboriginal author)
  • L – Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe (Aboriginal author)
  • L – Riding the Black Cockatoo, By: John Danalis (Non-Indigenous author)
  • L – Jackson’s Track by Daryl Tonkin & Carolyn Landon (Non-Indigenous author)
  • L – Talking to my Country by Stan Grant
  • L – Fire Country: how indigenous fire management could save Australia by Steffensen, Victor (Aboriginal author)
  • L – Blood on the Wattle by Bruce Elder (Non-Indigenous author)
  • Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World by Tyson Yunkaporta (Aboriginal author)
  • Why Weren’t We Told by Henry Reynolds (Non-Indigenous author)
  • The Oldest Foods on Earth – John Newton
  • The Biggest Estate on Earth – Bill Gammage
  • Am I Black Enough? – Anita Heiss
  • Took The Children Away – Archie Roach
  • Jimmy and Pat meet the Queen – Pat Lowe
  • Tarrengower and Lalgambook , Teaching from the Jaara Jaara – Nalderun Meeting Place Mob (Available through the Nalderun website)
  • My culture, the beach and me – Grace Coff (Available through the Nalderun website)
  • Our Mob’s Seasons Calendar – Nalderun Meeting Place Mob (Available through Nalderun website)
  • A great list of books available at the library appear at the bottom of this library webpage: First Nations | Goldfields Library Corporation (ncgrl.vic.gov.au) 

Reading – Online

Information & Resources – Online

Courses

Online Courses – Self Paced (Free)

  • Kinship Module – Learn about Aboriginal Kinship systems – Sydney University Kinship Module – The University of Sydney   This online learning module covers the systems of social organisation that traditionally govern Aboriginal societies and explains this significant cultural difference.

Local Castlemaine – Reflection Course (Sliding Fee)

  • REFLECT: Reflect on who you are, your culture, and your relationship to the ongoing impacts of colonialism on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Listening to and learning from First Nations peoples is important, but our culture is the one that needs to change. To do this we need to start with reflecting on our understanding and attitude surrounding significant events impacting on Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people and our own beliefs and values – white privilege, structural racism and cultural bias. Leanganook Yarn, in collaboration with John Bonnice, is offering our community a series of facilitated Self-Reflective Conversations for local people to start this difficult work. To express your interest in participation, please email reflectionconversations@gmail.com 

Stay up to date with Local Activities

Check out the Nalderun Website, Facebook page and join the mailing list for updates on some of their great local initiatives. Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation is a service that supports the local Aboriginal Community, lead by Aboriginal people. They run many services that support the person and family. Dja Dja Wurrung are the Traditional Caretakers of the Mount Alexander Shire region, the family within the Mount Alexander Shire is the Nelson Family and Nalderun’s Elder is Uncle Rick Nelson

Listen to Aboriginal Voices

Follow and/or subscribe to Aboriginal News and Social Media, such as:

Gary Edward Foley is a Gumbainggir man from NSW. He is an Aboriginal historian, academic, leader, activist, academic, writer and actor. He is best known for his role in establishing the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972 and for establishing an Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern in the 1970s. In these two videos, Foley explains the do’s and don’t’s of white activism and priceless advice for all would-be supporters of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. 

Follow and Support

Practical Exercise

What is an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’? What are its main parts? What is its message? What are you trying to say?

Each month write an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’, using words from your heart. Keep a record of your attempts and notice how the content/message might change over time.

Action

Action is not about being busy, but doing what matters. This means to carefully consider your Action options and always try to act in accordance with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples agendas. Be cautious of non-Indigenous groups agendas, they are often well meaning, but their objectives are not always focused on the outcomes, that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples want to achieve. 

As mentioned earlier, Learning and Action go hand in hand and nourish each other – you need to begin the learning, in order to take informed and meaningful Action. It’s about the learning/action relationship and balance.

From the experience of those who have worked in this field for some time, we feel that the types of action you decide to undertake, is an individual responsibility and will likely be driven by a growing awareness from self-education. The choosing process is an important part of your journey. 

We will leave you with Dr Lilla Watson’s wise quote:

If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.