Re: [recoznet2] Redskins? Blackskins? Niggers?
Lance, Maybe if you retained the goal posts in the same place for a while you and I may learn something. You have some good ideas as I hope I have but neither of us can conduct a meaningful discussion if what we are talking about is fluid, thus continually moving. Regards, ___ Ian J. Henderson Murdoch University 24 Harfleur Place Humanities Hamilton Hill Murdoch, 6150. Western Australia, 6163 Tel and Fax: (08) 94183972 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ --- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words:unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
Re: [recoznet2] Redskins? Blackskins? Niggers?
Ian, > Noel Pearson was on a similar track: it is no use trying to induce > Aboriginal Peoples health with an imposed European system. As Noel has said > on several occasions '... my people are not useless. They can think and work > things out.' During my stay in the Territory I so often saw this and tried > in my own small way to encourage this attitude. As I was at the time working > for a Government Dept. this procedure was often criticised. I was once > criticised for not spending enough money. This was a time when on the > outstations I was helping the Peoples to build houses out of bashed down ant > hills, bark and saplings. Primitive? Degrading? To us maybe but those people > loved them: if someone died in a house it could be deserted or burned; if > they wished to move on they could; if they were left they did not become a > ruin they became compost. I was roundly criticised for these houses but not > by those that lived in them. When the People begin to live much more > sedentary lives their needs change as do the homes they live in but they are > still idiosyncratic as would be expected. The power for change cannot come from above Ian. It can only come from within and with resources to do it with. > Considering health. My firm belief is that the most constructive way to > overcome the terrible health statistics is to restore the People's > connection to the land. Think of the diseases ravaging Aboriginal Peoples: > diabetes, heart conditions, obesity, and cancer. The illnesses are all > induced by some form of addictive behaviour: overeating, alcoholism, smoking > and other drug taking of various types. All addictive behaviours are, in my > experience, induced by an inability to cope with life. As an alcoholic my > aim when drinking was to get sober - that is normal. Despite forty years of > trying I never did succeed. Again the lack of governmental health authorities not supplying resources and training to people who need it...but keeping it in and under academic control. > the People. And Lance, a large part of this will be how we use words. We are > NOT allowed to use words as we like. If I was to influentially and publicly > name Kennett a social misfit he would have me in Court for defamation so > quick my head would spin. And, is all Parliamentary Privilege used in a > constructive way? I think not. Does an aboriginal person or a white person for that matter have the ability to take one to court for defaming another, no they dont its all scare tactics really. I've been threatened and intimidated by someone and yet Im told in no uncertain terms that unless they hit you or you have a witness to extreme harrasment and even then it must be physical then you will not have chance. Im sure Kennet gets catsigated by everyone in society and these things can be quite defamatory remarks but unless your in power over another it means absolutely nothing. Im sorry I see holes everywhere in some of these arguments. Must be that chip on my shoulder :) Regards, Lance. --- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words:unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
[recoznet2] Redskins? Blackskins? Niggers?
Lance, Last night I listened - late - to two addresses organised by the Brisbane Institute. The first was by Mark Latham and the second by Noel Pearson. Unfortunately both men have become 'marked' by recent out of context statements attributed to them, both on the nature of Welfare. In view of Lance's 'Actions always speak louder than words' - I dispute the word 'always' - I thought these two addresses most relevant. In each case they were speaking about the social numbing that is the result of continued welfare, even into generation after generation. I thought this seminar was well constructed in that a non-Aboriginal person was advocating for his people and an Aboriginal man was advocating for his peoples. In actual fact there were more similarities than differences. The primary suggestion was introduction of what was called 'innovative, entrepreneurial welfare'. In other words instead of over arching welfare, which is supposed to fit everyone's needs and manages to probably fit very few, we encourage welfare on a case by case basis. Mark gave three examples,two in Australia and one in England to illustrate what he meant. Each involved cooperation between certain authorities - usually in the form of 'bending rules to allow the scheme to fit' and encouragement;even certain financial assistance. They were not gradiose schemes but they involved those partaking in imaginative work which resulted in reduced crime statistics and other evidence of a regained social interest. Noel Pearson was on a similar track: it is no use trying to induce Aboriginal Peoples health with an imposed European system. As Noel has said on several occasions '... my people are not useless. They can think and work things out.' During my stay in the Territory I so often saw this and tried in my own small way to encourage this attitude. As I was at the time working for a Government Dept. this procedure was often criticised. I was once criticised for not spending enough money. This was a time when on the outstations I was helping the Peoples to build houses out of bashed down ant hills, bark and saplings. Primitive? Degrading? To us maybe but those people loved them: if someone died in a house it could be deserted or burned; if they wished to move on they could; if they were left they did not become a ruin they became compost. I was roundly criticised for these houses but not by those that lived in them. When the People begin to live much more sedentary lives their needs change as do the homes they live in but they are still idiosyncratic as would be expected. Considering health. My firm belief is that the most constructive way to overcome the terrible health statistics is to restore the People's connection to the land. Think of the diseases ravaging Aboriginal Peoples: diabetes, heart conditions, obesity, and cancer. The illnesses are all induced by some form of addictive behaviour: overeating, alcoholism, smoking and other drug taking of various types. All addictive behaviours are, in my experience, induced by an inability to cope with life. As an alcoholic my aim when drinking was to get sober - that is normal. Despite forty years of trying I never did succeed. So what is the relationship between establishing the connection with the land and health? The connection will allow the Peoples to develop their own way of life which, in my experience, was very healthy. And, last night I was watching the Compass programme on ABC and said to Carolyn at one stage, "I remember being at several Aboriginal corroborees on Groote Eylandt in which each went for three days without stopping. This was Aboriginal People's spirituality. They became one with their environment; the throbbing and tinkling music with the movements; day turned to night and as the night wore and the fire reflected an orange light on the dancers there was a sense of oneness, of completeness. The Peoples were confident, open and sparkled. They were once more part of a creation. I strongly believe that the advent of food rationing stations - later superseded by supermarkets - did more harm to Aboriginal peoples than the massacres and the rest (although not the stolen generations) because it took away the reason for the men to be. They became almost irrelevant and drifters. The children became the hunters, it was they who hunted for food on the supermarket shelves. Sure the reason d'etre for the men can and will change eventually, but it will be assisted greatly by being able to retain enough of their culture, spirituality, and encouragement as Noel Pearson is advocating. They can, and must, become the masters of their own destiny. Sovereignty for them means just this. Not of their own Government or land but of their own minds. I am hoping that the addresses from last night will be placed on the ABC web pages for I think they could represent a turning point in our relations with the People. And Lance, a large part of this will be how we use words. We are NOT allowed to us
[recoznet2] Redskins? Blackskins? Niggers?
Lance, I am sure the European philosophers such as Derrida, Foucault, Barthes and Lyotard would surprised to say the least to hear that '..all they are is words.' This is a very ridiculous statement to make. Every word carries, in each environmental context, a greater or lesser amount of emotional baggage. When in the Northern Territory I always referred to Aboriginal People at Blackfellas and they referred to me as a whitefella. In the Territory at that time these terms were almost looked upon as terms of endearment. When I first visited the outstaion of Punmu in Western Australia for a meeting I made a reference to Blackfellas. Immediately I knew I had done the wrong thing and have not used that term since. After the meeting I spoke to Ditch (an elder) who told me how the predominant term for Aboriginal People in the West had been Blackfella and thus had become associated with the very severe putting down of Aboriginal Peoples in the West. The equivilant term in the NT was 'nigger'. Lance might I suggest that if all the people you knew and met began to call you a bastard that eventually you would begin to believe of yourself all the stereotypes of being born illegitimate? Have you ever consdered the nature of 'mythology? If not may I suggest you read the last pages of 'Mythologies' by Roland Barthes and then of course there is that memorable quote from Lyotard in hid 'Le Differend: 'In the naming vengeance is on the prowl always.' (p56). So Lance might I suggest that you give such statements as '...all they are is words' a little more consideration before sounding off. PS. I once saw a pakeha sent to hospital to repair the damage after he 'innocently' called a group of Maori Darkies. So, maybe there is a practical aspect of our use of language as well. ___ Ian J. Henderson Murdoch University 24 Harfleur Place Humanities Hamilton Hill Murdoch, 6150. Western Australia, 6163 Tel and Fax: (08) 94183972 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ --- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words:unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
