What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?

I am 77, born in Australia in 1946 of parents were born in Australia of parents who were born in Australia. We have children born in Australia and they have children born in Australia.

However, I am confused and wonder whether I’m entitled to claim a cultural heritage or not.

In Australia, at the moment we have a situation where on October 14. a referendum will determine whether or not increased status and new (advisory) powers will be given to Aboriginal Australians, often referred to as “The First People“, because they arrived in Australia anywhere up to 60,000 years ago.

Not Aboriginal Australians living today but their predecessors.

Over the years there has been a lot of breast-beating and blame taken for the fact that the “the rest” of us or at least our predecessors were responsible for terrible things that happened to indigenous Australians after the landing of Captain Cook in 1788.

Yes, there were atrocities and cruelties and conflicts of a physical and military type nature perpetuated after that settlement. Discrimination went on for many years.

However, what the thinking tends to overlook is that nothing positive has ever been done to support, benefit and recognise Indigenous Australians.

I have spent many years working in the field of Indigenous Education and still take a deep interest in what happens.

The thing that breaks me up is the fact that nothing that’s been done that’s been of positive benefit and is a positive benefit for indigenous people is recognised. It’s as if nothing ever has been done other than petrol ongoing abuse and stripping Aboriginal Australians of their rights.

I am made to feel that as first people, Aboriginal Australians are the landlords of this country and as a person who is one of the “rest“ because my ancestors came later – then I am a little better than a tenant.

It is this tenancy notion that’s causing so many who are not aboriginal to feel that they have to act in a supplicatory manner toward those who are in the lineage of the first people.

Am I entitled to a cultural heritage? That is a question to which I have no answer.

I am 77, born in Australia in 1946 of parents were born in Australia of parents who were born in Australia. We have children born in Australia and they have children born in Australia.

However, I am confused and wonder whether I’m entitled to claim a cultural heritage or not.

In Australia, at the moment we have a situation where on October 14. a referendum will determine whether or not increased status and new (advisory) powers will be given to Aboriginal Australians, often referred to as “The First People“, because they arrived in Australia anywhere up to 60,000 years ago.

Not Aboriginal Australians living today but their predecessors.

Over the years there has been a lot of breast-beating and blame taken for the fact that the “the rest” of us or at least our predecessors were responsible for terrible things that happened to indigenous Australians after the landing of Captain Cook in 1788.

Yes, there were atrocities and cruelties and conflicts of a physical and military type nature perpetuated after that settlement. Discrimination went on for many years.

However, what the thinking tends to overlook is that nothing positive has ever been done to support, benefit and recognise Indigenous Australians.

I have spent many years working in the field of Indigenous Education and still take a deep interest in what happens.

The thing that breaks me up is the fact that nothing that’s been done that’s been of positive benefit and is a positive benefit for indigenous people is recognised. It’s as if nothing ever has been done other than petrol ongoing abuse and stripping Aboriginal Australians of their rights.

I am made to feel that as first people, Aboriginal Australians are the landlords of this country and as a person who is one of the “rest“ because my ancestors came later – then I am a little better than a tenant.

It is this tenancy notion that’s causing so many who are not aboriginal to feel that they have to act in a supplicatory manner toward those who are in the lineage of the first people.

Am I entitled to a cultural heritage? That is a question to which I have no answer.