Antinuclear

The importance of connection to country – the danger of Terra Vacua

Do we want Australia to become Terra Vacua, a site of vast quarries visited only by a fly in and fly out workforce?

Without connection to country, Australia is a shallow nation. That’s what Abbott doesn’t understand Guardian Chris Sarra 25 Mar 15 The best way to unite all Australians is to encourage the ancient Indigenous connection to the land, not destroy it or label it a “lifestyle choice” any official functions throughout Australia are opened with an acknowledgement to the traditional custodians of the land. Unfortunately, it is not unusual to observe some people rolling their eyes at this. If only they knew and understood the value of such a gesture. An acknowledgment of country may not seem like much, but its value is enhanced if one can understand that this very gesture has been occurring on this land withIndigenous Australians for many thousands of years. It is an ancient and serious gesture, which was traditionally executed to enable passage on another person’s country, as well as to signal good manners.

Today Indigenous Australians offer a gift to non-Indigenous Australians by enabling them to participate in this ancient gesture. As we execute this ritual together, our history becomes shared and non-Indigenous Australians can become more in tune with the rhythm of this land we both now live on. When we understand the depth of this gesture, we are better able respect and stand alongside each other.

Last week on his visit to Kalgoorlie, Tony Abbott – who likes to be seen as one who walks alongside Aboriginal Australians – set himself apart from us when he described many of those in remote communities as making “lifestyle choices”. Even his hand-picked Aboriginal advisers denounced him.

It is clear that Abbott wants to be regarded a prominent leader in this space but such comments signal he has a long way to go. It is also clear that neither he, nor any other politician, can develop the level of understanding required and respect that comes with it, from a few carefully choreographed appearances at remote Indigenous communities. On these visits, everything is done to ensure the VIPs hear what they want to, rather than what they need to.

It is worth understanding that Aboriginal people in many remote communities are there by anything but a process of “choice”. They are there because historically their people were rounded up and detained in such places under apartheid-like policies. Nonetheless, such communities have evolved over time. It is also clear that as a nation we have left them to dwindle at the end of the societal vine rather than enabled them to evolve into communities of quality and substance that can nurture a sense of hope and strength…….

Do we really want the alternative? Do we want Australia to become Terra Vacua, a site of vast quarries visited only by a fly in and fly out workforce?

From a moral perspective, if we can value and sustain the ongoing human connections to remote parts of Australia, we can be recognised globally as a nation that embraced and overcame the challenge of enabling an ancient human civilisation to survive and indeed thrive. Surely this must be worth more than being recognised as the nation in which the oldest human civilisation on the planet was terminated.

From a less tangible spiritual dimension, there is tremendous value in enabling the descendants of the oldest human existence to be sustained and connected to country. When Archbishop Desmond Tutu was asked what black South Africans bring to South Africa he said, “We bring Mbuntu!” In part, Mbuntu is encompassed in the notion of: “I am human because I belong.”

There are some parallels with Indigenous Australia here. It is this ancient belonging which acknowledges in a very deep way the enchantment of the land we share. Of course non-Indigenous Australians have a sense of belonging to this land, but it is not and never will be as deep as Indigenous Australians. I don’t say this to alienate new Australians. I say this because that’s just how it is. If we cut or stifle this tremendously deep human connection to country we will be left with something so incredibly shallow……..http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/16/without-connection-to-country-australia-is-a-shallow-nation-thats-what-abbott-doesnt-understand

March 25, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL