I am an 82 year old woman and my ancestors are predominantly Celtic. had no contact with indigenous Australians until I was in my 40s when I had an aboriginal boy in a class I taught. He had come from Palm Island. Over the last 40 years through travel around Australia, through reading, through Family History and through St Mary's in Exile my understand and appreciation of Australia's First People has developed. Contact with the Mulan Community in W A and a number of families around Mt Isa in particular has given me first hand knowledge. I had the pleasure of meeting Tom E Lewis in Katherine a few times before his sudden death.
We need to acknowledge the Frontier Wars waged over 140 years and the concerted, targeted efforts "to extirpate savages from their native soil in order that it may be peopled with a more intelligent and civilised race of human beings.."
The Aboriginal people have SURVIVED the hostilities and have much to off all who have come to live in Australia since 1788. We must tap into their wisdom acquired over 60,000+ years of habitation here.
They know better than we can ever know what works best for their well being and progress.
All Australians need to actively listen to the voices of Australia's First People.
It would ACKNOWLEDGE the ignorance of the colonists, the inevitable clash of cultures and the disregard for the well being of the aborigines . It will give them a right to a SAY in their future.
