I work for Culture Is Life, a not-for-profit combating suicide and self-harm among young First Australians – nine times the rate in the general population. As a nation we need urgently to ask ourselves, how can we counter the crippling despair overcoming so many of our young people? We believe some answers lie in strengthening their connections to culture, community and history. But there’s another ingredient we can’t supply – empathy and respect from our fellow Australians.

The US group Black Lives Matter formed in response to police killings of African Americans. Conservative elements reacted by twisting the obvious meaning of the phrase. Their rhetorical tactic, boiled down, is to assert “they’re saying white lives don’t matter”. But no, they’re not. They’re saying “our lives have value too”. If some police routinely approach black citizens predisposed to deadly force, something is terribly wrong.

In Australia we’ve seen a similar reaction to changing the date of Australia Day. It’s been labelled unpatriotic, divisive and an attempt to denigrate modern Australia. This would be ludicrous were it not coming from sources as significant as our Prime Minister. In his recent video address, Mr Turnbull professed to be “disappointed by those who want to change the date …” whom he said are “seeking to take a day that unites … Australians and turn it into one that would divide us”.

This is flat out wrong and it’s another shabby bit of rhetorical “twister”. No one I know is calling for Australia Day to be abolished or seeking to create division. On the contrary, we’ve been consistently saying we want a national holiday, we should celebrate our achievements, we should come together. We’re also saying “please choose another day”. This particular date, far from unifying Australia, marks an anniversary that is for us tragic, painful and distressing. It began two centuries of land theft, massacres, epidemics, family destruction and discrimination with legacies of entrenched disadvantage that remain vividly present.

If that were part of your family history, how would you feel to see your neighbours celebrate? Aboriginal Australians have formally mourned on this date since 1938. The public holiday on the 26th was created 24 years ago. Mr Turnbull’s former colleague, Ian MacFarlane, last year joined the call for a different day. He reminded everyone that previously the holiday “moved around like a hockey puck” to secure a long weekend. No one cared.

A 2016 poll found only 43 per cent of Australians knew what the holiday commemorates. The notion this date is somehow sacred to Australians is very recent myth-making. A party on this date tramples on feelings of immense grief among many Australians. It fails to respect and care for our young people. It damages them. How is that “unifying”? And how is a request that Australia respectfully consider an alternative date when we might all join in a celebration something that “would divide us”.

Aboriginal communities witness parties on this date as celebrating the crushing of their people and culture. That’s how it looks. That’s how it feels. That’s just a fact. If some Australians – even the Prime Minister – can’t show us the respect to acknowledge that, then they’re saying we don’t matter. If that’s the case, perhaps we’ve got problems as deep as those in the United States.

Belinda Duarte, a Wotjobaluk woman, is CEO of Culture is Life.

2018 This article was originally published in the Age and Sydney Morning Herald 


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Today, we honour the brave people who have served. We reflect on the sacrifices made on these shores and those far away. We remember the resilience of our warriors, First Nations service members, and the broader community who have fought for this country. Lest we forget 🌷

#AnzacDay #AnzacDay2023 #LestWeForget
Applications close this Sunday 16th April for the full-time Programs Officer role at Culture is Life. The successful candidate will lead the Fullaship Program, a 12-month program open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people on a journey to become community leaders, role models and mentors. Apply now in the link in bio 👆🏽
Voting for SXSW Sydney Session Select closes today! Vote for our panel 'Truth-telling & Healing' so that we can bring together a collective of First Nations truth-tellers to hold a thought-provoking and candid discussion about the truth of the founding of our nation and the way it has shaped the way we think today. Link in bio ☝🏽

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Remember, it's okay to not be okay. We all have messy moments, and that's part of being human. Take the time you need to prioritize your mental health and well-being 💭💛

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Slay, serve, thrive 💪🏽

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Our team is in Meanjin (Brisbane) on Turrbal Country for the Indigenous Suicide Prevention (ISP) Forum, along with some 2022 and 2023 Fellows and friends. We're holding a few yarning circles and are excited to connect with and learn from all the other mob at the forum. Come say Galang Nguriindhau (G'day) if you're in attendance 👋🏽🖤

#FirstNations #MentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #Wellbeing
"We are proud to be part of the 2023 Close the Gap Report, 'Strong Culture, Strong Youth: Our Legacy, Our Future'. Great to see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP) Report as a case study and the social and emotional wellbeing model promoted." - Pat Dudgeon AM, Co-Chair of Culture Is Life

See the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gjAGwikM

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