Koorie Club News
Indigenous News & Updates 23/05
**WARNING: THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS NAMES OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION**
Nation Wide News:
In recent news, a truth-telling hearing by the Yoorrook Justice Commission revealed that Aboriginal Victorians are facing a housing crisis. Aboriginal children in Victoria have the highest rate of homelessness in the country, with over 1800 children under the age of nine accessing specialist homelessness services in the last year. This homelessness crisis disproportionately impacts Aboriginal families and women, who are often unable to get out of prison or have their children returned from child protection due to a lack of housing. The lack of affordable housing and racism faced by Aboriginal people in the private rental market are significant factors contributing to this crisis. Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) are calling for more government support and flexible funding to address the crisis.
Aunty Fay Carter, a Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung elder, passed away at the age of 89. She was a lifelong advocate for Aboriginal people and communities. Aunty Fay's life was marked by struggles and resilience. She was born on Yorta Yorta country and forced to witness her mother being denied proper medical care due to her race. Her family also participated in a walk-off protest against the mismanagement of a mission.
Despite the challenges, Aunty Fay dedicated her life to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians. She held leadership positions in various organizations including NAIDOC, VACCA and the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation.
One of her key achievements was helping establish the first Aboriginal-managed aged care service. She also played a crucial role in reforming welfare programs and advocating for self-determination and cultural connection.Aunty Fay's work was recognized with numerous awards including the Order of Australia. She is remembered as a generous and tireless advocate who left a lasting legacy.
https://nit.com.au/05-06-2024/11823/more-than-1800-aboriginal-children-under-nine-accessed-homelessness-services-last-financial-year-truth-telling-inquiry-hearshttps://nit.com.au/03-06-2024/11775/aunty-fay-carter-remembered-for-improving-the-lives-of-many-aboriginal-victorians
Sports News:
Sir Doug Nicholls Round is the celebration of Indigenous Australians in football however some think it doesn't address the ongoing challenges. While the open racism on the field has subsided, racist taunts persist online. The number of Indigenous players in the AFL has declined since 2020, after seeing this the Port Adelaide club has embraced Indigenous players and culture.
Is the Sir Doug Nicholls Round truly tackling the core issue? There is more work to be done to combat racism and promote opportunities for Indigenous people in football.
Schoolwide Updates:
Last week the Koorie leaders visited Nillumbik Shire Council for National Reconciliation Week flag-raising ceremony. We heard from the Mayor and CEO and some other inspiring student leaders about the importance of the 2024 theme ‘Now more than ever’ and students were also invited to assist with raising the flag at the end of the formal proceedings.
Also in the spirit of Reconciliation Week, many efforts were made within our college to raise awareness as much as possible, posters were hung around the school detailing National Reconciliation Week, a display was put up in the library, and music by Indigenous artists was played at the start of the school day and at the conclusion of lunch and recess.
Students in years 7/8 strive also participated in a Sea of Hands event, which involves participants raising their hands in a unified gesture of solidarity. The sea of hands represents the collective commitment of Australians to working towards a future where all Australians have equal access to healthcare. Students were given the choice between red, black, and yellow coloured paper (Aboriginal flag colours) and traced out their hands, then cut them out which were then collected and will be put together as a display to the school to form the Aboriginal flag.
Sunday the 26th of May was National Sorry day which was announced over the P.A system to the whole school, one of our Koorie Leaders and one College captain banded together to share information about National Sorry day.
Here is a snippet of their speech:
“National Sorry Day is a day of reflection and recognition, reminding us of the Stolen Generations, a painful period in Australian history. For more than a century, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly removed from their families and communities. These children were taken away, often under traumatic circumstances, and placed into institutions or adopted by non-Indigenous families. This policy, based on flawed notions of assimilation and cultural superiority, caused immeasurable harm, severing vital connections to language, culture, and heritage. Today, we extend our apologies to the members of the Stolen Generations, their families, and their communities. We recognise the deep intergenerational trauma that continues to impact them.”
Didge ya know?
Mabo Day is celebrated each year on 3rd June. The day commemorates and celebrates the efforts of Meriam man Uncle Eddit ‘Koiki’ Mabo in his fight for land rights and the landmark decision that overturned ‘terra nullius’ for all our mob. ‘Terra nullius’ is Latin for ‘nobody’s land’.
Mabo lodged the first claim in 1982 along with Uncle Sam and Reverend David Passi, Aunty Celuia Mapo Salee, and Uncle James Rice. This is known as Mabo v Queensland no. 1. When this claim did not succeed he lodged a second claim in 1992 (Mabo v Queensland no. 2) with Reverend David Passi and Uncle James Rice.A majority of judges found that Meriam people have ‘native title’ to their land. The ruling also overturned the idea of ‘terra nullius’.
From: https://www.vacca.org/
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Koorie Club Leaders.
Rachel Aden (Koorie Club Leader) – ADE0010@sthelena.vic.edu.au
Jamie Humphries (Koorie Club Leader) – HUM0004@sthelena.vic.edu.au
For any other support needed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples please visit: https://headspace.org.au/yarn-safe/