Coming Events
Cross-cultural Skills & Awareness
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Our hidden biases. Test your unconscious racial associations.
18 May 2011 10:45 PM | 1 Comment
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Predatory systems maintaining Indigenous disadvantage: Some examples
01 July 2010 6:21 PM | 5 CommentsAs was discussed in the previous article, one of the limit conditions that create Indigenous "poverty" is that people must engage in strange cultural spaces, controlled by the Dominant Culture. But what are the systems that maintain peoples lack of control in these spaces. I put forward a range of possibilities, some more controversial than others.
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Cultural Awareness Archive
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Learning the Indigenous Languages of NE Arnhem Land, The Northern Territory
Posted on July 4, 2009 | 2 CommentsWe sometimes get the question from people interested in working with people from North East Arnhem Land; 'Do you know of any good external language courses that are available?' There are a couple of options to begin learning Yolŋu Matha, the language of north east Arnhem Land. -
The Blame Game.
Posted on June 16, 2009 | No CommentsIt is the easiest thing to lay blame. It is also very easy to assume that you are being blamed by someone else. Recently, I have become more aware of the way groups all working to help Indigenous people fight against each other, laying blame or putting up walls. The clash of cultures that occurs within and among organisations working with Indigenous can result in what I call the 'blame game'. A dynamic that people brings added stress and disfunction to the whole system. The blame game is notable both between dominant culture workers and Indigneous people, as well as between different Indigneous groups. -
An Indigenous voice – How is Yolngu law separate from the Governments Law
Posted on January 12, 2009 | No CommentsHere is a YouTube video that is worth watching because it contains the genuine voice of an Indigenous a significant person from one the remote communities most effected by recent Government polices. She speaks of why she sees her people's Law and the Mainstream Law of Australia of the 'Balanda' (the Europeans/non-indigenous) as separate from each other. -
An example of disempowerment- Why dont you talk to us first?
Posted on December 21, 2008 | 1 CommentThe Elder speaking was quite irate about decisions that had been made by Goverment and organisations that had not been discussed with local leaders. "Why don't you Balanda explain to us what are your plans?... You don't talk to us... You just change things." ... -
How do Indigenous Languages help Learning outcomes?
Posted on December 8, 2008 | No CommentsTo some we may be beginning to sound like a broken record, always talking about the importance of using Indigneous languages. But the reason I continue to talk about this is because many Australia personnel and agencies have so much trouble really absorbing the importance of starting with local languages. So lets say it as simply as possible. If a hearer does not understand well the language being used then ZERO meaning or information may be being conveyed. How can this be? Let's break it down... -
Four hours in English – An Indigenous bilingual teacher’s experience.
Posted on November 28, 2008 | No CommentsA growing group called ‘Friends of Bilingual Learning’ (FOBL) sprang up a few months ago and its members are actively involved in the debate over Marion Scrymgour’s decision to relegate the use of local Indigenous languages to only 1hour a day at all bilingual schools. ... -
Four hours in English – The NT Government’s Indigenous ed. plan built on misinformation.
Posted on October 17, 2008 | 7 CommentsThe NT Minister for education argues that Indigenous languages have no place in teaching literacy and numeracy in remote indigenous schools and has announced that the first 4 hour of every school day must be in English. Support for the Government's position seems to be based on a few misunderstanding about way learning actually operates on remote indigenous communities. Let's briefly explore the reality in the bilingual community schools this will effect. -
Loss of Indigenous Languages – symptom or underlying cause?
Posted on September 1, 2008 | 1 CommentLanguage is mastery, who ever controls language controls information and those who lack information are marginalised. When we talk of equal rights for indigenous peoples, the right to hear and be heard using their native languages should be at the top of the list, because it give people mastery over their own lives. -
Cross cultural issues confound Australian justice systems.
Posted on June 10, 2008 | 2 CommentsAn interesting report called “An absence of mutual respect” was released at the beginning of June by our friends at ARDS which gives great insight into the difficulties faced by English second language Aboriginal people. It is a report on the problems that arise for... -
English only Education Part 2 – Transfering meaning
Posted on May 16, 2008 | 1 CommentFor an Indigenous person on a community where English a second or even sixth language all their peers will difficulties in understanding and learning certain English words. When a person in such a community does hear a new English word they can not easily learn the meaning. Because their parents and peers do not use it, do not know it or they may use a local assumed meaning, which can be very wrong.