Another brilliant piece from a GUNNAS WRITING MASTERCLASS WRITER.
Deciding to design workshops about building positive relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people was easy. A friend and I were always talking about our two cultures – hers Aboriginal and mine a mix of eastern and western – and people kept asking questions until we realised we need to share what we’ve learned together. We knew there were lots of other workshops out there but we also knew we wanted to take a different approach. We wanted to show people how we have built shared understanding.
But why would I have an interest in this when I’m not Aboriginal myself? Why would I even be involved? What would I have to contribute? Why does it matter to me? Why is it important enough to me to spend so much time on it?
Why am I trying to make a difference? Because I can’t not try to make a difference. Every part of my being knows that the experience of many Aboriginal people in Australia is not okay. Since I was nine years old I have had amazing Aboriginal friends who have enriched my life more than I can say, and over that time it has broken my heart to see how Aboriginal people experience casual racism and discrimination in their day to day lives from childhood onwards and that is not okay. When people spoke to my Iranian Dad as if he was stupid just because he had a foreign accent, it cut me deeply I was affected for life. When I have seen people, especially children, treated as “less than”, I have seen them become smaller and their world became smaller. I knew that something was deeply wrong. I cannot accept a world that makes children feel small.
I believe there is a better way forward. I believe taking a positive approach, starting with what we all have in common and how we see ourselves is a way to help us all to see the experience of others. I believe all people have the ability to celebrate others and bring out the best in everyone. I believe the greatest gift we can give a person is understanding, acceptance and respect. To say “I see you and I value you”.
I believe we get more from life when we connect with others and I believe this starts with understanding ourselves. So we decided to create workshops that give people a look into the world that I’ve been lucky enough to experience a part of. To talk about the wonderful things that I have learnt through my friendships and the things that have enriched my life.
Will this change the world? Probably not. But if I can take one step each day to contribute even a little bit to building shared understanding between and respect for Aboriginal people, then by this time next year I’ll have taken 365 steps towards building common ground.