Week 3

Week 3 Blog: Identity Crisis A visiting Canadian expert on Indigenous healing says the mining sector may be threatening the survival of Aboriginal culture in the Kimberley. Michael Chandler came to Australia to meet with leaders in Indigenous communities in order to provide assistance on suicide prevention and ways to heal at-risk communities. Indigenous leaders in the community fear for the preservation of culture in the resources-rich environment; "I've heard in my short visit here many concerns about the survival or the perpetuation of culture in the face of kind of an influx of industry and money and job opportunities that carry people away from their families," he said. "These communities are often on or near national resources. This short article is incredibly interesting because in the past politicians have publicly announced their sorrow and recompense for the mistreatment of aboriginals during the colonization of Australia, however they are continuing to do the same thing today. Politicians are willing and ready to being mining in an aboriginal town, regardless of what the results will be for the already struggling community. I guess the term “history repeats itself” proves true. Ironically enough it seems as if the mistreatment and exploitation of aboriginals by white men is recurring again. How can we expect a community to progress when every time they settle down in another area they are pushed out for white men’s monetary gain? BLACK LABOUR, WHITE GUILT; established 1800’s.