Standing Strong

Resistance

Aboriginal people have fought and resisted colonisation since the beginning – from 1788 in Sydney and in the 1830s when Europeans came to what is now called Victoria. 

Some of the many acts of resistance include:

• Fighting back against invasion – in the early days of colonisation many Aboriginal warriors fought to protect people and Country. One example was Pemulwuy, a Bidjigal man of the Eora nation who fought against the theft of his people’s land and atrocities committed against Aboriginal people, often by burning crops and raiding food stores. In Victoria, Gunditjmara people from South West of the State were known as the ‘Fighting Gunditjmara’ in the 1800s because of their strong resistance to violence and invasion of their Country.
• Forming organisations and cooperatives to bring Community together and fight for Aboriginal rights – key examples include the Australian Aboriginal Progress Association founded in 1925, Aborigines Progressive Organisation founded in 1937, Aborigines Advancement League founded in 1957 and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders founded in 1958. These organisations all fought for human, cultural and land rights for Aboriginal people.
• Today there are many people and organisations who work tirelessly to make change for Aboriginal people. They are seeking to change laws, policies and Community attitudes so our mob can achieve and thrive. For example, the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) leads the Family Matters campaign. This campaign aims to stop the over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care and make sure our “children and young people grow up safe and cared for in family, community and culture.”
• Marches, rallies, sit ins and protests – there have been many rallies and protests throughout history and these continue today. Some important examples that drew huge crowds to fight for Aboriginal rights include the Day of Mourning protests in Sydney in 1938, the protest against the Australian Bicentenary (200th anniversary) in 1988 or the protests that occur each year on Invasion or Survival Day.
• Petitions – a petition is a request or a demand that is signed by people to show their support. Today petitions are usually created and shared on the internet however in the past people gathered signatures on paper. A famous petition in Koorie history was the 1937 petition to King George VI made by the Yorta Yorta leader Uncle William Cooper. The petition demanded an Aboriginal representative in Federal Parliament and criticised land theft and denial of legal rights for Aboriginal people. It was signed by more than 1800 people. 
• Practicing and strengthening culture – throughout colonisation, Europeans have actively tried to prevent Aboriginal people from practicing our culture, based on the racist view that European ways were better. For example, Koorie people were punished for speaking language or practicing ceremonies on reserves and missions. Despite this, many of our ancestors preserved cultural practices and many of our mob are reviving song, language, dance, art and ceremony today. 
• Supporting Community – in the Koorie Community there have been and continue to be countless Aunties, Uncles and others who work behind the scenes to support our people and keep culture strong. These are the people organising Community events, who keep their homes open if someone needs a place to stay or who support, mentor and encourage our young ones. We are very lucky to have such a close and caring Community that supports each other.

Despite the many injustices inflicted on Aboriginal people, our people and culture are still strong today. While there is still much pain that we face, our mob are continuing to fight injustice and heal together through culture.

To read more about our history and struggles for justice, see the Deadly Story Historical Timeline.

Our Culture, Our Strength

Aboriginal people are resilient and proud people, we have the oldest culture in the world. We are unique because we have had to endure adversity and dispossession of our culture, but through all of this we stay strong and reconnected to our cultural practices.

As a parent I have taught my children and grandchildren to educate with your brain/voice never use violence whenever they come up against racism. Always be proud of who you are and walk away if they don’t want to learn – Aunty Sharon Jones, Cultural Support Advisor at Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative in Shepparton.

Our culture, Country and Community is the source of our strength. Some things to remember if you are ever confronted with racism are:

• It’s ok to get angry and upset – racism is not ok and this is natural.
• You are not responsible for educating everyone if they do not want to learn.
• Talk to people who you trust if you feel upset – these could be Elders, family, Community-members or understanding friends.
• Know your rights and be informed. There are resources with more information available from the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.
• Talk to your family, Community or local Koorie organisation if you’re feeling down or stressed.  The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation are good sources of information. Headspace, the youth mental health organisation, also have a resource specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people called Yarn Safe.