I meander on the Queens Domain with my grandkids. Past Government
House. Along a track by the river we see the remnants of a pile of shells. The
shells, bones and charcoal tell me this probably is a midden. I ask my
grandkids about the midden. What is it? Who made it? Why is it here? What
occurred here as well as eating food? When did all this occur? When did it stop
being used?
I would love them to see the story behind these shells as
their story. Thy live in Tasmanian. They are Tasmanians. They will be here in
the future. They need to know where Tasmania will flow to in the future. They
can start by learning how we arrived at our current position.
They all go to a nearby primary school. Everybody at their
school is unique. They all look different. They all have different heights,
weights, hair and have different abilities.
They all have different heritages and different antecedents. Some come
from faraway places. Some can trace their family back for generations living on
this island. All either came here or had antecedents that came here sometime from
somewhere. Most are a mixture.
Every student at the school is the same. Every student has a
unique story. My grandkids have a wide variety of ancestors. Their great grandparents lived in disparate
parts of this globe with no knowledge of their coming connection. Their great grandparents eventually came together,
then grandparents, then parents and then they were born.
I would love to see all the school kids respect their
classmates because of their differences. Rejoice and appreciate the
differences. Celebrate and laugh with the guy sitting on the next desk. about
the food he eats.
I would love to see all in their classes accepting the
history of all Tasmania as their history. One day they may say;
“A long time ago early Tasmanians ate shell fish down here
by the river”
“A long time ago some early Tasmanians built this great big
house.”
“I want to remember the people who selflessly and bravely fought
in a World War 1.” “
“I want to remember all the people who courageously fought
for their lives and culture up here on the Domain.”
“Who was the Queen in the Queens Domain?”
Maybe my grandkids can learn from New Zealand kids. Before the All Blacks play the team performs
the haka. The haka comes directly from one particular Mauri tribe. This tribe
is proud to share a bit of their culture with other Mauri, Pakeha and others. The
rugby players coming from far off lands are happy to accept the haka as their
haka. All New Zealanders are proud of the haka. It belongs to all of them.
I would love to see my grandkids proud of the history and culture
of Tasmanian aborigines. I imagine a future where they are proud of the history
of Tasmania’s aborigines because it is their history. Proud of the aborigine’s knowledge and
connection to the land. And in my dream the future contains my grandkids who
are equally proud of the early British settlers. Proud of the institutions and
connections to the rest of the world that they bought with them.
In the future I hope my grandkids will live in a world without
barriers and walls. A world without discrimination and prejudice. Where
everybody around the world has equal opportunity to everything (including health,
education, housing and employment). Where everybody can live where ever they
want to.
Where everybody acts responsibly about their local
environment. Where everybody thinks it belongs to everybody. And where everybody
assumes it is up to me to look after it.
I hope my grandkids live in a world where the only tribalism
is on the sport field. Where it is the only time we resort to bland stereotypes.
Except when we say the Western bulldogs are the most talented, physically fittest
and mentally strongest team in the AFL. That is not a rank stereotype. It is
reality.
