Chapter 159 : I meander on the Queens Domain

 

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.