The U.S. should takes notes from the Australian Aboriginals

This semester I am studying abroad in Sydney, Australia. Other than exploring the beautiful country and experiencing the night life, I am also learning all about the culture and history here.

One important aspect of Australian culture I have observed is their appreciation for aboriginals. When we sat down at orientation the first day and the program head began to speak, she started by formally acknowledging the original dwellers of the area- a practice that is actually common at meetings- and provided us with a brief history.

Much like in America, the Australian Aboriginals settled throughout the continent many thousands of years before white settlement and lived in harmony with the nature around them. They had intriguing traditions and peaceful mindsets, and white people came in with their progressive outlooks and ruined it.

For over 200 years, the British invaders treated aboriginals like they had no claim to the land. Finally, in 1996, Parliament issued a statement saying, “this house reaffirms its commitment to the process of reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, in the context of redressing their profound social and economic disadvantages.” Today, these people are accepted, acknowledged, and even celebrated.

Two days after our orientation, we went on an aboriginal walking tour of the Barangaroo Reserve during which we got an in-depth history lesson on aboriginal culture. Apparently, in aboriginal culture the women are in charge- an idea that doesn’t bother me one bit. The women are the ones who fish (because we’re more clever), decide who marries who, and get first bite of all the food.

Additionally, every single person is cherished. It is believed that every person is born the way they are for a purpose, to learn different lessons in life. The tour guide, an Aboriginal descendant, had a cousin with down syndrome who was actually considered the wisest person in the family because of the distinct way his brain worked.

Our classrooms are actually named after Aboriginal tribes. They are called Gadigal, Warratah and Pirrama. In my first class in Australia- Intercultural Communications- my professor, a Chinese-Australian with a perfect Australian accent, talked to us about how it is considered rude to ask someone how long they’ve lived in the country because unlike in America, everyone is considered Australian if they live there. They don’t respond with “I’m Chinese.” They say “I was born in China, but am now Australian.” They are not categorised if they are not white and blonde. They are completely accepted.

Here is my message to the American government: take notes.

I do not understand why we are not more like Australia. I don’t understand why we have such a lack of respect for the natives of our land. Why are we unable to simply respect the tribes who were on this land way before we were? Why can’t we leave their land alone and not build dangerous structures that will displace people? They were here first and deserve our utmost respect. This is their land- their home- and we must acknowledge that.

Why aren’t we more accepting of other cultures, especially if we call our nation a melting pot? Have we forgotten that our nation was built by immigration? Have we forgotten that America was not actually a white, Christian nation to begin with? Apparently, we’ve forgotten a lot of the ideas that our country was built on, including the concept of “liberty and justice for all.”

Why don’t we have more respect for women? Don’t get me started on what I mean. In America, women are seen as less intelligent, less handy and less capable. Yet in Aboriginal culture, women are seen as the smart and clever ones, while the men provide strength and protection. As old-fashioned as that sounds, it makes sense. Women are natural nurturers- why not let them be the leaders of the family? We are the ones who create them, anyway.

My Sydney roomies

Finally, why aren’t we more connected to nature? In Australia, every plant and animal has a purpose and is loved for that purpose. The connection the Aboriginals have to the land is amazing, and all Australians seem to share the same respect for the Earth. I saw this in Ecuador as well, and I can’t see why we don’t take better care of our land… oh and recognize global warming.

I just think things would be a lot better if we took notes from the Australian government. Though they still have a ways to go with making reparations to Aboriginals, they are more inclusive of other cultures than Americans are. All we need to do is allow everyone to coexist. Australia is a melting pot of ethnicities, much like America, except they actually respect the other ethnicities and consider them pure Australians if they live there, too. In America, anyone who isn’t white isn’t equal. What we need to realize is that as humans, we are one.