NO MORE

[Maureen K Clifford]

The Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin helped to open the Garma Festival in the Top End on the weekend and says the consultations have had a strong focus on education.

Jenny Macklin:

Each year Garma hosts a key forum and the theme for this year is Academic Excellence and Cultural Integrity.

"The critical need for Indigenous children to gain a good education has been something we have heard repeatedly from individuals and communities we have been speaking to as part of the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory discussions," Ms Macklin said.

A lot of frustration, particularly from older people who want to see their grandchildren getting to school who do feel it's got away from them - that their children and grandchildren aren't really participating in education like they want them to. People really value education, they want their kids to not only get to school but to do well and then have the chance to get a job.

One of the positive stories emerging from the conference is the year 12 retention rate of indigenous students. Figures show the rate from 1995 to 2009 went from 30.7 per cent to 45.4 per cent.

WITH his heartfelt plea for an end to welfare handouts in the remote indigenous domain, Galarrwuy Yunupingu has thrown down the gauntlet. Welfare is, for Yunupingu, a state of mind, and also a western innovation. Welfare saps the will to work, and hence to learn. Yunupingu is now telling Australia bluntly that welfare is "killing" his people.

Hopefully the times they are a changing



NO MORE .

He was right out of sugar, tobacco and tea,
and flour running low – Poor fella me.
His country once gave him all he could see
and all that he needed - No poor fellow he.

No longer a hunter across this great land –
he waits now for white folks to give him a hand.
Many years pass and he no longer roams,
seems he’s lost the country that once he called home,
and you see a bloke who’s sadly dying;
giving in without even trying
he hears not the great Mother crying,
the grog and smokes can’t set him free
but he cries out ‘poor fella me.’

Gallarwuy was out of options far as he could see
and the children were dying. Last week there were three.
He begged for the best gift that they could be given.
A good education and this need was driven
by seeing how far behind white folks they’d fallen,
whilst Government departments continue their stallin’
his people on hard times it seemed had befallen.
Good education was the key
without that, it was poor fella me.

He pleaded that welfare should be stopped in its tracks
it was killing his people. There’s no going back.
Though big money is outlaid it’s little they see
and who wants to be tagged as poor fella me?
Please give us real teaching, and the same education.
Not just something that will do for the blackfellas nation.
If you think us worthy then show affirmation
and give us the power to be free,
as we once were in this our country.

Restrictions on housing and schooling and health
and the big mines land-grabbing for mineral wealth
has seen communities fall through the cracks
and on every person who's there it impacts.
Utopia isn’t what we think it should be,
it’s a third world slum but it’s in our country.
The land holds their hearts and it won’t set them free.
Education will lift their despair
Poverty would no longer live there.

Our census this year will show where schools are needed.
Let’s hope the communities shortage is heeded.
And given a chance just you watch these kids thrive
with hope in their future they’re sure to survive.
It’s not too much to ask that their education
be second to none in this great wealthy nation
for they’ve much to offer - a rightful expectation
they just need a chance to excel
don’t forget they’re Australians as well.

No longer alone with a spirit that’s failing.
Bright futures ahead, challenges to be scaling.
No longer a man with a face we don’t see.
No longer again known as poor fella me.



Maureen Clifford © 08/11

[r.magnay]

...you would expect a reply from me I reckon Maureen and although there is a bloody lot I could say, I will simply say....you can lead a horse to water!

[worddancer]

Hi Maureen,

The poem hits the mark with the people in the mid north and my own time at The Port Pirie, Spencer Campus of Tafe.

I was employed to assist the Women publicize their Indigenous art how and where to use it in the market place. This was a brave move on the women's part but they succeeded because of their determination to show their children and grandchildren that learning is a good thing to do. They produced shopping bags, T-shirts, paintings and one talented lady decorated Emu Eggs. The good sold in the Local Community Library and Tourist Outlets. The men learnt to build houses. They started with Cubby houses and in two years started building full sized homes. There is a thriving building business on the Yorke peninsular and in Port Pirie.

I have found a true willingness to 'have a go' so long as the people who start any projects, anywhere city or outback, stay in touch and their physical assistance is available. I see so many 'projects' start off with enthusiasm only to fizzle out, because those who teach do not pass on the teaching ability.
When the 'teacher' leaves, there is no-one in the community to lead and carry on the project, teaching in their stead. If the teaching knowledge is left behind then maybe, more than three out of ten 'participants would succeed.

With cameras in computers teachers do not need to leave their home base; like School of the Air,
students and teachers can 'see' each other and be guided visually and verbally.



That's me off my soap I've probably opened a can of worms.

This stuffs far too serious, I must get back to dancing with words.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Even the stubbornest of horses eventually get thirsty and drink Have you noticed that there are more and more young aboriginal sportsmen and women coming to the fore and gaining prominence these days which is great to see and I am sure they provide a lot of inspiration to the young ones. Sport is one area where a pure talent excels and the opportunities are there to progress further. It's a start. The journey of a 1000 miles began with a single step and admittedly sometimes it is one step forward an two steps back, but I am ever the optimist

I think as Eliza has said generally speaking the women will be the driving force behind change - they want better for their kids an grandchildren

Cheers

Maureen

[r.magnay]

...afternoon ladies, much of what you are saying is of course correct, the women are the main instigators in much of the change as you rightly point out, as for the education...well that depends on who wants to be educated...I was wiring houses for a builder all over the Territory a few years back, some of the projects had a clause that it was mandatory to use a certain percentage of local labour, when the inspector came on the site about half way through the job and started barking about the absence of local workers, the contractor had to point out that he had employed a number of blokes, they worked until smoko the first day and he never saw them again....there are hundreds of stories like that! As for spending money on education...well, there are millions spent on schools here, buildings, teachers sports facilities, educational excursions...funded by the same people who have to fund their own kids themselves, and so the list goes on, I won't quote figures, but I do know that a very large percentage of those same kids never go on to become anything of value.......because they don't want to, not because they are not allowed! As for the amount of sports people, yes that is OK, but wouldn't it be a lot better to have them doing something that contributes to the solving of the problems their people are facing? It is also interesting to note that many of those successful "Aboriginies" are as much or sometimes more of some other heritage than they are Aboriginal....I could go on but I won't.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Think there are always going to be problems sadly Ross - much as we would wish to change things we can't always do so, but even if one kid who given hope, opportunity and encouragement can then go on and takes a positive step, that is a win in my book and lots of little wins can lead to a great victory...baby steps Mate. The sporting field is a good a place as any to start as some of these kids have a lot of natural ability in that area....and if they can grow to be a good role model for other kids it is a win.

I am extremely simplistic

Cheers

Maureen

[worddancer]

Absolutely agree Maureen, with a back-up chance to succeed in the trying leads to others 'having a go'.
No amount of encouragement will end in success for anyone.
If nobody sticks around to teach how, to learn how and show how.

That includes me!

[r.magnay]

'afternoon again ladies, I may be a bit cynical, but after working with, for and mostly instead of, these people, and seeing a great deal of the $35 billion dollars the government has just admitted to wasting on failed projects and schemes; being wasted, tends to make you a bit inclined to be that way....cynical I mean. Unfortunately the class sytem is not exclusive to the white fella, the black or so called black fellas at the top of their class sytem have as much if not more to answer for than the politicians....and that's saying something! In the end you can't help those who won't help themselves, and unfortunately this debate will go on for a long time yet.

[worddancer]

It all goes back to communication, education and information.
Communicate-shun silence; Educate-shun ignorance; inform-shun manipulation

The attitude, that you are what you are born and nothing and no-one can change you for the better, is defunct, not acceptable in Australia.

If one looks around and only sees the negatives without expecting or seeing any positives then it is the observer whose life is in shadow. These observers are in all walks of life, in all cultures and countries, but in Australia wonders can happen.

The slum-dweller can look up and build his own place. It is only when they succeed, that some ignoramus takes a swing at the 'tall poppy' and tries to, 'put them back in their place'.

You, can change your circumstances! The choice is yours, if the chance for change is prominent and offered and encouraged.

Credit must be given when and where credit is due for effort made by the students, and not for the sake of the coordinator's reputation or future funding.

If a student/participant/worker is still rewarded whether they stay at the task/classroom/job for minutes or for a day, then it is the the slack attitude of the coordinator that perpetuates the situation with their refusal to 'take a stand'.

If the people 'in charge', regardless of the skin colour, acquire the position because they know the purse-holder; (gov rep) see opportunity for themselves; are not scrutinized before hand; or are in collusion for advantage, then any community is at risk of deception and manipulation to 'not rock the boat, don't make waves'.

The aboriginal Children in outback or cities are as enthusiastic to learn, compete in and out of the classroom and support their community and each other as any other student in Australia. We all carry the future.

The attitude of 'poor fella me' is a shadow that can and is slowly being absorbed into the sun beams of the future.

That's enough from my head.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thank you Eliza - we seem to share a vision Couldn't agree more.,,,miracles can and do happen if we just believe

cheers

Maureen