“It was we who did the dispossessing. We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life. We brought the diseases and the alcohol.” – Paul Keating, Redfern speech.
On not being in control, and learning to ‘Go Round’ By Robbie Lloyd
Reaching out to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be daunting for non-indigenous people, until respect is safely established, and an equal listening approach. In my own journey of learning how to form connections over more than three decades, the first few awkward approaches were quickly followed by wide smiles and regular ‘taking the mickey,’ a sign of trust and friendship.