Australian aborigini history, culture, parallel ours

Page 15

Since the coming of the European settlers, Australian aboriginal peoples' history has paralleled that of the aboriginal people of this continent.

But history is not the only parallel said Australian aboriginal elder, Margrett Gibson during her workshop on Australian tribespeople.

"We share a similar culture of tribalism, and love of the earth," she told delegates. "We too have always worshipped the Creator spirit, or maybe just the Great Spirit."

It is this parallel and others that has compelled Gibson and other Australian aboriginals to join together this February in support of "our brothers, the Lubicon Lake people and their struggle."

Gibson feels it is no coincidence that in February 1988 the Lubicon Lake Indian band will be protesting their 47 year old land claim during the Calgary Winter Olympic Games at the same time, on the other side of the world, Australian aboriginals will be protesting the Australia's bi-centennial.

"They say Captain Cooke discovered Australia as a barren land. But we were already there and had been there for thousands of years." This February during the celebrations, Gibson and other aboriginals intend to protest their lack of land and other basic human rights.

"I hope it will be a peaceful demonstration, but I fear there will be violence. I ask the people of Canada to pray for them," she said. During her presentation Gibson and other members of the Australian delegation told of the atrocities committed against aboriginals by the Australian and British governments.

"The British soldiers came and actually had a policy of genocide. They would attack a village and bury the babies in the sand with just their heads sticking out and then walk around with a sword and cut of the heads."

"The game was to see how far they could kick the babies heads," she said.

Whole villages and tribes were killed in this fashion and today many aboriginals have no land, no reserves and few resources.

"We are given the land no one wants," said Patricia Daanen.

"And when my own mother, who lives on one of the communities, attended a land workshop her rubbish (garbage) was not collected and they cut off her water," said Gibson.

Gibson and Daanen explained that the Australian aboriginals are considered to be the oldest aboriginal culture on the earth as their oral history recalls events that happened thousands of years ago.

"Scientists have now proven that our history, which tells of volcanos erupting at a certain time, have actually happened, but often 5,000 years ago. Who else has such a history?" says Gibson.

Recently Australian aboriginals won the return of their most sacred place called Uluru ? a large mountainous rock situated in the heart of the Australian desert.

"The whiteman calls it Ayers Rock, but it is our sacred place . . . a place of dreaming. Our spiritual centre," says Daanen.

The aboriginals also have their own communication system based near Uluru.

"We have a radio and we transmit our own language to the people. And we have still have a long way to go. We have a long way to catch up with you in Canada," says Daanen.

Both Daanen and Gibson urged all aboriginal peoples from all parts of the world to unite in their cause because the problems are similar.

"If we work together, no one can stop us," said Gibson. "We are a mighty force."