Now it’s about ‘bringing indigenous into the fold’

by Pamela Nathan, Director, CASSE’s Aboriginal Program

RE: The Age, Monday 27 May 2013

Last weekend saw Michael Long set off on the first leg of the Journey of Reconciliation relay to build support for the recognition of indigenous people within the constitution.  Michael Gordon in his article in the Age places this walk within the historical context, charting the changes since the initial Long Walk 2004 to 2013 (http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/now-its-about-bringing-indigenous-into-the-fold-20130526-2n5dk.html).

Gordon captures the sentiment of the gathered crowd of politicians and supporters that the nature of this walk is more than symbolic.  As Professor Marcia Langton states “the formal respect that will flow will ‘give young indigenous people the feeling that they are entitled to the opportunities the nation has to offer”.

Creating a Safe Supportive Environment (CASSE) is an organisation that has been working in partnership with the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress  (CAAC) to seek to move beyond symbolic gestures, in order to understand and address issues of violence and underlying trauma that currently exists in Aboriginal communities.

CASSE in conjunctions with Murrup Barak Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development will be holding a public forum Reconciliation Australia: Psychological Perspectives on September 7 2013.

This forum invites a meeting of two worlds – Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Australians, to promote a psychological dialogue about reconciliation.  It will provide a place to move beyond the symbolic and engage in the thinking that will bring the indigenous into the fold so that non Aboriginal and Aboriginal people can begin the long march of minds together on equal and respectful ground.

For more information about the public forum click here.