Introduction to Decolonising in Lutruwita

I'm a Tasmanian Aboriginal woman. In my language - the language of the traditional owners of the island - depending on who you ask, we call this island lutruwita or trouwunna. This is my homeland where my ancestors lived. My ancestors died fighting in the frontier wars or in the aftermath as a result of colonisation.

This blog is for anyone who wants to further their understanding of the contemporary lived experiences of Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

Decolonisation is the process of identifying and removing the colonial structures in our society to connect deeper with ones true self and culture. It's a bloody hard process for anyone to go through, regardless of culture or race. It takes ongoing discipline and commitment, with a good dose of grit.

Finding the bars of the cage

I've long felt a sense of disconnection from the life that I live. I couldn't identify what was causing the ongoing unsettling feelings, but I knew my regular sadness (not depression; there's a difference) was caused by something.

I was ticking all the boxes for working my way up to be a successful and contributing member of society. I was in a good job, studying at masters at uni, fit and healthy. So, why didn't I feel satisfied?

Then, I read a book that flipped my perspective of the world. Here is a quote that will stay with me forever:

“You're captives of a civilizational system that more or less compels you to go on destroying the world in order to live... I think there are many among you who would be glad to release the world from captivity... This is what prevents them: They're unable to find the bars of the cage.”

It was then that I realised the unsettling feeling was my very being as an Aboriginal person screaming at me, warning me that the world I was participating in was in fact a prison. No matter how much I assimilated into the colony, I always was and always will be Aboriginal. I'd discovered the cage of my prison cell. Now, I had to find the bars of the cage and let myself out.

What do I hope to achieve?

Decolonisation is hard. It's a long, winding and bumpy journey. At times, I've found myself teetering between extremism and insanity as I identify the control that colonialism has over myself and my people.

Finding the bars of my cage is difficult but removing them is just as challenging. By sharing the resources I use to educate myself, I hope to help others.

This is a space for me to share my journey and learnings in the hope other people find it helpful. I know I'm not alone in feeling and knowing something is wrong but not being able to put a finger on it. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in the journey, regardless of gender, race or religion.

It's important to remember this is just my perspective based on my individual experience. My opinions are not set in stone. Approaching this with an open mind means that sometimes I may discover something that changes or challenges an original opinion I held. Some may call that hypocrisy, I call it learning and growing.