6 Ways Australia Can Embrace Aboriginal Culture In 2016

In 2015 Australia exposed itself to the world as a nation that is afraid to embrace the worlds oldest continuously surviving culture on the planet. Here are 6 ways Australia could make some big changes in 2016!!!

1. Smoke Ceremony - Welcome To Country rooms at every International & Domestic Airport

ABC / Via abc.net.au

What better way to arrive to Australia than undergoing a traditional welcome to country smoke ceremony!

Fiji greets their guests with shell necklaces and beautiful island singers inside the airport while Australia greets you with thorough bag searches and angry looking border force personnel.

Optional smoking ceremony rooms would be a great way for everyone to connect and show respect for Aboriginal culture, while creating cultural enhancing jobs which would be the polar opposite of the culturally destuctive jobs offered by the mining industry.

This idea came after watching an Aboriginal Elder performing a welcome to country on a first nations Elder from North America outside Sydney airport. You can watch the video here: www.facebook.com/deadlyblackz/videos/533344256825031

2. Aboriginal Statues in the Cities

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Australia loves to celebrate their colonial figures with statues even though many of them committed unspeakable crimes against Aboriginal people. Wouldn't it be nice to have some Aboriginal statues in Australia's cities??

At present there are Aboriginal statues in Australia but most Australians would have never seen them as they are only found in remote locations such as Karratha in W.A and in Aileron N.T (pictured)

My dream is to see one similar to this 17m giant on Sydney head. Is that too much to ask?

3. Welcome to Country Signs

ABC / Via open.abc.net.au

Australia is home to hundreds of tribal nations. Its time we start making people more aware of that. These signs pictured were put up across the Wiradjuri nation over 6 years ago and many of them have since been removed after residents complained in Lithgow, Oberon, Goulburn and Mudgee.

4. Changing the date of Australia Day (Invasion day)

Danny Eastwood / Via Facebook: DannyEastwoodArt

Australia’s national day (Australia day) is on the anniversary date of the illegal arrival of the English settlers (Jan 26th 1788). When you think of what this arrival means to Aboriginal people you know it’s not a day to celebrate and Australia refuses to change the date while at the same time claiming to be working towards reconciliation!

5. Change The Flag

Pemulwuy / Via Facebook: ourcountryourchoice

In the same way that Australia day is insulting for our people, it is equally insulting to have the union jack as a constant reminder of a foreign invasion. The current flag has had no influence in its making by our people. Just like the national Anthem and the national constitution that have no reflection of Aboriginal values (Maybe I'll save those for next years list). I'll also add some more flag designs to the end of this article.

6. EDUCATION AWARENESS & UNDERSTANDING

John Pilger / Via johnpilger.com

Education needs to come from not only schools but from the media as well. The lack of education is evidenced among many Australians who hide behind a veil of ignorance. I prefer to call this veil: The Great Wall of Ignorance.

At present there is a push for education of languages but there also needs to be education of the brutal past and the amazing qualities of our diverse cultures.

The media is failing in a big way, for example, the continual media silence over the ongoing #sosblakaustralia protests against the threat of Remote Aboriginal community closures and the protests against deaths in custody.

Try my very own Aboriginal awareness test here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/pemulwuy/indigenous-republic-of-australia-citizenship-tes-pz24

Notable Mentions

NEWS.COM.AU / Via news.com.au

Some other ideas that just missed out on the list:

Having a public holiday for Mabo Day, Sorry Day or during NAIDOC week to actually give Australians a day off to unite as one.

Making Aboriginal War dances mandatory for national Rugby and AFL teams

More Aboriginal art on buildings, trains, busses, trains and taxis....paint the town!

Acknowledgement of country by news reporters at the end of their broadcast. (Example: This is Tony Abbott reporting live from Eora country for ABC News, goodnight!)

Having a panel of elected Aboriginal Elders to replace the head of state

Closing the Uluru climb

Dropping the Recognise campaign and returning to talks of Treaty and honoring our sovereignty, as the occupation of Australia still remains illegal under international law without a treaty, declaration of war or Purchase of our lands. (Terra Nullius is no longer an excuse)

Via fixtheflags.blogspot.hk

Blackfulla Revolution / Via Facebook: ourcountryourchoice

Young Black n Deadly / Via Facebook: deadlyblackz

Aboriginal statue built in 2015 @ Karratha, WA!

FREEDOM - Mau Power Ft Archie Roach

youtube.com / Via youtube.com

My Anthem