An Indigenous voice on current Government policy

This is the second of a series of videos produced by a knowledgeable Aboriginal Lady from North East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.  What she says should be obvious, but I think it helps to realise that for many Yolngu (the people from this region) what services the Government might provide is not as important as the way they provide them.  The new interventionist approach to remote Indigenous communities ultimately disempowers the people, regardless of what wonderful services they bring, because they do not acknowledge the people’s Law, knowledge, or potential.  This is why Banumbil in this video demands acknowledgement through government entering into face to face dialogue as the most important issue, so that Yolngu might be given some control over decisions made on their behalf.  I post this here so people can see that Indigenous people from the remote areas really are angry about disempowering approaches.  I hope you will believe me that she is not the exception in this regard.

This video was produced independent of Why Warriors Pty Ltd, and are the views of the speaker, further information may be found where this video was originally posted on YouTube. I’m sure those who created this video would appreciate if it was passed on to others especially to those in Government positions, as that is who this message was written for.

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  1. andrew

    i find it extraordinary from the prime minister Mr Rudd who payed homage to the oldest continuous living culture, who within not even a year in government, has empowed the NT government to make decisions in relation to the sustainability of homeland communites, again using the pretense of consultation. No australian government would dare to treat whites in this fashion. All white Australians should raise their voices against these constant injustices the basis of which is the contiuation of a two hundred year lie. How shameful! we are still colonising.

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  2. » An example of disempowerment- Why dont you talk to us first? > Cultural Worlds

    […] people are excluded from decisions that effect them is a real experience they face regularly ( hear about this directly from an remote Indingeous voice).   We must create ways to consult throughly using the local and traditional systems that the […]

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