BESIDE is a difficult word.
It represents both conformity and duality;
it represents those we choose to stand with,
those we choose to love,
and those the world inevitably excludes.
For centuries, First Nations peoples lived and worked in a relationship with country:
the smell of Eucalyptus lingering,
the sweet taste of wild berries from the bush, gathered with care,
never taking more than what was needed,
forming a reciprocal respect with each step.
And then they came.
BELONG is a difficult word.
It represents both connection and identity;
it represents those who know who they are,
those whose identities are yet to be discovered,
and those who may never know, fully, where they come from.
In 1788, January 26th took on a different weight.
The British raised their guns, their flags, claiming victory.
And then, later, they took the children away.
Screams of fear where joy should've lived,
new names embroidered on their clothing,
a paper heart, fragile, still beating, lost to dirt and grime,
dreaming of a home far, far away.
But perhaps the most difficult word of all is RECONCILIATION.
An apology or acknowledgement cannot erase the past,
like how a scar does not fade overnight.
It is a promise:
A promise to learn, to change,
and to listen to voices ordered to stay quiet long ago.
The future remains unwritten, but no one should hold the pen alone.
Australia has always been First Nations peoples’ land.
It always will be.
A paper heart continues to beat faintly in the background,
Waiting to see how we'll build tomorrow, together.
The Most Difficult Word
Campbelltown Performing Arts High School
Artist: Indy M. (year 7-8)
Artist statement...
When I was in Year 4, I learnt about the Stolen Generations, First Nations peoples’ histories, and the concept of Terra Nullius. My teacher said that anyone who felt uncomfortable with the content could leave the room, but I stayed. Not because I feared looking weak, but because I wanted to understand. I wrote this piece because I wanted readers to feel. I wanted readers to pause on a stanza and imagine the history behind it. I wanted to help the students who left the room, and other people who haven’t yet received proper education about these topics, begin to understand what First Nations peoples went through. While what I have written does not come close to capturing the full, devastating extent of what has happened over the past couple of centuries, it is designed to make you ask questions, to look at a line and ask, “What is the history behind that?” and actively choose to learn more.
Reconciliation means...
To me, reconciliation is the first step towards rebuilding a broken relationship. We saw this when Kevin Rudd delivered his historic apology in 2008. This represented an important step towards rebuilding the relationship between the Australian Government and First Nations peoples after the events beginning in 1788 and continuing throughout Australia’s history. Reconciliation means acknowledging your part in something that has hurt someone, apologising, and implementing changes to become a better person.