Originally dispatched 26 December 2013
Dobre dzien Tovarich,
Before you switch off, it isn’t the Budget Deficit that is being discussed ad nauseam that I want to try and hold your attention with.
A.N.U.’s Sally Dixon started her recent article : EDUCATIONAL FAILURE OR SUCCESS: ABORIGINAL CHILDREN’S NON-STANDARD ENGLISH UTTERANCES as follows:
“Within the Australian education system, Aboriginal students’ use of non-standard English features is often viewed simplistically as evidence of non-attainment of literacy and oral-English milestones. One reason for this is the widespread use of assessment tools which fail to differentiate between native-English speakers and students who are learning English as a second language. In these assessments, non-standard English features are framed as ‘mistakes’ and low scores taken as evidence of ‘poor’ performance.”
It is the ‘Deficit Model’ that drives opinion and policy in relation to all matters ‘Indigenous’ in Australia that I’ll attempt to throw some light on.
Long as I can see the light…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVN8VT53Ebs
Firstly mea culpa. From time to time Devil’s Advocate Dispatchees pull me up and point out that I myself invariably apply the Deficit Model to ‘Agencies’ that are ‘Closing the Gap’ and thrusting remote Aboriginal Australia into ‘Stronger Futures’. I’m forever criticising often well intended efforts at dealing with ‘Aboriginal disadvantage’ or worse still (sacre bleu) taking the piss.
Of having añoranzas (yearning for things that were, or might have been and are not likely to ever be again)…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFhLdM8U8Hw
The Christmas and New Year message from the Yuendumu Mediation and Justice Committee (emails and posters) included: “…. Thanks everyone for supporting our peace process!! Our next theme: Respectful Relationships. Let’s make Yuendumu a Domestic & Family Violence Free Community…” What is wrong with that? Nothing.It is a commendable effort, even if it is based on a Deficit Model.
Twenty Km from Alice Springs on the way to Yuendumu there is a ‘secret’ over the horizon radar base. When it first was built, every 30 metres along the Tanami road for several kilometres, signs popped up “Commonwealth of Australia, Restricted Area, Do Not Enter, Trespassers will be prosecuted”. Only one problem, they must have watched too many spy movies, they used invisible ink. After a short period the signs faded into white boards with no visible writing. They had to do them all again.
Remember the Yuendumu grog cars? Shortly after their installation in front of Yuendumu Police Station, one of the two cars disappeared. Perhaps another community got jealous and demanded a ‘grog’ car of their own? Well the lonely grog car is still there. The windscreen is covered by a dirty white sheet of paper. There is no visible writing on it.
What is meant by the Deficit Model?
Closing the Gap…. Implies there is a Gap that HAS to be closed at all costs.
Stronger Futures…. Suggests the past was weak.
The 7 early childhood development initiatives operating in Yuendumu…. Imply that children did not previously develop.
Generation One … implies all previous generations don’t count.
I will again quote Rosalie Kunoth-Monks who started a speech at Kalkaringi a few years ago with:
“There is no Aboriginal Problem in Australia, only a White-fellow problem”….. for this she got wild applause.
As for the stigmatising and stereotyping that the incredibly resilient and diverse remote Aboriginal Australians were and continue to be subjected to, I can’t go past Lizzy G from Palm Island:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbZxGkbbz1Y
As for the future, a pertinent song from the past:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy3L84rOoOc
Happy Christmas
Dosvitanya until next year
Frank