Read on Twitter
Just under 24 hours left until this account goes to a new blakfella.
I’ve been thinking this week about how glad I am to have been gifted this opportunity by the @IndigenousX team and about how I don’t envy the person who has to follow me.
I’ve been thinking this week about how glad I am to have been gifted this opportunity by the @IndigenousX team and about how I don’t envy the person who has to follow me.
Not because they have to follow me, because next week is the worst week in the blakfella calendar. I don’t know what the decision matrix the IndigenousX team use to select who is tweeting from this account, I imagine the decision for next week.
I imagine they put the most thought into next week, knowing how hard it will be for whoever takes it on. How stressful next week is, how emotionally difficult it is and how much next week brings nationalism, patriotism and racism out in this country.
I live on illegally occupied land, continued through violence and implied violence. Every year those violent occupiers celebrate their continued occupation whilst the people I call my family ask them please respect us.
The people I call my family gold days of mourning, rallies asking the occupiers to spare a thought for us. To change the date, to not continue celebrating the idea of genocidal colonial violence.
Some people tweeted asking if I could do two weeks and honestly I’m not strong enough to do this next week. There’s been a couple moment where I wanted to lose my shit on here.
If I did this next week I would be continually losing it. So whoever takes over the account for next week, I commend you. You’re gonna be so fucking amazing and I’ll be there to support you. I’ll wade in.
There’s something I really want to say on here before I give up the account tomorrow. This was going to be the theme of the Guardian article I wanted to write for my week, that I didn’t follow through on.
I wanted to talk about Always Was, Always Will Be. I’ve heard those words over the course of my life. I’ve read them. I’ve tasted them as they left my mouth, shouted alongside my brethren at rallies.
I used to say they with proud. More recently I’ve said them in despair.
I said earlier this week I have lost hope. I no longer want to participate in the colony in any form. I am forced through implied threat of violence to participate though.
I said earlier this week I have lost hope. I no longer want to participate in the colony in any form. I am forced through implied threat of violence to participate though.
When I hear the words Always Was, Always Will Be I always say in my head Aboriginal Land. I think I’ve stopped believing that. Too often I no longer see a light on the horizon.
I’m worried that I’ve given too much to the colony for too little in return.
I’m worried that I’ve given too much to the colony for too little in return.
I’ve worked in their colonial organisations The Sydney Opéra House, The Australian Muséum, City of Melbourne. I’ve booked gigs for blakfellas and made sure I pay them as much as I can from taxpayer funds. From unpaid back rent for our land.
I’be tried to change those organisation from the inside, I’ve tried to be polite, I’ve tried to fight. I am a small boat trapped in a hurricane. I truly believe these orgs need to be torn down if we are ever going to have self determination.
If we are ever going to control the narrative.
I’ve performed culture for our white overlords and sold my soul to be able to participate in culture and I’ve made myself sick because of it.
I’ve performed culture for our white overlords and sold my soul to be able to participate in culture and I’ve made myself sick because of it.
The reason I’m feel despair when I hear the words Always Was, Always Will Be now is that I no longer believe it’s that easy. I don’t believe it ‘Always Will Be’ if we don’t fight for it at every point we can.
We need to be faster, smarter, stronger, more cunning and we need to be brutal. And then, we need to be compassionate, generous and forgiving. We need our land back and we need to be in control of the benefits of that, and in control of how those benefits are distributed.
We need to show more compassion than they’ve historically shown us but that is later.
This isn’t a call to arms, it’s a call to action. Be stronger, support each other.
This isn’t a call to arms, it’s a call to action. Be stronger, support each other.
The guardian probably wouldn’t have published this to be honest because these words are potentially dangerous. Dangerous for the lie that is this country.
We live on occupied land.
On stolen land.
I want it back.
We live on occupied land.
On stolen land.
I want it back.
