By Jessica Rudd

I’ve been living in Beijing for three years and London for two before that. The great thing about living elsewhere is that you find yourself being asked big questions about your home country.

How does preferential voting work? Who wrote the Australian National Anthem? Why do you still have a foreign head of state?

I’ve been to many a dinner party at which, when these questions are asked, Aussies at the table excuse themselves for a loo break or to clear the plates so that the sole remaining compatriot is left to provide explanations about as learned as, ‘to keep the rabbits out.’ It can be embarrassing.

Last year, at a book event, I was asked a question that stumped me. I’m almost too ashamed to tell you about it. The question was: which Aboriginal language is the most widely spoken in Australia?

Why don’t I know the answer to that question? I mean, I can prattle on about dialectic diversity in China. I can almost tell the difference between Québécois and mainstream French. Swahili and English are the official languages of Kenya.

But in my own country, I can’t tell you anything about Indigenous languages—what they’re called, how many there are, where they are spoken. Worse, I don’t know a single phrase.

National Reconciliation Week 2012 gives us an opportunity to do that. It’s about sharing cultures, histories, listening and trading stories about things such as marrying traditions.

I can’t wait to learn more about Australia’s First Peoples and to finally be able to answer those tricky questions my international friends have asked me. And a supporter of this year’s National Reconciliation Week I encourage everyone to also take those steps to learn more about our amazing First Australians.

Hi, Alex Dyson here. Over my time working on the Triple J breakfast show I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some extraordinarily talented indigenous musicians. As well as having a very large smile, they’ve always got a few stories to tell, so i thought the best use of my National Reconciliation Week blog would be to introduce you to a couple of them!

First up is Torres Strait Islander and guitar plucking maestro Jeremy Marou; who along with his good mate Tom Busby is one half of Aussie indie/folk act Busby Marou. These guys got plucked from relative obscurity to appear on the Finn brothers tribute album He Will Have His Way, and have since taken the Aussie music scene by mellow and thoughtful storm. Their track Biding My Time scored number 81 in triple j’s hottest 100, and you can even check out their killer Like A Version for triple j below. Take it away Jeremy!

Tell us about the first time you picked up an instrument?
As a typical Torres Strait island black man, growing up in a large Torres Strait Islander family music is simply a way of life. From as early as I can remember my dad and uncles had guitars, drums etc around, so I always would muck around on different instruments (mainly guitar).   It wasn’t until I was 14 years old however that I worked out the effect of the guitar on girls and actually asked my father how to play… He showed me some basic chords then told me to use my ears. Best advice.

Who do you look up to musically?
I have music idols like Brad Paisley, Keith Urban as I love a country music sound.   Love the guitar tones and sounds these guys get also the quick country style “chicken pickin” most guitarist brush off.  Although Busby Marou aren’t a country band you can hear my country influences.
How do you think your culture affects your sound?
Natural harmonies.  Like most island cultures the “island harmony” comes natural. This definitely reflects the sound I create with Busby.  I’ve heard people say my guitar playing reflects cultural influences – this is far from the truth. The Torres Strait Islander much like the maori”s have one maybe two strumming patterns.

If your music was a scrumptious meal, what would it be?
It would be a big red emperor fish, baked with lemon garlic and herbs… Of course I caught the fish.

And finally, what does reconciliation mean to you?

Reconciliation isn’t about all black fellas celebrating how far we have come… Rather a black and more so white celebration.  Reconciliation week there will he thousands of different events around the country to acknowledge reconciliation, 99% of these events will be driven by black people.  Reconciliation is about black and white people.  I hope people look at Busby and myself and see us as living proof of reconciliation.

By Nevada Brown

My journey began back in December 2011 after applying to be one of the 23 students to participate in the Cert IV Indigenous Leadership course ran by the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre.

The first residential kicked off in February and I was to meet 22 other inspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from right across Australia.

I must admit it was no holiday—or walk in the park—but I knuckled down and completed all assignments.

When the first residential was over it was time for all the students to head back to their communities. During our time back home a project and several other major tasks were to be completed during the break between the first and second residential workshops—which were due in 6 weeks!

April came around, and I was feeling excited to catch up with everyone again.

During the week I had to give an effective presentation. It was supposed to be between 8 and 10 minutes and I tried to say everything in one breath (laughs). But I was deadly.

We also had a networking gathering with 13 Canberrans ranging from government, local community members and even a Real Estate agent.

Finally after 100 days the time had come to graduate with 21 other people and one other who was in our thoughts.

It was an amazing, inspiring and unforgettable journey that I will never forget. And I encourage all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people— if the opportunity pops up—to grab it!

Photo attached is of myself and Uncle Jim McDermott (from Tweed Heads) who was told by his manager he wouldn’t graduate and he did!

By Phoebe Dent, Policy & Research Officer for Reconciliation Australia

As people gathered at the Aboriginal Memorial in bushland behind the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Jeff Timbrey’s didgeridoo invited people to remember the service and sacrifice of the thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who have served in the Australian Defence Force.

Just after dawn on ANZAC Day, Wing Commander Lisa Jackson- Pulver, a proud Aboriginal women and serving member of the Royal Australia Air Force reminded us that despite rules against their enrolment and not being recognised as citizens until 1967, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have proudly served for Australia for over the last 100 years.

There are hundreds of untold stories about their bravery, sacrifice and contribution to Australia’s war efforts. The fact that Aboriginal people captured the first Japanese Prisoner of War on Melville Island armed with only a stick, or that Koori women and girls knitted thousands of socks, jumpers and balaclavas for the war effort at the Cumeroogunga Government Mission, or that the Lovett family, Gunditjmara people from western Victoria, have served for Australia in every war since World War I to the present day—a feat that no other Australian family has followed—are just a few.

The intimate ceremony in Canberra was one of a number around the country to remember such efforts and in the words of recently retired Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, “recognise and be thankful for the fine and dedicated service of our Indigenous servicemen and women, past and present”.  

The Ceremony is held each ANZAC Day following the dawn service at the Australia War Memorial and all members of the public are welcome.

By Claire Toepfer, Relationships Manager – Constitutional Recognition

It was a vision in the early hours of Tuesday, as business after business set up their stall in the warmly-lit Hilton in central Sydney for the AIMSC Connect 2012 Trade Show and Gala Dinner. You could have mistaken it for any other trade show—dozens of businesses gathered to display their products and services…but then the differences became apparent.

As I stuck this year’s National Reconciliation Week poster featuring a couple of brilliant Aussie chefs to the walls of the Reconciliation Australia stand, one of the stars of the piece himself came up and requested a few wall hangings for his own domain. Yes the ‘Black Olive’, the master of the most creative Aussie spice collection wanted some NRW posters. Brilliant.

I look up to a quick flash and there is photographer, Wayne Quilliam, snapping me in action. Always cheeky, always a perfect shot, I was in safe hands.

The sound of ‘hey Uncle, do you want a hand?’ rang about the halls as a great line of blossoming businesses propped up their products. Robin Bryant, director of JD merchandise and Ulmurra pies knows the beauty of diversification, and chatted to me about the changes he had made to his community following his time serving in Vietnam.

Malan Dimopoulos wooed the crowds with his Native Oz Cuisine chips that are now selling from supermarkets to Qantas flights!

The whirring noise of pitching power oozed throughout the show. Within 10 steps I wandered past catering, cleaning, printing, design and consulting businesses.

By night at the AIMSC Gala Dinner we heard from billionaire businesswoman Janice Bryan Howroyd, chief executive officer of ACT-1 Group, the largest employment agency owned by a minority woman in the US. Janice’s words of advice resonated to the very bones of Town Hall….

“Never compromise what you are personally for what you wish to become professionally”

What an inspiring statement and one that really connected with the theme of the event…the support and friendship between business partners and competitors was clearly evident and as a result the day beamed of professionalism and passion.

AIMSC recognises the impact these Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses might have, and can have, thanks to the relationships that are in motion between the corporate and supplier world.

By Kiyah Missen, Reconciliation Australia youth facilitator

The Constitutional Recognition Forum held at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) was an opportunity for me to listen and participate in the important discussions around constitutional change. I learned that a successful movement like the 1967 referendum starts with promoting knowledge and understanding so people are able to make informed decisions.

The forum—that brought together almost 70 young people from right around Australia—was my first experience in facilitation and I was a little bit nervous.  But the group was fantastic and participants displayed a great deal of energy and passion.  This forum has definitely set a very high standard for future forums on constitutional change.

The Constitutional Recognition Youth Forum was a life changing experience for many of the participants. It was an opportunity for these young people to build their confidence, it helped them form an opinion on constitutional recognition and it was a fun and safe environment for them to share their ideas and perspectives.

I feel extremely fortunate to be a part of such a successful and important event.

By Wayne Denning, Managing Director Carbon Media.

In 2010, when Carbon Media won the coveted Indigenous Governance Award, I knew we had broken the mould in demonstrating that Indigenous governance exists across all sectors, not just in communities and not-for profit organisations.

It was this success that had led Awards Chair Professor Mick Dodson to invite me to the United States to participate in a unique multi-national conversation about Indigenous governance at the University of Arizona in Tucson in early March.

I was part of just a small delegation of 30 from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US to attend “Common Roots, Common Futures:  Different Paths to Self-Determination – An International Conversation”, co-hosted by Professor Dodson, Australia’s Diane Smith and Harvard Project for American Indian Economic Development’s Steven Cornell.

The international event explored three topics of self-determination, governance and economic development and promoted new, innovative, promising or productive progress in each area.  It was interesting to share and learn how each of our countries understand Indigenous governance and economic development best supporting Indigenous self-determination.

It was a powerful situation coming together as world Indigenous peoples to start this cross-country dialogue, and envisioning what can be accomplished in practical terms for our Indigenous nations and communities.

For Indigenous Australians, my main concern is ensuring we are not left out of the digital economy.  For example, it’s vitally important Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to create positive perspectives on what we are able to achieve and share with others.  This is what we are hopefully promoting through my company Carbon Media.

Seeing things on a local level in the US also gave me new insight and exciting possibilities for what could be the future of Australian Indigenous affairs.  A day trip to the Tohono O’odham Nation reservation near the US-Mexican border showed how the local Indigenous peoples had established substantial jurisdiction within the boundaries of their own reservation, including designing their own system of government and having a police force that enforces both tribal and federal law.

We could learn a lot from the Tohono O’odham Nation’s innovative approaches to regulating land use, environmental matters and business development.  This type of insight is what will drive future discussions between our four nations forward over the coming years.  Just imagine what we could achieve knowing what can and does work in other countries, and the potential of what we could build upon and achieve here in Australia.

The Reconciliation Australia/BHP Billiton 2012 Indigenous Governance Awards are currently open for applications and nominations, and businesses like Carbon, as well as unincorporated projects and initiatives are encouraged to apply. For more information go to www.reconciliation.org.au/iga

By Dr Tom Calma, Reconciliation Australia Co-Chair and former Close the Gap Campaign Co-Chair

As we mark the sixth annual Close the Gap Day, I’ve been reflecting on the progress that has been made to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health over this time.

The campaign’s challenge back in the early days was to harness what political will was there, as well as community support (for example: in the reconciliation movement), and to build on it.

As I mentioning during my National Press Club address 12 months ago, when I was Co-Chair of the campaign, it’s up to the people of Australia to power the change.

The annual Close the Gap Day is a vital part of the awareness raising and support gathering process.  This year thousands of Australians and scores of organisations have held more than 800 events to support the campaign.

Health is a very important issue for me.  It’s a basic human right and its the foundation of life.

We have one of the highest overall life expectancies in the world.  We have managed this for the majority of Australians for decades now.  But what about that 2.5 per cent of the population—Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?

Now, the government is taking this issue seriously.  And that should be commended but more work needs to be done by all sectors, including addressing the determinants of health.

I am hopeful that together we can close the gaps that still exist between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians by 2030.  It’s up to all of us.

On 27 February 2012, the House of Representatives passed three bills to replace the Northern Territory Emergency Response Act 2007 which is due to expire in August 2012. The Bills will now be debated in the Senate. The Bills propose extending alcohol bans and increase penalties for breaches, strengthening community alcohol management plans and expanding the Improving School Enrolment and Attendance Measure (SEAM) to four towns and 18 communities.

Reconciliation Australia supports the overarching intention of the three pieces of legislation under consideration by the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs. However we also believe that the way in which policy is developed and implemented is just as important in moving towards a more reconciled Australia. In particular, we know that stronger relationships, built on shared knowledge and respect, are the basis for successful policies that improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We support the fact that the Commonwealth Government consulted widely with Aboriginal people across the Northern Territory on a discussion paper about what would be part of the new legislation. However we consider that the six-week consultation period was insufficient for people to consider the complex issues raised by the paper and so far the Government has not supported any of the local solutions that were put forward by participants during the consultations.  We hope that this may be announced as part of the 2012-13 Budget. We will also be looking in the Budget for investments in the governance capacity of local Aboriginal organisations and communities so that they can engage in the design and delivery of policies that affect them. In order for Government and communities to work in partnership, the Government too must continue to improve the way it engages and also be willing to support local solutions.

We are cautiously optimistic about the reforms to alcohol management in the Northern Territory which have the potential to support locally-owned solutions but we are concerned that the increased penalties include imprisonment sentences. We do not believe that the SEAM program will be successful in improving school attendance unless it is implemented on the strength of respectful relationships between the school, government representatives and parents. We also know that the SEAM program alone will not address the multiple causes of poor school attendance. We recommend that the Government supports the development of local Education Management Plans (EMPs) which would provide a formal avenue for schools and communities to drive local solutions.

Reconciliation Australia’s full submission is available on our website at: http://www.reconciliation.org.au/home/latest/submission-on-stronger-futures-legislation

By Leah Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer Reconciliation Australia

This week I travelled to the USA where I presented the Expert Panel’s report Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution to UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Mr James Anaya.

James was the guest speaker at a conference dinner in Arizona which brought together Indigenous peoples from Canada, New Zealand, USA and Australia.

The conference was a great chance for everyone to share insights on different pathways to self- determination and the relationship between governance and economic development.

James spoke about his role with the UN and provided different examples of how Indigenous peoples from around the world have been recognised.  I was inspired to hear some of the successful stories of Indigenous communities throughout the world who are taking more control and responsibility for their futures.

Today we visited the Tohono O’Odham Nation in Arizona and met with the Chair of the Legislative Council and Chairperson of the Tribal Council. We learnt about their governance structure and their economic enterprises which will no doubt come in handy for this year’s Indigenous Governance Awards program.

I also had a chance to visit the Tohono O’odham Cultural Centre and Museum.  When I came to this Nation in  2006 the Cultural Centre was still under construction, so it was exciting to see the Centre completed. It provides a valued place for the reclamation of their artefacts—and is a great educational facility for their culture and language.

Recognition has been a major theme of my trip so far and I’m looking forward to talking more about the Constitutional recognition of Australia’s first peoples upon my return.