I am participating in Sunday Selections along with Elephant's Child, River, and others. It is something a bit different this Sunday. There was an exhibition at the Victorian (gay) Pride Centre in St Kilda.
Not so long ago someone in a blog comment mentioned something about Australia's indigenous people and I say nothing about them. My only connection is a friend of my father's was married to an Aboriginal woman. She slept one night at our farmhouse, on the floor. I think she was a full-blood person and very shy and quiet, at least among all the white people. No matter what Mother would say about 'those people', which could be any race, colour or creed, she would never be unkind personally and I am sure she made the woman welcome.
Aside from that woman, I've had no real contact with Aboriginal people, although there was one cafe we used to visit where there was a worker who I thought might have been Aboriginal, but I am not certain.
These photos feature Aboriginal people who are gay or have a strong connection to the so-called gay community. They all work as professionals or as volunteers for the GLBTI communities. I didn't take photos of all of their names or details.
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Colin Ross.
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People are people, regardless of race, creed, colour, sexuality. Watching something about Hitler at the moment - still shocking and should never be forgotten, excused, overlooked.
ReplyDeleteJB, six million gone. A horror show, while good people did nothing.
DeleteThat looks like an interesting exhibition and beautiful photographs by the artist.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle and aunt emigrated to Australia in the 1960s and lived in Maroubra. They were unable to have children naturally so adopted their daughter as a baby. She, my cousin, is of mixed Aboriginal heritage and is a stunningly beautiful woman.
My other cousin from Brisbane who visited us recently ( son of a different aunt and uncle) is married to a woman whose first husband was Aboriginal but who sadly died young. My cousin now has a lovely mixed heritage stepdaughter.
As a non Australian outsider, it seems to me that integration works well in your society?
JayCee, your Australian connections are strong and in my experience, to have Aboriginality in an Australian extended family is unusual. But that could be about me and the circles I mix in. Not posh but until the part Maori girls twins were born five years ago, totally white. While I say that, my paternal grandmother was born in Australia to a Swiss Italian father. Also, I live and move in areas where there just aren't many Aborigines.
DeleteWe're everywhere; and such beautiful faces!
ReplyDeleteAll of them Bob, are good people too.
DeleteWhat a lovely celebration of our first peoples. And gorgeous faces too. I have known and worked with people of Aboriginal heritage. And liked some of them a lot.
ReplyDeleteThank you EC. I now have a preferred phrase, first peoples. I'm pleased you've had some experience. I don't think Victoria has a high number of first peoples compared to other states.
DeleteGreat series of portraits here. The smiles are lovely
ReplyDeleteThey are great and sincere smiles, Roentare.
DeleteAborigines have lived on your island continent for 65,000 years. They were never given a chance to show European settlers a better, simpler and more sustainable way to live. Instead they were relegated to the bottom of the pile. That's how I see it anyway.
ReplyDeleteYP, it was known that they understood the land, but that seems to have been ignored. The actions by those in the 1700s into the 1900s were shocking and disgraceful, and went against what England said, that they should be treated kindly and respectfully. Sadly, mainly for social reasons, many are still at the bottom of the pile.
DeleteI remember playing with aboriginal children as a child on the beach every summer for a few years. I see a few walking through the driveway here at the flats and I think they live in one closer to the main road. I know quite a few people who have Aboriginal heritage. I see groups of them in the parklands and in the city on pension days. What we never see are our own indigenous people working at jobs in towns and cities. Why is that? I see Asians, Indians and Africans working but never Aboriginals. Is it because they prefer the outback freedoms?
ReplyDeleteRiver, you had and have first peoples to mix with, most Victorians didn't. You raise a good question and I don't have any kind of clear thought about it.
DeleteShows you the universality of LGBTQ people, that it's not just something made up by modern-day westerners.
ReplyDeleteKirk, gay sex happens everywhere among all races. Less common is permanent gay relationships and be openly gay.
DeleteOne of my son in laws is part of the Yuin nation but you wouldn't know it looking at him. I think you'd be surprised at the aboriginal people you know.
ReplyDeleteThe tiwi islanders have one of the highest numbers per capita of "sister girls" in the world so yes, lgbtqi folks are in every group
Kylie, I really don't think I would know people with any first nations blood. I just checked that I fully understood what sister girls are and this was go to place for all the various names we should know, https://www.prideinsport.com.au/content/uploads/2020/05/09.-Language-and-Terminology.pdf
DeleteGood to see some of the photos of these people Andrew.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret and good on the Pride Centre for the exhibition. It has changed now, so I must return to see what is now there.
DeleteMuy buenos retratos. En la persona, no se mira el color de la piel, lo importante es la bondad de su corazón.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think they all have good hearts.
DeleteInteresting documentation.
ReplyDeleteThanks ME.
DeleteBeautiful people pictures! Big smiles except the last man.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, I hope they have a lot to be happy about.
DeleteYes, showing ourselves is the best advertisement for our Humanity. Thank you Andrew. Glad you enjoyed seeing the outrigger canoe on my post. Aloha friend!
ReplyDeleteCloudia, of course. I should have known it was an outrigger.
DeleteI know of Crystal Love very well, as my friend Lisa is a good friend of Crystal's. A fascinating life story. We also have something in common now with limb amputations.
ReplyDeleteThanks James. It's nice to add a personal connection to the post.
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