I applaud the well researched and well-written article by John Mathews.

I have been researching the issue of Stolen Generation and Child Abuse for quite a few years now.

I have spoken to many aboriginal (first grade footballers) in my time, seeking their input as to how can some aboriginals rise above adversity and others not. They have been quite open, frank and honest with their stories from childhood to becoming a first grade footballer - for which I thank them.

Most stories of their childhood have been quite horrific - as John Mathews portrays.

The response from 99% (aboriginal footballers) I have spoken to were they were the "lucky" ones. They didn't come from wealthy families, they came from the "land" - or mother earth as they describe it.

They wanted to make a difference in society, they had the passion to want to be equal in a white society - that's the difference. They strove to achieve excellence. The lads I spoke to left their tribes in search for schooling and opportunities in the "white man's land". They were assisted by the Government at the time.

Three footballers I personally know have gone back to their "tribes" after retiring from football, and are doing their bit in order to foster the knowledge, growth and education of the youth within their particular tribes.... I applaud them.

We can change this situation around, it won't happen overnight. It won't happen if both State and Federal Governments bury their head in the sand and say, "Oh, this is just too difficult".

I believe in fostering youth, but you need first to give youth a "challenge" and the opportunity to believe that education does bring rewards, not just lip service from some government official.

I certainly believe the Indigenous Culture can survive in co-ordination with education, knowledge, skills, health benefits and being successful in being gainfully employed - a sense of pride that we all have.

This article could have been published in the 1950's or earlier.
I don't think it is as erudite and many have claimed it is here.
In fact I think its mediocre in its composition and theoretical approach. It certainly speaks to the journalistic style that the Australian has been cultivating for many years now. Sensationism and then solutions.

I'm also reading with interest everyone's analysis on cultural convergence and relativity. Which is also no different to how narratives about Aboriginal people (by white people) have been penned for over two centuries. Usually in their absence.

These narratives are usually

*romantic
*racist
*anthropological
*or combinations of all the above three.

More soon, watch this space.

A thoughtful, carefully prepared article. The divide needs to be lessened if both cultures are to benefit from each other.

Rainier
I would like to dispute your assertion that this article could have been published in the 1950s.

All the evidence referred to by Matthews to support his arguments comes from the experience of more recent decades, the period after the granting of citizenship rights and following the introduction of several versions of self-determination and since welfarist programs have had their impacts. I contend that this article clearly could not have been written before these things occurred, as it would have lacked most of its content.

Dan,

As always you dispute anything I comment on.

And which citizenship rights are you refering too pray tell?

And who the hell is Matthews to form an opinion other than from text books?

Rainier
The citizenship rights I was referring to are the rights to vote in all elections, drink alcohol, be counted in the Commonwealth census, have specific Commonwealth legislation drafted for the benefit of (such as the ALR (NT) Act 1976), and the right to receive equal wages, all of which were rolled out for most Indigenous Australians in the 1960s.

Access to pensions, UB, health services, legal aid, public housing etc mainly came about for most in the 1970s.

Of course the gradual roll-out of land rights legislation also qualifies, starting with Dunstan & Steele Hall in SA in the 60s, the NT in the 70s, NSW in the 80s, Native Title in the 90s, and Tasmania more recently. Land rights justice has still not been delivered properly in WA, Vic. or Qld (as far as I am aware).

Matthews, along with numerous Indigenous researchers, worked on many health-related research projects in Indigenous communities across North Australia for quite a long period before he took up his present academic position in Melbourne. See for example http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/xmas98/mathews/mathews.html

I am not trying to pick on you - I just have a reasonable working knowledge of some aspects of Indigenous affairs, and expect people to stick to the facts when they publish information or opinion on blogs etc. I can assure you that there are other writers whose statements I question or attempt to correct a lot more often than I do yours. You may be surprised to learn that I actually often agree with a lot of the things you say.