Indigenous Centre Proposed

SYDNEY
could soon become an international tourist destination for Aboriginal heritage
with an indigenous history and culture centre proposed on the back of Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to the stolen generations last month reports Lisa Capozzi in the Central of 19 March 2008..

The proposed centre, which is gaining support from
high-profile Sydney
personalities including NSW Governor Marie Bashir,
is included in Sydney Council’s yet-to-be released Sustainable Sydney 2030
document and the city’s corporate and social plans.

Councillor Marcelle Hoff
said the idea was to create an internationally recognised, comprehensive centre
that tells the story of indigenous Australians.

“The idea is now gaining momentum with an enormous
amount of interest being shown by a wide range of people,” Cr Hoff told
Central.

“There are some really powerful people
interested.”

A concept paper on the proposed centre obtained by Central
said a great deal of community consultation would occur before the concept
could be realised. “The centre will document and exhibit the history and
culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, preserving the
memories and stories of individuals and communities,” the paper, produced
by Cr Hoff as a guide only, reads.

“Containing the world’s largest repository of
information on indigenous Australians, ‘The Centre’ will be a leader in
indigenous Australian history, culture, education, commemoration, art, research
and documentation and will be accessed by visitors, students and academics.

“It will, by its very nature, be a place for
reconciliation and hope.”

Examples for the concept to follow include the Smithsonian’s
National Museum
of the American Indian in New York, the Yad
Vashem in Jerusalem and the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

The concept plan also states an advisory or exploratory
committee needs to be established. It is expected a proposal to form the
committee will come to council as early as next month.

“This committee will include Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
leaders who share the vision for this project,” the plan says.

Cr Hoff said the project provided an opportunity to
capitalise on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology. “Indigenous Australians
face many challenges at a time when Australia is enjoying unprecedented
economic and lifestyle prosperity,” she said.

“The opportunity exists for this project to be a
springboard to uplift and honour the spirit of indigenous Australians, to share
their rich history and culture with the rest of society, and to look to a
brighter future.

“Politically, socially, culturally, the time is right
to begin this project.”

Photo: Marcelle Hoff
and Michael Kirby are overcome with emotion as they watch Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd deliver an apology to the stolen generations.

Centre Ideas

• A
  painting of a serpent on the floor that leads visitors on the journey.
• Aromas
  of eucalyptus and smoke.
• Traditional
  Aboriginal music.
• Aboriginal
  elders handling specific exhibits along the way – an exhibit on the Stolen
  Generation may have representatives of this group who would be willing to
  tell their own stories.
• A
  comprehensive library of indigenous Australian archives, books, artefacts,
  art and multimedia.
• Facilities
  for in-house education, seminars and lectures for visitors, students and
  scholars. Programs and material produced there could be made available for
  educational purposes throughout Australia and overseas.
• The
  centre and its elements will be given Aboriginal names.
• Suggested
  sites include Redfern, Pier 2/3, Cockatoo
  Island, Snapper
  Island and Goat
  Island.
• A
  contribution of land, facilities and money by local, state and federal
  governments would be crucial.
• The
  centre would be designed as an embodiment of reconciliation and a major
  domestic and international tourist destination.

Let’s Build it on the Block: Mundine

ABORIGINAL leader Mickey Mundine
says Redfem’s Block is the perfect place for an indigenous heritage and
cultural centre reports Lisa Capozzi
in the Central of 19 March 2008.

He described the concept as “a blessing” and said
it would fit perfectly with the Aboriginal Housing Company’s plans to redevelop
the Block to create new housing and an Aboriginal educational and cultural hub.
“It will change the face of this community,” Mr Mundine told Central.

“This is where the Aboriginals are and this is where we
will stay – it would be a blessing to show people about our culture.

“The Block is the perfect place – this is our main
watering hole, it is a modern sacred site.”

Playing with Redfern children last week, Mundine said it was
them that would benefit the most.

“It’s for the next generation,” he said.

“As adults, we need to start paving the way for them. “I
really feel, now that Kevin Rudd has said sorry, that a door has been opened,
and it is time people started coming to Redfern to learn about the true history
of Aboriginal culture.”

He said the cultural centre would complement aspects of the
Aboriginal Housing Company’s Pemulway project for Eveleigh St, which includes
62 new houses and educational and health facilities.

Time for Action – Editorial

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to the stolen
generations touched millions of people across the country, with many branding
it a breakthrough in the reconciliation journey Writes Lisa
Capozzi in the Central Editorial of 19 March 2008..

But now the words have been said, it’s time for action, and
an indigenous Australian history and cultural centre for Sydney is a great place to start.

The centre would make Aboriginal culture a tourist drawcard
for the city, which has strong Indigenous roots. Although there is a large
Aboriginal tourist centre in Cairns, there isn’t
anything similar in Sydney, a city which
attracts more than half of all overseas tourists coming to Australia every
year, according to the latest International Visitor Survey released this week.
It makes sense to educate tourists – and locals for that matter – about
Aboriginal history and heritage.

Aboriginal activist Mickey Mundine
told me a story about overseas visitors who recently got out of Sydney’s airport terminal
and asked a taxi driver to take them to where the Aboriginals were.

The taxi driver, not knowing where to go, took the
unsuspecting tourists to the deserted streets of Woolloomooloo – a place he
thought was where Aboriginals were.

“No, not here,” the passengers said. So the taxi
driver took them to Red-fern’s Eveleigh
Street, and left them there, to see where the
Aboriginals lived. Wouldn’t it be nice if the taxi driver had somewhere to take
the tourists, eager to learn about Australian history. Seeing Redfern kiddies
laugh and learn from Mundine was pretty special. Let’s hope the centre will get
the go ahead so others can learn too.

Source: Central of 19 March 2008