Reconciliation 2009

To kick off Reconciliation Week,

here is a photo of a couple of my favouritest peeps.

Aren't they beautiful?

Saw them perform in March at the Two Fires Festival in Braidwood, NSW.

You can see them in Melbourne on  Sunday 31 May

at the Reconciliation Concert in Williamstown

Special guests One Fire Dance Troupe 
A Free Family event in support of National Reconciliation Week 2009. 
LOCATION: Seaworks , 82 Nelson Place, Williamstown 
CONTACT NAME: Ilona Rayson  PHONE: 9932 1000
EMAIL: arts@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au

National Reconciliation Week starts to-day.

It is a time of memories, celebrations 

and staking a claim for the future.

That's what the word 'reconciliation' means - 

but it's a two-way street.

My own experience is that there is a lot of blackfella effort goes into reconciliation but there needs to be increased whitefella effort.  Most importantly, there needs to be more widespread whitefella understanding of what is going on in the lives of blackfellas - their successes, their failures, the places where uplift and a fair go is needed.  So, my dear whitefella friends, take the opportunity this year to draw up a chair or sit on the grass or bring a blanket and listen, have a yarn, a cuppa - and have a good time.

Pop over here to learn more about Reconciliation Week.  The theme for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) this year is ‘See the person, not the stereotype’. The theme links with Reconciliation Australia's national advertising campaign that challenges perceptions and debunks Indigenous stereotypes. The campaign proposition ‘if you knew the truth you would think differently’ was designed to force everyday Australians to judge stereotypically by posing a question against a backdrop of two faces. The provided response then suggests that people shouldn't really be answering the question at all and points viewers to the Reconciliation Australia website for more information.

Now pop over to the Reconciliation Victoria website and, before getting to the good times of what is happening this week, we have the non-conciliatory information about RecVic's de-funding by the Brumby Government and attempts to fight a rearguard action in defence of RecVic's continuation beyond 30 June 2009.  Please, dear Reader do what you can to assist.  Another resource is the ANTaR Victoria site. 

Reconciliation Week beings on the 27 of May because this is the anniversary of the 1967 referendum and ends with 'Mabo Day' on the 3rd of June.

On the 27 May 2000 national leaders gathered for the 'Corroboree 2000: Sharing our Future' ceremony at the Sydney Opera House-marking the end of the ten year 'Process of Reconciliation' which had begun with the establishment of the Council for Reconciliation in 1990, and marked the release of the Council's Australian Declaration Towards Reconciliation and Roadmap for Reconciliation.   And, dear Reader, your Miss Eagle was there.

On the next day over 250 000 people - and, dear Reader, your Miss Eagle was one of them -  joined the Walk for Reconciliation across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and many others joined in on walks and events in other cities. Each year since, the week has featured activities across the country.

Here is  a FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS in Victoria

Here is a FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS in New South Wales

Here is a FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS in Queensland

Here is a FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS in South Australia

Here is a FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS in the Northern Territory

Here is a FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS in the Australian Capital Territory