Comments on: Closing the gap http://www.mybigworldofcrap.org/2009/07/02/closing-the-gap/ I'm in my 50's, live in Canberra and these are my musings about all sorts of crap that grabs my attention Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:06:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: chosha http://www.mybigworldofcrap.org/2009/07/02/closing-the-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-3550 chosha Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:29:32 +0000 http://www.mybigworldofcrap.org/2009/07/02/closing-the-gap/#comment-3550 I think 'poorly targeted' is often true and I really hope that the housing project has been handled well in terms of knowing the kind of housing best suited to indigenous communities. For example, most people are aware that in many (most?) indigenous tribes that after a person dies people no longer say their name. But in some tribes they also will not live in a house after someone dies there. Therefore, in a community where this is the practice, permanent housing may not be the best choice. Yet I've talked to people who insist that of course we must provide permanent housing as if anything else is shoddy and insulting. They, in my opinion, are judging what is necessary by non-indigenous cultural standards instead of making proper inquiries as to what is really needed. I also think that some of the blame for health standards has to be laid at the feet of indigenous culture itself. My dad was the coordinator of an Aboriginal settlement several years ago and despite any health education to the contrary, many families would use their house only to keep belongings and still sleep outside on the ground with the bugs, etc. This was a cultural choice, to stay close to the land. While I believe that people should have the right to live their culture (as long as they are not harming anyone else) I also think that the Government can't be blamed if someone choosing to sleep on the ground becomes sick and full of lice as a result, especially when they have actively provided not only an alternative, but health officers to educate people on the consequences of poor health choices. Often where the two clash, tradition and culture will trump 'white man' education. Dad found this kind of thing incredibly frustrating, particularly as he has a genuine love for indigenous people and their culture. I think ‘poorly targeted’ is often true and I really hope that the housing project has been handled well in terms of knowing the kind of housing best suited to indigenous communities. For example, most people are aware that in many (most?) indigenous tribes that after a person dies people no longer say their name. But in some tribes they also will not live in a house after someone dies there. Therefore, in a community where this is the practice, permanent housing may not be the best choice. Yet I’ve talked to people who insist that of course we must provide permanent housing as if anything else is shoddy and insulting. They, in my opinion, are judging what is necessary by non-indigenous cultural standards instead of making proper inquiries as to what is really needed.

I also think that some of the blame for health standards has to be laid at the feet of indigenous culture itself. My dad was the coordinator of an Aboriginal settlement several years ago and despite any health education to the contrary, many families would use their house only to keep belongings and still sleep outside on the ground with the bugs, etc. This was a cultural choice, to stay close to the land. While I believe that people should have the right to live their culture (as long as they are not harming anyone else) I also think that the Government can’t be blamed if someone choosing to sleep on the ground becomes sick and full of lice as a result, especially when they have actively provided not only an alternative, but health officers to educate people on the consequences of poor health choices. Often where the two clash, tradition and culture will trump ‘white man’ education. Dad found this kind of thing incredibly frustrating, particularly as he has a genuine love for indigenous people and their culture.

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