‘Soul-crushing’: First Nations Tasmanians tell their stories for National Reconciliation Week

Two First Nations Tasmanians have spoken out about their personal journeys, as National Reconciliation Week kicks off across the nation. THEIR FIGHT TO END RACISM>>>

IT WAS only a few years ago when young palawa woman Aria Ritz was told by a primary school teacher that “it was Aboriginal people’s fault that white colonisation happened”.

“It was absolutely soul-crushing for me,” the 17-year-old said.

“I was brought up in a very white education system at a very white school.

“I was sat down and told by a teacher that it was Aboriginal people’s fault that colonisation happened and that Aboriginal people slaughtered the white people.”

Ms Ritz, who is descended from the First Nations people of north-east Tasmania, was frequently told while growing up that “I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere in life”.

She said she was unable to “deal with it” for a long time until she decided to finally share her story.

On Friday, Ms Ritz shared her story to a forum in Hobart to mark the start of Reconciliation Week, which runs May 27 to June 3.

She said speaking out – and education – were vital in driving change in Tasmania, which she noted had been slow to emerge out of historical ignorance.

“I wanted to touch on the importance of calling it out if you do hear racism,” Ms Ritz said.

“I can guarantee that everyone who is discriminated against, we’re all very tired of calling it out for ourselves, and it’s up to the allies to make a difference as well.”

Nathan Charles Brown said they’d grown up in Launceston in a pakana community, speaking at the forum about barriers they’d faced as an Indigenous person and in dealing with early childhood domestic violence.

“I’m 41 years old, and for me growing up was quite intimidating being that I was a Tasmanian Aboriginal, transgender gay man,” they said.

First Nations (palawa-pakana) Tasmanians Aria Ritz and Nathan Charles Brown at a National Reconciliation Week forum in Hobart. Picture: Chris Crerar

“Over the past 20 years it’s been a journey coming out and taking ownership of my identity.”

They said at a previous Hobart Pride March, they’d been sat down and presented with a traditional lutruwita-Tasmanian Aboriginal maireener and button shell necklace by two Aunties.

Wearing the necklace on Friday, they said it had been “really special”, and looked forward to continue advocating for First Nations people into the future.

“This is something I’ll be working on for the next 20 years, until I’m an elder,” they said.

“At my age, I feel like I need to contribute to multicultural Tasmania.”

National Reconciliation Week commemorates the dates of the 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision, and aims to strengthen relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous people.

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