The Chance of A Lifetime: By: Christine McFarlane

A Chance of a Lifetime:

By: Christine McFarlane

Participating in a Summer Abroad Program and travelling to Sydney Australia for an intensive five weeks to study Aboriginal Australia is a trip that I will not soon forget. I am especially thankful to First Nations House and Woodsworth College of the University of Toronto for helping to fund my trip.

Initially when I applied for the Sydney Australia Summer Abroad Program, I had misgivings because it meant that I would be away from my usual support system in Toronto. It also meant that if I experienced any anxiety, or had any other problems, I would really have to get in touch with myself and rely on myself to get through any rough moments. This was something I was fearful of at first because in my healing, I have often had people who were readily accessible with if I experienced any difficulties. With being on the other side of the world this meant that my access to these supports was a bit limited. I had to learn when I needed to connect with someone, when I needed a break and to take some time for myself and not forget the things I had incorporated into my routine to help me get through the rough moments. Initially this was more difficult than I thought it would be but with some help by a friend who was in the program with me, and the independence I managed to gain, I learned to deal with my anxiety and get to the point of sightseeing by myself.

Before attending our first lectures at the University of Sydney, I did not know much at all about Indigenous Australians and I had the belief that their history was different from those of the First Nations people of Canada. The similarities between Indigenous Australians and the First Nations people of Canada was something I really did not expect. Issues that we discussed in lecture at the University of Sydney included pre colonial and post colonial Australia, Indigenous rights, land and culture, Indigenous health and creative expression through film and art.

Just like their Canadian counterparts, Indigenous Australians have fought for recognition as being the original inhabitants of Australia.  Their struggles with governmental policies and representations are coined in different terms and there are ‘competing viewpoints’ that determine how we view Australia’s history and colonization, which is much like what First Nations people of Canada struggle with.

Another topic that I found especially intriguing was Indigenous rights. The Human Rights and injustices that I learned about in regards to Indigenous Australians, though named and dated at different times in Indigenous Australia history are ones that are and still being committed against First Nations people of Canada.  As an example, the issue in regards to the implementation of the Protection Acts imposed upon Indigenous Australains is similar in Canada, however for First Nations people in Canada, it is called the Indian Act. The Protection Acts that were imposed upon Indigenous Australians was a system of direct rule where Indigenous people could not hold land, they were controlled by how they took part in ceremony, banned from speaking their languages and inferred upon Indigenous peoples the distinction of being different from the rest of society.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning the history of the Indigenous people of Australia, their struggles and their triumphs because it reminded me very much of the struggles my own people have had to fight to get to where we are today.

Lastly, one of my most triumphant moments was when I booked a day tour and went by myself to visit the famous Blue Mountains. Visiting the Blue Mountains was an amazing experience for me because not only did I conquer my fear of going farther than what I called my safety zone in Sydney, I also got to see the mountains for the first time in my life. There was something about seeing the mountains that was incredibly breathtaking, especially when I was able to see a set of mountains that is considered sacred to Indigenous Australians-the Three Sisters formation.  The Three Sisters is a famous rock formation and one of the Blue Mountain’s most famous sites, towering above the Jamison Valley. Their names are Meehni (922 m), Wimlah (918m) and Gunnedoo (906m).  The legend surrounding the Three Sisters formation is claimed to be an Indigenous Australian Dreamtime Legend, which was the closest I was able to get to sacred land throughout my trip.

Australia was an amazing experience. If I could do it all over again, I would in a minute!