Exaggeration of Colonial Trauma Leads to Victimhood: Indigenous Academic

A young girl holds up an Australian Aboriginal flag on Australia Day in Sydney, on Jan. 26, 2022. (Steven Saphore/Getty Images)

An Indigenous academic has warned about the impact of overemphasising the “assumed trauma” brought about by colonisation when addressing Aboriginal issues at school, saying it will promote “a sense of victimhood” among Indigenous students.

The comment comes about a week before the Victorian government implements its new school program which will require educational settings across the state to acknowledge Indigenous culture and adopt measures to “eliminate racism.”

The standard, which commences on July 1, applies to all government and independent schools including those without no Indigenous students.

“Australia’s colonial history has caused significant trauma and hurt that individuals, families and communities still feel today,” the guidance stated.

“However, Aboriginal communities have a long history of resilience and growth in the face of adversity and trauma. Schools should show respect for the deep resilience of Victorian Aboriginal communities.”

Anthony Dillon, a researcher at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University, argued that the statement “is quite a stretch.”

“While there may have been trauma to some Aboriginal people at the time of colonisation, it is quite a stretch today to suggest that any trauma an Aboriginal person may be experiencing is the result of those events,” he told The Epoch Times.

Dillon noted that if the program “focuses on the assumed trauma caused by colonisation,” it is potentially promoting a “sense of victimhood amongst students with Aboriginal ancestry.”

“Will there be lessons on Aboriginal students offering forgiveness to the ‘original invaders’? Will students be taught that many Aboriginal people today have escaped any assumed trauma?”

Negative Approach Could Cause Victimhood

Responding to the government’s suggestion that the program will foster “culturally safe environments in which Aboriginal young people are ­respected and valued,” the Indigenous academic asked: “Are they not feeling respected and safe now?”

“Do initiatives like this encourage children of Aboriginal ancestry to embrace all their ancestries or only one of them?”

The opinion was echoed by Indigenous leader Warren Mundine, who told The Epoch Times that there should be more celebration of Australia’s achievements rather than focusing on “negative stuff all the time”—arguing that such an approach would spark division.

“My concern is, you get this victimhood mentality within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. And then on the other side, you get this guilt mentality. We don’t want any of that, because they’re all negative,” he said.

“We don’t want people to feel guilty without people to be victims, we want people to be strong, stoic, and move forward and build this country together.”

Under the guidance, schools will need to recognise 15 key Indigenous events throughout the year, including the 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations anniversary (Feb 13), Close the Gap day (March 18), Sorry day (May 26) and Reconciliation Week (May 27 - June 3).

All Victorian educational settings are encouraged to display plaques and signs to acknowledge Aboriginal heritage, speak with “respect and confidence” about Aboriginal culture, hold events with an Acknowledge of Country as a standing agenda item and use this “as an opportunity to pause and reflect.”

Staff will also be trained to create a “culturally inclusive learning environment,” while Aboriginal history and culture are considered compulsory in professional learning for staff and in curriculum planning for students.

Benefits From the Program “Minimal”

Dillon suggested that some activities in the program might “instill a bit of pride” in Indigenous children “so long as it is not overdone.”

“Apart from that, any benefit is minimal,” he added.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrew on Tuesday stood by the new school standard, arguing that “it’s about making sure that everybody feels equal.”

“I think it might be the whole school and I don’t see anything wrong with that,” he told The Herald Sun.

“Being reconciled is just that. You can’t be reconciled if you’re not prepared to acknowledge some pretty awful stuff that happened in the past.”