13. History of Black/White relations in Redfern
Shailla Van Raad, Lilian Lau, Chi Chi So, Kwon Sook Park
The Black and White history and relations of Redfern is a microcosm of the relationship and history of the Black and White community of this country. From the beginning western culture bastardised the Aboriginal one and it is debatable whether we have moved on from this but it is indeed certain that Aboriginals do have more of a voice; and this is its evolutional journey.
1. The European invasion brought not only devastation to the land but bastardised the Aboriginal people and their culture through “Terra Nullius”.
1788: British landed on Botany Bay (known as Kamay Bay). The Gadigal, Bidjiagal and Wongul clans lived from Kamaya to Redfern, Erskineville, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Paddington. Those who lived in Redfern were known as the Gadigal clan. They had arrived 40,000 years, ago via the ice age land bridges. This clan had their own language a coastal language known as Eora (hence why they are also referred as Eora people). Other clans also occupied the Eora land known as the Darug and Tharawal nations. Some historians speculate that the Gadigal people were part of the Darug nation.
From 1788-1790 the Gadigal people were virtually wiped out due to a small pox epidemic brought from Europe, between 50- 90% died. Other disease such as colds and flu contributed. After the European invasion the Eora people started the fight for resistance. Pemulwuy, a Bidjigal warrior, who was a hero and guerrilla, led the Eora and surrounding nations in the first major response to the invading British from 1790 -1802.
1889: residential dwellings stimulated by the need for housing for workers at the Eveleigh Railway Workshops. Aboriginal tracks which served as trading routes between farmed grasslands or bountiful fishing areas gave rise to many of Sydney's main roads, such as George Street, Oxford Street and King Street Newtown.
1920's: Aboriginal people from all around NSW migrated to Redfern drawn by the possibility of regular work on the railways. In 1930s, working class suburbs like Pyrmont, Balmain, Rozelle, Glebe and Redfern became accepted places for Aboriginal people to congregate and live due to cheaper housing work in nearby factories.
Black and white people coexisted even up until the 1930s. Aboriginal people's ability to live off the land was recognised by the poor white population of the time. This was most apparent during the Great Depression when both peoples camped together around Sydney, particularly at Happy Valley at La Perouse, demonstrating that people form alliances in times of crisis.
1937:"A Day of Mourning” protest— a major step towards redressing the wrongs of history against Aboriginal people, held by 1000 Aboriginals. Post-World War II: La Perouse became gentrified. Many Aboriginal people moved to Redfern to relatives. In 1940's, a large Aboriginal population had established itself in Redfern and the area was the location of a number of civil rights protest meetings and rallies.
The 1960’s onward was a time of major change for the Indigenous people. It was a time of protest against racism, Aboriginals became aware of the authority of “Black Power” and how they could use it to their advantage. They were given a right to vote and acquire land. The Formation of “the All Blacks Rugby club” in Redfern provided the Indigenous community of Redfern with a vehicle of resistance to depressed socio-economic conditions, to racial discourses and to discrimination.
2. Aboriginal people drew on the non-violent protest literature of the Black American movement and its methods were applied to the Australian protests. Black power became a “new racial consciousness”. After 1960s Aboriginal tried to identify their own problems and solve those problems.
1965: In Sydney in 1965, Charles Perkins, the first Aborigine to attend university protested in the “freedom rights”. 12,000 Aborigines lived in Redfern, employed in local factories. Many, however, turned to crime and drinking. May 27 1967: Referendum passed gave Aboriginals the right to vote. More Aboriginals migrated from mainly the rural areas of NSW and QLD to Sydney where there were more opportunities for jobs, housing and education.
29 Dec, 1970: Redfern ALS (Aboriginal Legal Service) was established. It created pan-Aboriginal nationalism. For the first time Aboriginal people were being represented in Sydney courts and were defending charges bought against them by a racist and corrupt NSW police force. 1971: Significantly strengthened the emerging Black Power movement in Redfern. Paul de Coe made Australians realise the atrocities being committed and racism in Redfern through his speech at Sydney stadium
1970s: Overcrowding and a homelessness crisis developed, with many Aboriginal people without adequate housing following evictions and general racial discrimination in the private housing market. The lack of affordable housing for Redfern's increasing Aboriginal population resulted in a group of Aborigines squatting in empty terraces in Louis Street Redfern. Fr Ted Kennedy teamed up with Aboriginal leaders including Judge Bob Bellear and his brother Sol and they leased some of the vacant houses in Louis St.
25 July, 1973: the Aboriginal Housing Company formed. $530,000 from the Whitlam government allowed the AHC to purchase and restore the first six terrace houses. This was the first urban land-rights claim in Australia. 27 Jan, 1972: “Aboriginal Embassy” in Canberra was erected to declare and protest for indigenous rights.
Interviewees: Barney, mature aged Aboriginal male, has been working with children at the Settlement in Redfern for four years. Lyn Turnbull, mature aged Caucasian female, lived in Redfern for over twenty years and works in the AHC.
Barney
Aboriginal have respect for the land. They also do not have a concept such as land ownership and ergo do not exploit and terrorise the land and its people unlike Europeans.
A huge social justice movement was established in Redfern which became a very important vehicle for the progression of Aboriginal rights.
Redevelopment of the block in the aboriginal community is very important.
Lyn Turnbull
Said the media attention has been exaggerated and that the government just wants to capitalize on their land. She believes Aboriginal people need more education in order to break barrier between black and white. She says the atrocities against Aboriginals and the continual discrimination needs to be acknowledged in order for Redfern and Australia to move forward.
3. During the 20th century Aboriginals have been given more of a voice. New organisations have been created to facilitate and foster that aboriginal voice and mediate government legislation.
The racist policies of QLD were challenged in 1982 by Aboriginal protesters at the Commonwealth games in Brisbane.
1983: The NSW Land Rights Act is passed and acknowledges aboriginal people of their dispossession of their land by whites.
National Aboriginal and Islander week (NAIDOC week) increased the profile of National Aboriginal Day brought a voice against mainstreaming aboriginal services in 1989 and media attention to rallies and marches on its official opening in 1991.
4 April 1995: The NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) was formed and is recognised as the representative voice of Aboriginal affairs at both State and community level.
On a national level, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), governed by regional councils, is Australia’s national policy making and delivery agency for Indigenous people.
In the early years the AHC generated much needed local employment through its extensive building works programs, but suffered many financially crippling delays due to an uncooperative South Sydney Council.
In 1975, the block became run down due to the Fraser government ceasing funding. During the 1980’s the company retrieved funding through the labour government and bought the last house on the block by 1994. During the 1990’s drugs became rampant in Redfern and police patrolled the area frequently and by 1997 the AHC started demolishing some derelict and drug base houses.
Corroboree May, 2000: The Reconciliation Council presented to the Government its Reconciliation Document containing recommendations for co-existence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
17 February 2004, Redfern, Sydney descended into riots following the death of young aboriginal TJ Hickey, following a police chase. About 40 police officers were injured when a mob pelted them with bricks and bottles. Nineteen people arrested had also been charged with drug dealing offences.
Interviewees: Alexander Turnbull, sixteen years old Caucasian male born and raised in Lawson St, Redfern. Shirley Weldon, twenty two years old Aboriginal woman, has been working with children at the Settlement in Redfern for four years.
Alexander Turnbull
Said Darlington school had taught him an extreme amount of Aboriginal history and changed his future view of racism. His Koori teacher was very knowledgeable about Aboriginal history and because of this Aboriginal culture was appreciated and accepted by the younger generation in his school.
Shirley Weldon
The government is a racist government. They are trying to make the Indigenous people leave the Block. For reconciliation to occur there needs to be more education in schools about the Aboriginal culture, way of life and history. She feels like she has become very racist after she moved to Redfern because she recognised how much prejudice has occurred to her. She hardly talks to any “whites”.
The Aboriginal people have evolved into a high profile but minority group who have a strong voice that is being heard. There is however, a poor representation of Aboriginal people in the government, resulting in their needs being neglected. This issue needs to be addressed if the wider community is to live harmoniously and black and white relations to repair.
References
Flannery, Tim, ‘Future Eaters: an ecological history of the Australasian lands and people’, Chatswood, NSW: Reed Books, 1994
Flannery, Tim, ‘The Explorers’, Melbourne, Text Publishing, 1998
Gilbert, Kevin, ‘Living Black: blacks talk to Kevin Gilbert’, Ringwood, Vic: Penguin, 1978
www.historycooperative.org/journals/lab/83/hartley.html
Historical journals
www.ahc.org.au
Aboriginal Housing Company Web
www.kooriweb.org/foley/indexb.html
www.kooriweb.org/foley/images/history/news/ppdx1.html
Newspaper archive
www.kooriweb.org/foley/iamges/history/histpicdx.html
Historical pictures archive
www.kooriweb.org/foley/essays/essay_1.html
‘Black Power in Redfern 1968-1972’ , 2001
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/main.html
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes1.htm
People and place
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes2.htm
First contact
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes3.htm
Government policy
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes4.htm
Imagining the people
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes5.htm
Organisations in Sydney
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes6.htm
Significant events in Sydney
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes7.htm
Significant people in Sydney
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes8.htm
Involvement with church
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes9.htm
Western science and people
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes10.htm
Arts and culture
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/themes11.htm
Labour in city
www.convictcreations.com/aborigines/relations.htm
‘Black and White Relations in Australia’
www.stormfront.org/whitehistory/euroauscrime.htm
www.google.com.au/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q=
Images for power point: search ‘Aboriginal Art’, ‘Sydney Streets’
Interviewed Lyn Turnbull from the AHC reconciliation group
Interviewed Andrew Turnbull, born and raised in Lawson Street, Redfern.
Interviewed Barney, social worker for four years at the Settlement, 17 Edward Street, Redfern.
Interviewed Shirley, social worker for four years at the Settlement, 17 Edward Street, Redfern.