Do you know what you don’t know? Aboriginal people on the problem of ignorance

‘Closing the gap’ is a major, and highly visible, government policy goal, with the intention of reducing disparities between Australia’s First Nations peoples and White communities. Despite many years, however, there has been little demonstrable progress. Today’s analysis utilises critical race theory, with important lessons for intersectional feminism. Penny Skye Taylor (@PennySkyeTaylor) and Daphne Habibis (@dhabibis), both of the University of Tasmania (@UTAS_), identify white ignorance as an overlooked key factor. This analysis is drawn from their research into Aboriginal views of White Australians and the dominant culture.

Public discourse on Aboriginal inequality

Do you ever wonder how other people see you?

Aboriginal people don’t need to wonder, because they are told every day how the rest of Australia sees them.  The media writes about them. Politicians talk about them. Everyone seems to have an opinion…even those who have never met an Aboriginal person.

As a White Australian, I hardly ever hear what Aboriginal people think about me and my culture. I never switch on Sunrise TV to hear a panel of Aboriginal people discussing my lifestyle and choices and what the solutions are to the White Australian ‘problem’. When you think about it, nearly all of our public discussion spaces and news sources are dominated by White Australian people and perspectives.

So many people to explain to… It should be the responsibility of White Australians to educate themselves on First Nations realities. Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash

This imbalance is a problem because good race-relations are dependent on mutual understanding. Poor race-relations are a known key factor in Aboriginal disadvantage. This is not least because of the harms racism causes. Research shows that racism has major consequences for Aboriginal physical and mental health, suicide rates, education and employment outcomes, and business survival – to name just a few. But even where there is goodwill, people can be inadvertently racist; essential services are not always delivered in a culturally safe way; and government policy that is not made collaboratively can be ineffective or harmful. How non-Aboriginal people engage (or don’t engage) with Aboriginal people matters.

Yet strategies to address Aboriginal disadvantage are focussed almost entirely on the Aboriginal population. There is a lot of talk and policy about what needs to change in Aboriginal communities and what capacities they need to develop. This overlooks the question of how non-Aboriginal people might also need to change and develop in order to ‘close the gap’. This is what this blog is about. It turns the lens back onto mainstream Australian people and culture to look at them through Aboriginal eyes.

This account is based on findings from a three-year project in Darwin by the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation and the University of Tasmania called The Telling It Like It Is project.  The project asked Aboriginal people from all walks of life what they think of White Australian people, culture and race-relations. You can read more about the project here, read about our findings on reversing the racial gaze here, and reporting on Aboriginal perspectives on White culture and neoliberalism here.

The problem of White Australian ignorance

The Aboriginal people we spoke to told us many things about their experiences with White Australian people and culture. Some of their stories of the strange things Australians do and say are pretty funny. But this blog focuses on White Australian ignorance, which wasn't something most people talked about with humour.

Nearly every person we spoke to raised widespread ignorance in Australia as a cause of big problems for them. Ignorance often came up in the context of speculation as to why White Australians behave the way that they do. It was seen as the cause of an attitude of superiority and disregard that is very uncomfortable to be around. It’s not just that some people can be overtly racist and disrespectful – even though that is way too common:

It’s just racism is always there, you know? – Ben

It’s also the stereotyping:

I think some people, like, White people, look at, like, Indigenous as all the same. As all the same – drunken, on the street, doing nothing, fucking useless – or whatever they would say. - Stewart

And the sub-conscious assumptions of superiority:

Much as they are talking nice to you, participate in activities and wanting to listen to everything like – they just still look down on everyone. And you just feel that they are looking down. - Geena

Then there are also the experiences of being constantly assessed and judged:

No, I try not to judge people, because I get judged all the time - Mark

Interviewer:    Why don’t people feel relaxed in pubs?

Claire:            Because White people stare at you. They are judging you.

 In sum, the people we spoke to said that many Australians do not see Aboriginal people clearly or accurately. They do not see what Aboriginal people have contributed and continue to contribute to modern Australia. They do not recognise the inherent value of Aboriginal people. Nor do they understand what Aboriginal people need, want and are entitled to. Importantly, nearly everyone we spoke to said that many Australians do not fundamentally see Aboriginal people as their equals. This, they attributed in large part to widespread ignorance:

I think there’s a lot of goodwill there, however, with that goodwill, understanding or knowledge doesn’t necessarily go with it. - Joan

Addressing White ignorance

So what it is that Aboriginal people say Australians need to know more about?

1. Australian history and its legacy today

 She goes, “Well how come you guys get all this stuff what we don’t?” And I said, “Well how come my grandmother got taken and your grandmother didn’t?” ...And it actually really upset me because, it’s not her fault. She just has less understanding because of the lack of education which she got. Because - how I feel - is that Australians are trying to hide their past. – Shannon

2. Aboriginal laws, languages and cultures

And I found that really offensive - the way she spoke to me. . . A bit ignorant on Aboriginal Australia and the ways of our - just knowing our ins and outs ... But I think that what’s really disappointing here in Darwin (is) that not all White Australians are culturally aware. - Anne

3. The complexity of the contemporary situation of many Aboriginal people

He’d say, “Why are you talking like a Whitefella?” Oh fuck, because I fucking have to, all right. I have to live in these two worlds. Like daily I’m juggling who I am, you know, how I talk, how I act, and look and whatever. – Diane

4. The extent of White Australian ignorance about all of these things.

Yeah, because they think they understand our values (but) they don’t understand anything at all. Like you know, they make all these assumptions without even consulting or discussing or communicating with us anything, you know, of our values or our interests or what we know. There’s never been that sort of proper understanding. - Daniel

There’s lots of assumptions, like black people get a lot of money, we get everything free. “Why do they need this?” and “Why do they need that?” . . . They just don’t know fact from fiction. - Claire

Ignorance that leads to stereotyping, racism, disrespect, judgement and assumptions of superiority isn’t just inconvenient or annoying. It’s harmful. It also makes White people unsafe to be around:

But it’s just that barrier where you just can’t, you know, where you’re just blocking people. Like before, you know, you give them a chance, you don’t give them a chance. ‘Will I let them in?’ and all that. Because you’re afraid of what they will say and like they could hurt you – just being judged. - Neil

Given White people are everywhere, that makes for a lot of uncomfortable places and interactions for Aboriginal people to either put up with or avoid. This includes workplaces, educational spaces and essential services.  

Creating respectful spaces for Indigenous voices to be heard – including in political spheres

What this means is that it's not enough for White Australians to support programs and services for Aboriginal populations to ‘close the gap’. There is serious work White Australians need to do on themselves. The findings of this research point to the need to address ignorance in the non-Aboriginal population, and to find spaces for Aboriginal voices to be heard. This should be an integral element of national strategies to promote reconciliation and reduce the material and social inequities affecting Aboriginal people.

This claim aligns with the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s goals for a First Nation’s Voice to be enshrined in the Constitution and for the establishment of a Makarrata Commission for truth-telling about Australia’s history. Just and equitable outcomes for Aboriginal people will not be achieved by passive goodwill or measures targeting Aboriginal people only, but by the active capacity building of the whole of the Australian public for more constructive race relations.

If you would like to read more about this topic you can check out our paper on White ignorance here.

This post is part of the Women's Policy Action Tank initiative to analyse government policy using a gendered lens. View our other policy analysis pieces here.

Posted by @SusanMaury