GROUP 5A: RINGO LAM, ROY LAMSAN, ANGELA HITCHENS, LIZ DALTON
topic: PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE OF AN ABORIGINAL INDIVIDUAL LIVING IN REDFERN
Brief History.
In 1972 a Sydney Development company bought a collection of terrace houses in Redfern. Some of these houses were already occupied by many Aborigines, who were evicted from their homes. Those who moved back to their homes were charged with trespassing. Shortly after, in November 1972, The Aboriginal Housing Company was established. The land was given back to the aboriginal community, and was established as a settlement, both for rural Aborigines visiting to the city, as well as the home of permanent residents. It is supposed to be a place which brings Aboriginal people together, enabling them to live alongside each other, to share what they have.
Current Statistics.
Who lives here?
Number / % tenants / % in NSW public housing / % in NSW AllAged over 60 / na / 53 / 39 / 17
Aged under 16 / 674 / 11 / 25 / 22
Single person / na / 66 / 49 / 32
Couple with children / 75 / 2 / 5
single parent families / 425 / 10 / 19
Average occupancy 1.45 people per property = 6017
How long do they live here?
% tenants / % in NSW PHLived here for more than 10 years / 32 / 32
Lived here fore more than 5 years / 57 / 24
Moved out last year / 9 / lower than general public housing
What is their source of income?
Earned income / 7 %centrelink / 91 % (28% disability pension)
Average household income = $337pw $17500 pa
Questionnaire.
Nb. The following answers indirectly quote various anonymous aborigines.
What’s the worst thing about living in Redfern?
We’re in a trap…we’re surrounded by pubs on all four corners, the government brought in that needle van. We don’t want the van- it’s as if the government have this plan to drive us to the ground. The government wants Redfern’s bad name to stick. But it’s not us who cause most of the commotion. Because of our bad name, we get people coming here to do their dirty work, and it can just get shrugged off, because it’s Redfern- ‘that’s just what goes on here.’ – they say.
And the best thing?
With all the bad, when it comes down to it, this is my roots, my people, my blood. I live and breathe this place… this is my home and my community. This is our Mecca, our Gaza strip. It’s the support of each-other which makes the place.
Is there much respect here for older people, or individuals in general?
Respect. That’s just a word here. I dunno what it means.
What do you think drives people out of Redfern?
People move out of Redfern to set up their lives, to move on. Now, how's that? Shouldn’t we be able to do that here?
Q: Why do you think so many people in Redfern are on Centrelink benefits?
White man culture and our traditional culture are incompatible. We are forced to embrace white man culture, because those of us who cling to our traditions get left behind. It is difficult for many of us to get jobs because we have not had the opportunity to develop the skills required by white man culture. You’ve got to look at our culture to understand… human, animal, earth, fire, water; they’re not separate things, they’re one thing. They’re part of one life force and one energy; that is our culture, that is what we believe in and that is what our people are a part of. The land owns me. I don’t own the land.
How would you describe the general conditions of the housing in Redfern?
Most of us are living in third world conditions here, run down places. Some don’t even have running water. We can’t be proud to live in these conditions.
How do the current conditions of Redfern compare to those of the past? Is the situation improving? If not how could conditions be improve?
There used to be kids running around laughing. Now, the kids are running around swearing. The community as a whole has fallen apart, the loss of respect and drugs are ruining the community. Parents need to be educated along with their kids to understand the importance of the aboriginal culture, therefore respecting the people and the place. Also more facilities are needed to look after the kids of tomorrow.
Does Redfern hold a historical and cultural importance to the aboriginal communities?
Redfern is a meeting place for the indigenous people, since people within the same clan cannot marry, Redfern was a place where families are formed or reunited. It used to be a spiritual place, but now days Redfern is infested with drugs, and it is now a meeting place for drugs and its users rather than for the people.
If more facilities are built, would this bring the community together and what impact would it have?
This will result in bring the wider community to “the block”, generating more employment opportunities for the locals and allowing the greater community to experience “the block” through their own perspective. Therefore improving the image and reputation that the media present.
What hope do you have for the future of Redfern?
Our community is all we’ve got left, there’s not much hope around here. All we ask is to be given a chance. Living together, in appropriate conditions, we can help each other learn new skills, to get jobs; we want to be proud of our houses, proud of our community.
Our only hope is through our children. They should be able to grow up with better opportunities than us; we want them to be proud of themselves. All we ask is to be given a chance to prove it can work.