On Saturday night, as the new King of England was being crowned, I found myself caught in the crux of our nation\u2019s juxtaposition.<\/p>\n
As the horses were parading amid the pomp of the King\u2019s coronation, and bejewelled guests arriving, I was wading through an unfinished thesis chapter about the impacts of settler colonisation in health professional education. The reality of our current state could not have been made starker.<\/p>\n
My protracted journey through a PhD has coincided with many structural wake-up calls. One of those was the death of the Queen, and now the crowning of the King.<\/p>\n
I do not consider myself to be anti-royal;\u00a0rather, I just do not identify with its relevance in the same way any longer.<\/p>\n
Instead, I feel that my allegiance lies with the country I\u2019m in, with the people here, and with full recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Nations peoples.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m aware of our shared settler-colonised reality, and I prefer to recognise my place in the timeline of my own settler-colonial story \u2013 of how I came to be here, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be recognised in our constitution. In this way, my hope is that Australia can progress towards a more authentic state.<\/p>\n
The inclusion of First Nations perspectives during the coronation commentary on the ABC on Saturday night\u00a0sparked mixed responses<\/a>.<\/p>\n As uncomfortable as these perspectives might make some people, the inclusion of this commentary regarding events such as the coronation is a significant step in the right direction.<\/p>\n As a nation that claims it\u2019s committed to ‘reconciliation’, we\u2019re lagging well behind. I wonder how many non-Indigenous Australians realise this.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n This truth-telling may have spoiled the enjoyment of the royal event for some, but could also be received as an opportunity for learning; for a deeper understanding of our shared reality.<\/p>\n In fact, if these perspectives were not included, what would that say about us?<\/p>\n This is real-time reckoning, and I\u2019m grateful for the courage and strength of those who contributed to the honest dialogue, which included recognising that First Nations peoples would view the coronation as a continuation of the damage created by colonialism.<\/p>\n As a nation that claims it\u2019s committed to ‘reconciliation’, we\u2019re lagging well behind. I wonder how many non-Indigenous Australians realise this.<\/p>\n I understand if you don\u2019t, and I\u2019m ashamed to say it\u2019s taken me a PhD to do the digging to really figure this out for myself, but we cannot stay in the dark on this.<\/p>\n For example, in 2007, after decades of struggle by Indigenous peoples and allies, the United Nations adopted the\u00a0United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples\u00a0(UNDRIP)<\/a>, setting minimum standards for the survival, wellbeing and dignity of Indigenous peoples around the world.<\/p>\n The UNDRIP is needed because Indigenous peoples have been forced to continue to fight for the recognition and preservation of their rights \u2013 rights that non-Indigenous people largely take for granted.<\/p>\n Initially, Australia voted against it, but has since indicated support. One of those rights is for Indigenous peoples to have a say about matters that relate to them. How is that unreasonable to the rest of us, given that it\u2019s supported by the guiding documents of the United Nations?<\/p>\n If we\u2019re to progress together, I can\u2019t see how we can continue with the same old ways.<\/p>\n Including First Nations perspectives in the commentary of the royal coronation was one way that First Nations peoples were able to have a say about matters that relate to them.<\/p>\n Perhaps the proposed Voice to Parliament is another way the UNDRIP can be implemented. But, most importantly, being willing to listen and to understand is something we can all do.<\/p>\n This article was originally published on Monash Lens<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n