Boarding and Australia's First Peoples: Understanding How Residential Schooling Shapes Lives PDF
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Indigenous-Settler Relations in Australia and the World Series Editors: Sarah Maddison · Sana Nakata Marnie O’Bryan Boarding and Australia’s First Peoples Understanding How Residential Schooling Shapes Lives Indigenous-Settler Relations in Australia and the World Volume 3 SeriesEditors SarahMaddison,SchoolofSocialandPoliticalSciences,UniversityofMelbourne, Melbourne,VIC,Australia SanaNakata,UniversityofMelbourne,Melbourne,VIC,Australia EditorialBoard MiriamJorgensen,NativeNationsInstitute,UniversityofArizona,Tucson,AZ, USA SherylLightfoot,DepartmentofPoliticalScience,UniversityofBritishColumbia, Vancouver,BC,Canada MorganBrigg,UniversityofQueensland,St.Lucia,QLD,Australia YinParadies,DeakinUniversity,Burwood,VIC,Australia JeffDenis,McMasterUniversity,Hamilton,ON,Canada BronwynFredericks,UniversityofQueensland,St.Lucia,QLD,Australia LibbyPorter,RMITUniversity,Melbourne,VIC,Australia Theseries,Indigenous-SettlerRelationsinAustraliaandtheWorld,bringstogether scholarsinterestedinexaminingcontemporaryIndigenousaffairsthroughquestions of relationality. This is a unique approach that represents a deliberate move away frombothsettler-colonialstudies,whichexamineshistoricalandpresentimpactsof settler states upon Indigenous peoples, and from postcolonial and decolonial scholarship, which is predominantly interested in how Indigenous peoples speak backtothesettlerstate.Closelyconnectedto,butwithmeaningfulcontrasttothese approaches,theIndigenous-SettlerRelationsseriesfocusessharplyuponquestions about what informs, shapes and gives social, legal and political life to relations between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, both in Australia and globally. This is an important and timely endeavour. In Australia, relations between AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoplesandthestateareatanimpasse.Inthe wake of the government’s rejection of the Uluru Statement in 2017 there is no sharedviewonhowIndigenous-settlerrelationshipsmightbe‘reset’,orevenifthis ispossible.ThecontemporaryIndigenousaffairspolicydomainischaracterisedby confusion, frustration and disappointment that, despite a seemingly endless succession of policy regimes, efforts to ‘close the gap’ between Aboriginal and TorresStraitIslanderpeoplesandotherAustralianshavenotresultedinprogress. ItisintothiscontestedspacethattheIndigenous-SettlerRelationsseriesseeksto intervene with new, agenda-setting research. The series editors are based in a researchunitintheFacultyofArtsattheUniversityofMelbourne—theIndigenous Settler Relations Collaboration. The series will build on the work of the Collaboration in bringing together scholars and practitioners from around Australia, and around the world—particularly other Anglophone settler colonial societies such as Canada, the United States and New Zealand—whose work is concerned with Indigenous-settler relations across a range of disciplines. The multi-facetedapproachtoIndigenous-SettlerRelationsthatdefinestheseriesseeks to capture how the question of relationality is already being asked by scholars across disciplines including political science, history, sociology, law, media, and culturalstudies. Readers of this series willlook to itfor freshperspectives and new ideas about howtotransformIndigenous-settlerrelationsinAustraliaandelsewhere.Theywill learn from the leading lights in an emerging field who will connect their rich, multi-disciplinaryscholarshiptourgentsocialandpoliticalquestionsattheheartof Indigenous-Settlerrelations. Moreinformationaboutthisseriesathttps://link.springer.com/bookseries/16142 Marnie O’Bryan Boarding and Australia’s First Peoples Understanding How Residential Schooling Shapes Lives MarnieO’Bryan CentreforAboriginalEconomicPolicy Research AustralianNationalUniversity Canberra,ACT,Australia ISSN2524-5767 ISSN2524-5775 (electronic) Indigenous-SettlerRelationsinAustraliaandtheWorld ISBN978-981-16-6008-5 ISBN978-981-16-6009-2 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6009-2 ©TheEditor(s)(ifapplicable)andTheAuthor(s),underexclusivelicensetoSpringerNature SingaporePteLtd.2021 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsaresolelyandexclusivelylicensedbythePublisher,whether thewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation,reprinting,reuse ofillustrations,recitation,broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinanyotherphysicalway,and transmissionorinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilar ordissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthispublication doesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfromtherelevant protectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. Thepublisher,theauthorsandtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformationinthisbook arebelievedtobetrueandaccurateatthedateofpublication.Neitherthepublishernortheauthorsor theeditorsgiveawarranty,expressedorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinorforany errorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.Thepublisherremainsneutralwithregardtojurisdictional claimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations. ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbytheregisteredcompanySpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore Acknowledgements The following people have assisted in writing this book. Their narratives, among others,appearthroughoutandarereproducedwithrespectandgratefulthanks: DarrenAllen(GunaiKurnai);LucyAmon(Noonuccal,QuandamookaCountry); Shawn Andrews (Mununjali, Palawa); Corey Atkinson (Yorta Yorta, Bangerang); NgareeBlow(Noonuccal,YortaYorta);KiraBriscoe(Arrente,Anmajtre,Walpiri); Aaron Clark (Tjap Whurrung, Gunditjmara nation); Abby Rose Cox (Nimanburr- Kija); Joshua Cubillo (Larrakia, Wadjigan); Malcolm Dotoi (Guuyu Mini); Elijah Edwards (Wangkathaa); Leon Egan (Wiradjuri, Yorta Yorta, Bangerang, Gunditj- mara); Paddy Heenan (Tiwi, Anmajtre, Warruwi, Jilkminggan, Ngukurr), Skye Lockyer(Kariyarra,Ngarluma,NyulNyul,Yawuru);MelanieMununggurr(Djapu, Yolngu nations); Anzack Newman (Bamaga, Northern Penninsula Area, Bardu Island);EleishaOzies(Djugan,Nyikina,Karagarri,Kidja);DanielleSibosado(Baad andYawuru);JoshuaSibosado(BaadandYawuru);SamuelSchultz(Wilman,Njunga nation);GningalaTaylor(Njunganation);ShaneTippamuntamurri(Tiwi,Anmajtre, Walpiri); Austin Wonaeamirri (Tiwi); Lorraine Kabbindi White (Gunmok, upper Liverpoolregion,WestArnhem). Toyoungpeoplewhohaveelectedtoremainanonymous,toparents,grandparents, eldersandmentors,Iamequallygrateful.InwhatfollowsIhaveattemptedtohonour diverse,sometimescontradictoryperspectiveswhichreflectpersonalexperienceand thecollectivewisdomofcontributors. Toteachersandschoolleaderswhoparticipated,sincerethanksforyourcandour andhumilityinreflectingontheprogramswithwhichyouareorhavebeenassociated. Inparticular,IacknowledgeRickHanlon,IanSmith,AnneMcmaster,LynnWebber, PaulCarroll,GregWearneandKathrynGalewhoselife-longcommitmenttodoing justiceforFirstPeoplesthrougheducationhasbeennationchanging. v vi Acknowledgements IacknowledgemyPhDsupervisorypanel,DistinguishedProf.MarciaLangton, Prof.DavidBeckettandAssociateProfessorJaneFreemantle.Mythanksforyour guidanceandsupportintheresearchwhichunderpinsthisbook. To Barrie Burton and David Beckett, I am eternally grateful for your editorial adviceandclosereadingofthisbookasitwasinformation. Finally,toMichael,withoutwhosesupportandencouragementthisworkwould neverhavehappened. Introduction Someyearsago,Melbourne’scentralbusinessdistrictwasbroughttoastandstillby demonstratorsprotestingthethreatenedclosureofremoteAboriginalcommunities in Western Australia. It was rush hour on a Friday afternoon, always an event in itself.Workers,wearyattheendoftheweek,floodoutofmulti-storeyofficeblocks andsurgetowardstrains,tramsandbuses,eagerfortheweekendtobegin.Onthis autumnevening,noonewasgoinganywhere.Thousandsofpeopleblockedthecity’s thoroughfares as protesters made their way, gathering force as they marched from ParliamentHousetotheiconicFlindersStreetrailwaystation. Infrontofthestation,alargecirclehadformedatthecentreoftheintersection, aroundwhichthecrowdpressed.Inthemiddleofthisimpromptustagewasayoung woman. Standing on an upturned milk crate, draped in an Aboriginal flag, arms raisedindefiance,sherailedagainsttheWestAustraliangovernmentandthePrime Ministeroftheday,whohadendorsedtheWAPremier’sdecisiontoceasefunding services to remote communities. He had declared ‘What we can’t do is endlessly subsidiselifestylechoicesifthoselifestylechoicesarenotconducivetothekindof fullparticipationinAustraliansocietythateveryoneshouldhave’(Medhora,2015). Byanymeasure,thisyoungwomanwassomeonefullyparticipatinginAustralian society.Sheisacontributortothiswork.ShehadgraduatedfromoneofMelbourne’s boardingschoolssomeyearsearlier.Herswasnotoneofthecommunitiesslatedto be closed, but others close to her home were. When I interviewed her for the first time, she had described herself as being ‘stuck in Melbourne’. Not stuck in a bad way she told me, but stuck nevertheless. She had come to like city life and didn’t feelreadytogohomeyet.Foratime,shehadbeenenrolledatuniversitybutatthat momentshewasmanagingacaféandestablishingaprofileforherselfinthearts. AsIwatchedherrageagainstthemachine,Ithoughtofhowshe’ddescribedher choicenottoreturnhome.Itookherprotesttobeanoutpouringofloveforherfamily andherCountry.Iwonderedif,whentheywatchedthefootageonsocialmedia,they would understand her advocacy. Whether they would recognise the passion and appreciatethesignificanceofheractions.Iwonderediftheywouldunderstandthe sheer audacity of bringing the city to a standstill on a Friday evening. I wondered whethertheywouldbeimpressedbyboththeforceofherfuryandherabilitytoput vii viii Introduction itintowords.Iwonderedwhetheranyofthiscouldhavehappenedifshehadn’tgone toboardingschool. AsIobservedherfromthesidelines,itwasabsolutelyevidenttomethatshewas athomeinthiscity.Andinherownskin.Iwonderedwhether,forallherangerand her pain, this was a moment in which she could reconcile the two hemispheres of herlife.Foryears,shehadbeenimmersedindominantcultureinstitutions.Shehad successfullynavigatedsystems,relationships,expectationsotherthanherown,often at no small cost to herself. Now she was drawing a line in the sand. Now she was declaringhertrueallegiance.Forayoungwomanfromasmall,isolatedcommunity tobeinamajorcityontheothersideofavastcontinentandspeakinghermindto anaudiencesheherselfhadheldcaptive,thatwasagiftshegavetothenation. Another time, another place. I was approached by elders from a community in Australia’sremoteNorthernTerritory(NT),andinvitedto‘telltheeducationstoryof ourkids’.One,herselfaformerschoolprincipal,hadcomeacrosstheresearchproject whichformsthebackboneofthisbook.Shewantedtoestablishasolidbaselineof data to highlight the personal and social consequences of policy mandating that remote-living secondary-aged young people board at schools away from home. In hercommunityof400people,theconsequencesarenotgood. IaskedAboriginalactivist,artist,educatorand2021SeniorAustralianoftheYear, Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr what it takes for young people from remote commu- nities such as this to thrive in schools far from home. She thought for some time beforeresponding.‘Don’ttreatourkidsasindividuals’,shetoldme,‘Theyarenot individuals,theyarepartofacollective.So,ifyouaregoingtodealwiththekids, dealfirstwiththecollective’. TothoseofussteepedinWesternpatternsofthought,herstatementthrowsupa challenge. Western education systems are geared to individual achievement, indi- vidual advancement. And without question that focus matters. Education policy seekingtomaximisethepotentialoftheindividualpresupposesadownstreambenefit tothecollective.WhenFirstNationsstudentsaresenttothebestresourced,highest performingschools;whentheyresideinthoseschools,dayindayout,for40weeks a year, year on end, there is a presumption that their personal transformation will catalyseatransformationofthecollective.MiriamRoseremindsusthatitisnotas simpleasthat. Over the course of 2019, a team of researchers from the Australian National Universityworkedwithawiderangeofcommunitymemberstomaptheeducation historiesof100youngpeopleaged12–21yearsovera10-yearperiod.Werecorded what each individual had done, in education terms, in each year since they turned 12.Theirexperienceshadbeenmanyandvaried.Wefoundthatbetweenthem,they hadattended38differentschools,in16differenttownsorcities,acrosseverystate or territory of mainland Australia (O’Bryan & Fogarty, 2020). Far from travelling orbeingtreatedasacollective,itwasasiftheyhadbeenatomisedandsprayedlike a mist across the nation, landing sometimes singly, sometimes as one of a pair, in schoolsmanycouldnolongerevenname.Themajorityhadreturnedhomewithin the first two years of going away. For most of them, their return marked the end of their formal education. In this, as in other remote communities, when a student Introduction ix dropsoutofboarding,theytypicallydropoutofeducationaltogether.‘Iftheseare ourleadersofthefutureweshouldbeworried’,onemotherobserved,‘Wherewill theyleadus?Theycan’tevenleadthemselves’. The13-year-oldwhodroppedoutofschoolafteraterm,andthe23-year-oldwho didn’t, now sit at very different points on the social gradient. Both had attended boarding school, one in circumstances where she was empowered to make an informeddecisionbetweentwogoodoptions,onelocalandoneawayfromhome. Fortheothertherewasnoviablealternative.Onehasfoundhervoiceandhasevery intention to use it. The other is now functionally illiterate and faces a lifetime of consequencesacrossvariousdomains,butespeciallyhealthandemployment.When shehaschildrenofherown,thesewill,inturn,haveintergenerationalimplications. Hercapacitytoexerciseagencyduringheradolescenceandintoheradultlifewillbe significantlydiminished.Eachoftheseyoungwomenhasherowncomplexstoryto tell.Fromeach,educationhasdemandedcompromiseandsacrificeunimaginedby the‘mainstream’studentsalongsidewhomtheylivedandlearnedduringtheirtime atboardingschool.Foreach,smalldecisionshavehadseismicconsequences. Boarding school is widely recognised as a locus of opportunity. There is compelling logic to making places available for Australia’s most disadvantaged students in the highest performing schools, but it must also be acknowledged that thereisahighsocial,emotional,aswellasfinancialcostassociatedwithboarding. For traditionally oriented young people, with a language background other than English,tobeawayfromhomeforlongperiodsoftimeduringformativeyearsmay wellimpacttheirlanguageproficiencyandthetransmissionofculturalknowledge. Therehasbeenscantattentionpaidtothatissueintheformationofeducationpolicy. More than 80% of Australia’s First Peoples live in urban or regional settings (AIHW, 2019). For them, generously funded scholarship programs provide access toschoolswhichwouldotherwisebebeyondthefinancialmeansofmanyfamilies. These schools offer distinct advantages. The architecture of Australia’s education system, which is discussed further below, means that students attending high fee- payingschoolsarebetterpositionedtogainaccesstocompetitivetertiarycourses. Lessobvioustotheoutsider,theindependentschoolsectorinAustraliaisrenowned forthesocialnetworksitengenders:thepowerofthe‘oldschooltie’continuesto open doors for alumni throughout their adult lives. Many strong voices advocate for our First Peoples to be inducted into these networks through the provision of fundedplacesineliteschools,butmechanismsdesignedtogenerate,orperpetuate, socialprivilegearecomplexandfraughtwithinvisibletraps.Middleandupperclass systemsworkdifferentiallytoadvantagetheirown(Lareau,2011). Forthe20%ofFirstPeopleswholiveinremoteAustralia,thereisnoPlanB.That isabigproblem.Youngpeopleinthisdemographicaremorelikelytobetradition- allyorientedandhaveafirstlanguageotherthanEnglish.Theyhavedistinctsocial, educationalandhealthprofileswhichurbaneducators,withEurocentricperspectives ontheworld,mayormaynotrecognise,understandorbeequippedtoprovidefor. Despitethis,theinfrastructureoflocaleducationprovisionhaslargelybeendisman- tledinremoteAustralia(NTDepartmentofEducation,2020).IntheNTin2021,there are78communitieswhichhavenosecondaryprovisionandnoalternativeprograms
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