The Mind of a Thief: Identity and Belonging.
Patti Miller: mind of a thiefPatti Miller: mind of a thief
Writer, journalist Romana Koval asks ,”does coming from somewhere tell me anything about who I am” and then wonders what if you do not know where you come from? Does it make a difference to who we are? For most of us, a place is important because it reflects and shapes our identity. A supportive home helps us to grow, and connect with our family and our past. Contrastingly, those who lack a firm sense of place or a supportive home suffer from a loss of self.
Home is a place where we can feel secure, confident and happy
Who we are and where we come from, Patti Miller would suggest, is critical to our sense of being in the world.
“Place” is a solid piece of ground: In the book ‘The Mind of a Thief’, Rose Chown, an Aboriginal elder, whom Miller considers critical to her research, yearns for a sense of place with regard to the Native Title claim, and ‘only wants to be on the land where she was born’.
The more solid the place, often the more secure and confident one feels. A good sense of home often leads to a positive and strong sense of identity.
Likewise, Patti Miller remarks ’I knew this place was my ground. It wasn’t a country, not a nation, but hills, valleys, creeks, dry dusty paddocks, gum trees, she-oaks, dome of childhood sky’.
However, place also reflects identity and the stories we tell about our place are critical to who we are.
According to Patti Miller, the stories we weave, the questions we ask about our past, and the way we reinterpret these stories is important to our sense of identity. Just as important is the “weaving” of the threads of the stories relating to self, family and ancestors. Identity and connection could only be found in the telling. “It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.”
“The warp and weft of identity is re-woven every time and is so tightly and thickly made it seems we were born with it, part of our flesh, instead of it being only a cloak” (16)
Identity is often a matter of chance as well as upbringing. “Even with the same genes, the story could so easily be different: a series of random chances that determines where the cloak of identity is hung” 235
“I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” 239
Being in the mainstream story makes all the difference
Identity as part of the main story: confidence and certainty
Patti Miller has Irish ancestors who were also the founding fathers of Wellington and accordingly she knows that she is part of the “main story” and this makes all the difference. Her great-great-grandfather, Patrick Reidy, was a member in 1867 of the original Town Common Committee. In a way, Patrick Reidy’s story is that of the white settler-land thief. In 1867 a committee of three men was appointed to decide on the establishment of a Town Common, which was formally gazetted along the Macquarie River. According to Miller, this was the moment the land was officially taken from the Wiradjuri.
Unlike the aborigines, “as part of a farming family” Patti realises that she has a “something the Aborigines didn’t – a sense that I belonged in the main story.” (195)
But she is also both in and outside the story as an observer who does not completely belong. “I couldn’t do without my story, but I didn’t merge with it the way he (Wayne Carr) did.” (234) She wonders, “did that mean Wayne knew who he was and I didn’t?” (234)
Patti reflects upon the objects that one keeps and the personal evidence that supports one’s life’s story. “These are part of the museum of myself, the things I would try to take with me if a fire swept through the apartment, the evidence of my story about who I am.” (191) In contrast, the Wiradjuri did not have much evidence – just the landmark rock signatures and the feeling that Baiame had created it all.
For those whose “cloak of identity” hangs differently, life is a constant struggle against prejudice and disadvantage.
Wayne Carr keeps going because of “identity; because identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.” (237) Wayne experiences a different type of connection with his ancestors. Contrastingly, he had a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place, including the continuity of culture in relation to place. “He knew who he was in relation to place.” The knowledge of his 10,000 year old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.”
Struggling on the margins: individuals and groups on the margins
It is very difficult to be oneself if one belongs to marginal groups. In this case, individuals are often restricted by disadvantage or by injustice. (Being an outsider has a big impact upon one’s sense of self.) Patti Miller shows that many Aborigines lack opportunities because they are the victims of prejudice in the community. They also lack a strong and purposeful sense of self and suffer what could be called an “identity crisis”.
Wayne’s story:
Wayne Carr is typical of those aborigines who suffer from a lack of purpose, a lack of connection and a lack of pride and dignity. His own immediate family is dysfunctional and his daughter becomes institutionalised because of her addiction. As part of the marginalised story, he feels isolated, excluded and often desperate. Wayne was sexually exploited during his childhood and is psychologically scarred. As Patti Miller states, he suffers from “a wound that never properly heals”
Stories about culture and origins: Language and belonging:
“Native Title is about belonging. It’s about where you belong and what belongs to you.” (138) It becomes symbolic of a search for self and place.
Wayne Carr has been involved in the land claim struggle for 12 years, which reflects his own personal and spiritual journey. His mother and grandmother were traditional women from the Valley, Stuart Mickeys, directly descended from the oldest recorded families in the Valley. (219 ) His mother was Violet Stuart and his father was a Norwegian. He was raised by his grandmother at Nanima and won a scholarship to the local high school. However, his life started to unravel. He states, “this identity thing caught up with me. I went crazy, berserk.” (227)
Wayne’s story: Positive (Aboriginal identity) Obsessed with the land-rights claim, Wayne becomes more positive about his life and gains a sense of purpose as he delves into his cultural roots. For him, his own personal and family identity is connected with that of the tribe. “it was always about protecting Wiradjuri identity.” He keeps going because of “identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.”
For Wayne, the purpose of the land claim was to enshrine the inalienable right of the Wiradjuri, who for 40,000 years, had lived on the land. He opposes Rose Chown’s claim because, she did not have the right to “speak” on behalf of the Wiradjuri peoples. So, Wayne believes it is a type of “forced assimilation” of the many separate Aboriginal identities into one. (253)
Rose Chown nurses a long grievance against Bill Riley who treated Rose’s family “like interlopers” when the Aboriginal Protection Board closed their reserves and dispersed them in 1910. They had nowhere to go and landed upon local Wiradjuri land. The “newcomers were always resented through no fault of their own” (283). She wanted to be on the land where she was born, “back where she’d lived as a child when everyone was still alive” . She had the air of a “wounded, tired child who didn’t want to be hurt anymore.”
Positive (family): It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them.” Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s a part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation.
Positive (place) Wayne gains a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place and the continuity of culture. The knowledge of his 10,000 years old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.” Patti Miller suggests that although he is not part of the main story, his historical and spiritual connection with the land gives him a much strong sense of place than the white settler such as Patrick Reidy will ever achieve.
An aborigine’s identity is not just based on the biological family but also on the clan, the skin groups and the aboriginal language group into which they are born. “And Aboriginal identity is not just through biological family, it’s a whole pattern of elements.” (155)
Wayne Carr belongs to the Wiradjuri clan which joins clan members together through language, but also through kinship laws. The clan also determines their relationship with the land and “who has the right to speak for it”. In other words, some leaders have greater power than others because of their traditional place in the clan. (155) With regards to the land rights claim in Wellington, membership to the clan also determines who has traditional access to the land. (155) “Your moiety gives you the right to identity spiritually with certain areas of land, but so does where you were born, who your mother and father are.” The conflict with Rose which divides the land rights claimants amongst themselves has its basis in the moiety. Rose has the right to “identify” with the land, but not the “right to speak for country” (156)
Ancestral stories: myths and origins
The stories we inherit, that are told to us and that we tell to others, are critical to who we are and how we see our place in the world.
In his background, Patti’s father had tales of Vikings and fjords, snow falling at dusk and Ibsen. Her ancestors were from Ireland. She wonders how different things might have been if she had grown up in “Limerick with green fields and stony villages and studied at Trinity.” (234)
The mythical and spiritual stories that shape and inform a person’s life are critical to their sense of identity. Such stories also influence an individual’s views and values.
We must celebrate and cherish our memories, our roots and our ancestors. The pursuit of ancestral land claims on behalf of the aborigines shows that individuals need to reconnect with their cultural ancestors and roots in order to have pride and confidence.
Wayne celebrates with his ancestors the story about the mythical Baiame who came out of the sea with his “emu feet”. He was a “giant of a man with his two wives and stroke up through the Valley and he created it.” The stories people tell about their origins, and the spiritual views and values have a big influence on our journey through life. The cave paintings in the hills around Wellington and the Wiradjuri names of landmarks are all formed by Baiame. Even on the hill, “like a womb and birth canal”, you can see Baiame’s footprints. (263)
The language:
Wayne says: “It has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.” “I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” (239). (Not only do the stories matter, but the words we use to tell these stories also influence our identity.”
Aboriginals realise that dialect is critical to a sense of cultural identity without which they have difficulty relating to community and place. For this reason, aborigines in the Kaurna community in South Australia are determined to keep their language alive because of the critical link to their cultural origins. “It has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.”
Relationship with the group: immediate family members
Our relationships with wider groups and clans are important; for some this means our relationship with our grandparents; for others with our ancestors (great-great grandfather – Patti Miller); for the indigenous, clan based on language identification (determines social kinships; marriage patterns); the relationship with mythical ancestors (Baiame) is critical because these relationships form the basis of many of their land-rights claims. These relationships also become a source of pride and dignity.
Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation. It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them. (231) Wayne wants them to “go into the future with their identity intact” (233) Patti states, “sometimes there is too much pain and it doesn’t make you stronger, it just wounds you forever.” (233) Wayne believes that his life story is typical of so many other Aboriginals who have squandered their opportunities because of incredible adversity. However, he believes that his capacity to deal with his hardships has strengthened him and given him a purpose: “it’s made me who I am now”. (233)
Ref: englishworks.com.au
About the novel.
When writer Patti Miller discovers that the first post-Mabo Native Title claim was made by the Wiradjuri in the Wellington Valley where she grew up, she begins to wonder where she belongs in the story of the town. It leads her to the question at the heart of Australian identity – who are we in relation to our cherished stolen country?Feeling compelled to return to the Valley, Miller uncovers a chronicle of idealism, destruction and hope in its history of convicts, zealous missionaries, farmers and gold seekers who all took the land from the original inhabitants. But it's not until she talks to the local Wiradjuri that she realises there's another set of stories about her town, even about her own family. As one Wiradjuri elder remarks, 'The whitefellas and blackfellas have two different stories about who's related to who in this town'.Black and white politics, family mythologies and the power of place are interwoven as Miller tells a story that is both an individual search for connection and identity and a universal exploration of country and belonging.
More about Mind of a Thief.
Home is a place where we can feel secure, confident and happy
“Place” is a solid piece of ground: In the book ‘The Mind of a Thief’, Rose Chown, an Aboriginal elder, whom Miller considers critical to her research, yearns for a sense of place with regard to the Native Title claim, and ‘only wants to be on the land where she was born’.
The more solid the place, often the more secure and confident one feels. A good sense of home often leads to a positive and strong sense of identity.
Likewise, Patti Miller remarks ’I knew this place was my ground. It wasn’t a country, not a nation, but hills, valleys, creeks, dry dusty paddocks, gum trees, she-oaks, dome of childhood sky’.
However, place also reflects identity and the stories we tell about our place are critical to who we are.
According to Patti Miller, the stories we weave, the questions we ask about our past, and the way we reinterpret these stories is important to our sense of identity. Also, Patti Miller believes that critical to a sense of who we are, is how we weave together the different aspects or themes of the story of self, family and ancestors. “identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.”
“The warp and weft of identity is re-woven every time and is so tightly and thickly made it seems we were born with it, part of our flesh, instead of it being only a cloak” (16)
Identity is often a matter of chance as well as upbringing. “Even with the same genes, the story could so easily be different: a series of random chances that determines where the cloak of identity is hung” 235
“I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” 239
Being in the mainstream story makes all the difference
Identity as part of the main story: confidence and certainty
Patti Miller has Irish ancestors who were also the founding fathers of Wellington and accordingly she knows that she is part of the “main story” and this makes all the difference. Her great-great-grandfather , Patrick Reidy, was a member in 1867 of the original Town Common Committee.
Unlike the aborigines, “as part of a farming family” Patti realises that she has a “something the Aborigines didn’t – a sense that I belonged in the main story.” (195)
Wayne Kerr keeps going because of “identity; because identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.” (237) Wayne experiences a different type of connection with his ancestors. Contrastingly, he had a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place, including the continuity of culture in relation to place. “He knew who he was in relation to place.” The knowledge of his 10,000 year old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.”
Struggling on the margins: individuals and groups on the margins
It is very difficult to be oneself if one belongs to marginal groups. In this case, individuals are often restricted by disadvantage or by injustice. (Being an outsider has a big impact upon one’s sense of self.) Patti Miller shows that many Aborigines lack opportunities because they are the victims of prejudice in the community. They also lack a strong and purposeful sense of self and suffer what could be called an “identity crisis”.
Wayne’s NEGATIVE story:
Wayne is typical of those aborigines who suffer from a lack of purpose, a lack of connection and a lack of pride and dignity. His own immediate family is dysfunctional and his daughter becomes institutionalised because of her addiction. As part of the marginalised story, he feels isolated, excluded and often desperate. Wayne was sexually exploited during his childhood and is psychologically scarred. As Patti Miller states, he suffers from “a wound that never properly heals”
Wayne’s story: Positive (Aboriginal identity) Obsessed with the land-rights claim, Wayne becomes more positive about his life and gains a sense of purpose as he delves into his cultural roots. For him, his own personal and family identity is connected with that of the tribe. “it was always about protecting Wiradjuri identity.” He keeps going because of “identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.”
Positive (family): It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them.” Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s a part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation.
Positive (place) Wayne gains a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place and the continuity of culture. The knowledge of his 10,000 years old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.” Patti Miller suggests that although he is not part of the main story, his historical and spiritual connection with the land gives him a much strong sense of place than the white settler such as Patrick Reidy will ever achieve.
Stories about culture and origins: Language and belonging:
“Native Title is about belonging. It’s about where you belong and what belongs to you.” 138
Wayne says: “It has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.” “I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” 239. (Not only do the stories matter, but the words we use to tell these stories also influence our identity.”
An aborigine’s identity is not just based on the biological family but also on the clan, the skin groups and the aboriginal language group into which they are born. Wayne Kerr belongs to the Wiradjuri clan which joins clan members together through language, but also through kinship laws. The clan also determines their relationship with the land and “who has the right to speak for it”. In other words, some leaders have greater power than others because of their traditional place in the clan. (155) With regards to the land rights claim in Wellington, membership to the clan also determines who has traditional access to the land. (155) “Your moiety (see below) gives you the right to identity spiritually with certain areas of land, but so does where you were born, who your mother and father are.” The conflict with Rose which divides the land rights claimants amongst themselves has its basis in the moiety. Rose has the right to “identify” with the land, but not the “right to speak for country” (156)
Ancestral stories: myths and origins
Who we are and where we come from, Patti Miller would suggest, is critical to our sense of being in the world.
The mythical and spiritual stories that shape and inform a person’s life are critical to their sense of identity. Such stories also influence an individual’s views and values.
We must celebrate and cherish our memories, our roots and our ancestors. The pursuit of ancestral land claims on behalf of the aborigines shows that individuals need to reconnect with their cultural ancestors and roots in order to have pride and confidence; Wayne celebrates with his ancestors the story about the mythical Baiame who came out of the sea with his “emu feet”. He was a “giant of a man with his two wives and stroke up through the Valley and he created it.” The stories people tell about their origins, and the spiritual views and values have a big influence on our journey through life.
Aboriginals realise that dialect is critical to a sense of cultural identity without which they have difficulty relating to community and place. For this reason, aborigines in the Kaurna community in South Australia are determined to keep their language alive because of the critical link to their cultural origins. “ it has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.”
Relationship with the group: immediate family members;
Our relationships with wider groups and clans are important; for some this means our relationship with our grandparents; for others with our ancestors (great-great grandfather – Patty Miller); for the indigenous, clan based on language identification (determines social kinships; marriage patterns); the relationship with mythical ancestors (Baiame) is critical because these relationships form the basis of many of their land-rights claims. These relationships also become a source of pride and dignity.
Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation. It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them. (231) Wayne wants them to “go into the future with their identity intact” (233) Patti states, “Sometimes there is too much pain and it doesn’t make you stronger, it just wounds you forever.” (233) Wayne believes that his life story is typical of so many other Aboriginals who have squandered their opportunities because of incredible adversity. However, he believes that his capacity to deal with his hardships has strengthened him and given him a purpose: “it’s made me who I am now”. (233)
Aboriginal Society - Moieties
Moiety is a form of social organisation in which most people and, indeed, most natural phenomena are divided into two classes or categories.
The word derives from a Latin term for half. These categories are rarely actual gatherings of people with a common interest or purpose They are intermarrying divisions of society which describe kin relationships and provide a general guide to behaviour. In art, moiety can play an important role in determining the subjects which an artist may paint.
A person usually marries someone of the opposite moiety and is forbidden to marry into his or her own moiety. For instance, in north east Arnhem Land, Yolngu clans are divided into moieties called Yirritja and Dhuwa, each of which owns distinct lands and descends from different Creation Ancestors. If a man is Dhuwa, then his wife is Yirritja, and vice versa.
Moieties are often named and are often associated with special emblems or totems - for example Kilpara (Eaglehawk) and Makwara (Crow).
Moiety names are commonly used as convenient labels of address or as a means of social identification. Moiety affiliation can have implications for the organisation and performance of ritual, for example in determining camping and seating arrangements.
Having a sense of difference- Mind of a Thief
Consequences for sense of self; erosion of confidence
Comparisons:
The challenge for such individuals is to try to find a way to engage without being ostracised or humiliated or controlled.
Positive: reconnect with roots; – regain pride and dignity/ confidence/ place to belong; exercise control over self esteem
What is Identity and Belonging?
An identity is who or what a person or thing is. Your identity defines who you are. It is a self-representation of your interests, relationships, social activity and much more. Our sense of identity and belonging is impacted by various factors, including our experiences, relationships, and our environment. The journey to find identity and belonging can often be a struggle, since we ask ourselves, ‘who am I?’ vs. ‘who do others want me to be?’ and ‘where do I belong? Where do I fit in?’ This point in our lives is completely subjective, meaning that it is our personal view that influences our decisions. The issue of identity and belonging has encompassed humans for many generations, and will remain a key turning point for many to come.
Identity: What is Identity?
Identity is multi-faceted, meaning that a combination of many traits forms one identity. An identity can be defined as anything, depending on what you wish others to perceive and also how others wish to perceive you. Listed below are some examples of ‘identities’ :
* Career Identity:
> Lawyer, nurse, environmentalist, politician, etc.
* Family Identity:
> Father, mother, younger brother, older sister, twin, nephew, cousin, etc.
* Skills Identity
> Athletic, intelligent, leader, listener, etc.
* Cultural Identity
> History, tradition, religion, gender, etc.
* Social Identity
> Peer group, clique, gang, club, mob, social class, etc.
Note that people do not just possess one concrete identity. We are neither just a doctor nor an entrepreneur, but also someone who loves rock music and likes to dine out. In different situations, we may alter our identity accordingly to the environment and the people. For example, you may be lively with your primary school friends yet more reserved and serious with your high school friends. This is usually due to our innate desire to belong; sacrificing or amending our identity to do so.
Belonging: What is belonging?
Belonging means to feel a sense of welcome and acceptance to someone or something. As suggested by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (see picture), a psychological theory centered on humans’ innate desire for fulfillment, belonging is a need that we naturally seek in order to feel loved. In the same manner as our identities, there are many forms of belonging.
* Relationships
> Family, friends, partner, teachers, associates, pet
* Social
> Groups, classes, clubs, organistions, teams
* Environment
> Australia, America, Melbourne, Queensland, countryside, metropolitan, nature versus man-made environments, etc.
If we fail to find a sense of belonging, isolation and depression often ensues. However, there are those who do not belong but are in fact, liberated by their independence. This may be due to their desire to rebel from family tradition, friends’ expectations or work commitment and thus, are pleased to be set-apart.
*Taken from http://www.vcestudyguides.com/guides/context/identity-and-belonging
Writer, journalist Romana Koval asks ,”does coming from somewhere tell me anything about who I am” and then wonders what if you do not know where you come from? Does it make a difference to who we are? For most of us, a place is important because it reflects and shapes our identity. A supportive home helps us to grow, and connect with our family and our past. Contrastingly, those who lack a firm sense of place or a supportive home suffer from a loss of self.
Home is a place where we can feel secure, confident and happy
Who we are and where we come from, Patti Miller would suggest, is critical to our sense of being in the world.
“Place” is a solid piece of ground: In the book ‘The Mind of a Thief’, Rose Chown, an Aboriginal elder, whom Miller considers critical to her research, yearns for a sense of place with regard to the Native Title claim, and ‘only wants to be on the land where she was born’.
The more solid the place, often the more secure and confident one feels. A good sense of home often leads to a positive and strong sense of identity.
Likewise, Patti Miller remarks ’I knew this place was my ground. It wasn’t a country, not a nation, but hills, valleys, creeks, dry dusty paddocks, gum trees, she-oaks, dome of childhood sky’.
However, place also reflects identity and the stories we tell about our place are critical to who we are.
According to Patti Miller, the stories we weave, the questions we ask about our past, and the way we reinterpret these stories is important to our sense of identity. Just as important is the “weaving” of the threads of the stories relating to self, family and ancestors. Identity and connection could only be found in the telling. “It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.”
“The warp and weft of identity is re-woven every time and is so tightly and thickly made it seems we were born with it, part of our flesh, instead of it being only a cloak” (16)
Identity is often a matter of chance as well as upbringing. “Even with the same genes, the story could so easily be different: a series of random chances that determines where the cloak of identity is hung” 235
“I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” 239
Being in the mainstream story makes all the difference
Identity as part of the main story: confidence and certainty
Patti Miller has Irish ancestors who were also the founding fathers of Wellington and accordingly she knows that she is part of the “main story” and this makes all the difference. Her great-great-grandfather, Patrick Reidy, was a member in 1867 of the original Town Common Committee. In a way, Patrick Reidy’s story is that of the white settler-land thief. In 1867 a committee of three men was appointed to decide on the establishment of a Town Common, which was formally gazetted along the Macquarie River. According to Miller, this was the moment the land was officially taken from the Wiradjuri.
Unlike the aborigines, “as part of a farming family” Patti realises that she has a “something the Aborigines didn’t – a sense that I belonged in the main story.” (195)
But she is also both in and outside the story as an observer who does not completely belong. “I couldn’t do without my story, but I didn’t merge with it the way he (Wayne Carr) did.” (234) She wonders, “did that mean Wayne knew who he was and I didn’t?” (234)
Patti reflects upon the objects that one keeps and the personal evidence that supports one’s life’s story. “These are part of the museum of myself, the things I would try to take with me if a fire swept through the apartment, the evidence of my story about who I am.” (191) In contrast, the Wiradjuri did not have much evidence – just the landmark rock signatures and the feeling that Baiame had created it all.
For those whose “cloak of identity” hangs differently, life is a constant struggle against prejudice and disadvantage.
Wayne Carr keeps going because of “identity; because identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.” (237) Wayne experiences a different type of connection with his ancestors. Contrastingly, he had a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place, including the continuity of culture in relation to place. “He knew who he was in relation to place.” The knowledge of his 10,000 year old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.”
Struggling on the margins: individuals and groups on the margins
It is very difficult to be oneself if one belongs to marginal groups. In this case, individuals are often restricted by disadvantage or by injustice. (Being an outsider has a big impact upon one’s sense of self.) Patti Miller shows that many Aborigines lack opportunities because they are the victims of prejudice in the community. They also lack a strong and purposeful sense of self and suffer what could be called an “identity crisis”.
Wayne’s story:
Wayne Carr is typical of those aborigines who suffer from a lack of purpose, a lack of connection and a lack of pride and dignity. His own immediate family is dysfunctional and his daughter becomes institutionalised because of her addiction. As part of the marginalised story, he feels isolated, excluded and often desperate. Wayne was sexually exploited during his childhood and is psychologically scarred. As Patti Miller states, he suffers from “a wound that never properly heals”
Stories about culture and origins: Language and belonging:
“Native Title is about belonging. It’s about where you belong and what belongs to you.” (138) It becomes symbolic of a search for self and place.
Wayne Carr has been involved in the land claim struggle for 12 years, which reflects his own personal and spiritual journey. His mother and grandmother were traditional women from the Valley, Stuart Mickeys, directly descended from the oldest recorded families in the Valley. (219 ) His mother was Violet Stuart and his father was a Norwegian. He was raised by his grandmother at Nanima and won a scholarship to the local high school. However, his life started to unravel. He states, “this identity thing caught up with me. I went crazy, berserk.” (227)
Wayne’s story: Positive (Aboriginal identity) Obsessed with the land-rights claim, Wayne becomes more positive about his life and gains a sense of purpose as he delves into his cultural roots. For him, his own personal and family identity is connected with that of the tribe. “it was always about protecting Wiradjuri identity.” He keeps going because of “identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.”
For Wayne, the purpose of the land claim was to enshrine the inalienable right of the Wiradjuri, who for 40,000 years, had lived on the land. He opposes Rose Chown’s claim because, she did not have the right to “speak” on behalf of the Wiradjuri peoples. So, Wayne believes it is a type of “forced assimilation” of the many separate Aboriginal identities into one. (253)
Rose Chown nurses a long grievance against Bill Riley who treated Rose’s family “like interlopers” when the Aboriginal Protection Board closed their reserves and dispersed them in 1910. They had nowhere to go and landed upon local Wiradjuri land. The “newcomers were always resented through no fault of their own” (283). She wanted to be on the land where she was born, “back where she’d lived as a child when everyone was still alive” . She had the air of a “wounded, tired child who didn’t want to be hurt anymore.”
Positive (family): It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them.” Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s a part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation.
Positive (place) Wayne gains a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place and the continuity of culture. The knowledge of his 10,000 years old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.” Patti Miller suggests that although he is not part of the main story, his historical and spiritual connection with the land gives him a much strong sense of place than the white settler such as Patrick Reidy will ever achieve.
An aborigine’s identity is not just based on the biological family but also on the clan, the skin groups and the aboriginal language group into which they are born. “And Aboriginal identity is not just through biological family, it’s a whole pattern of elements.” (155)
Wayne Carr belongs to the Wiradjuri clan which joins clan members together through language, but also through kinship laws. The clan also determines their relationship with the land and “who has the right to speak for it”. In other words, some leaders have greater power than others because of their traditional place in the clan. (155) With regards to the land rights claim in Wellington, membership to the clan also determines who has traditional access to the land. (155) “Your moiety gives you the right to identity spiritually with certain areas of land, but so does where you were born, who your mother and father are.” The conflict with Rose which divides the land rights claimants amongst themselves has its basis in the moiety. Rose has the right to “identify” with the land, but not the “right to speak for country” (156)
Ancestral stories: myths and origins
The stories we inherit, that are told to us and that we tell to others, are critical to who we are and how we see our place in the world.
In his background, Patti’s father had tales of Vikings and fjords, snow falling at dusk and Ibsen. Her ancestors were from Ireland. She wonders how different things might have been if she had grown up in “Limerick with green fields and stony villages and studied at Trinity.” (234)
The mythical and spiritual stories that shape and inform a person’s life are critical to their sense of identity. Such stories also influence an individual’s views and values.
We must celebrate and cherish our memories, our roots and our ancestors. The pursuit of ancestral land claims on behalf of the aborigines shows that individuals need to reconnect with their cultural ancestors and roots in order to have pride and confidence.
Wayne celebrates with his ancestors the story about the mythical Baiame who came out of the sea with his “emu feet”. He was a “giant of a man with his two wives and stroke up through the Valley and he created it.” The stories people tell about their origins, and the spiritual views and values have a big influence on our journey through life. The cave paintings in the hills around Wellington and the Wiradjuri names of landmarks are all formed by Baiame. Even on the hill, “like a womb and birth canal”, you can see Baiame’s footprints. (263)
The language:
Wayne says: “It has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.” “I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” (239). (Not only do the stories matter, but the words we use to tell these stories also influence our identity.”
Aboriginals realise that dialect is critical to a sense of cultural identity without which they have difficulty relating to community and place. For this reason, aborigines in the Kaurna community in South Australia are determined to keep their language alive because of the critical link to their cultural origins. “It has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.”
Relationship with the group: immediate family members
Our relationships with wider groups and clans are important; for some this means our relationship with our grandparents; for others with our ancestors (great-great grandfather – Patti Miller); for the indigenous, clan based on language identification (determines social kinships; marriage patterns); the relationship with mythical ancestors (Baiame) is critical because these relationships form the basis of many of their land-rights claims. These relationships also become a source of pride and dignity.
Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation. It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them. (231) Wayne wants them to “go into the future with their identity intact” (233) Patti states, “sometimes there is too much pain and it doesn’t make you stronger, it just wounds you forever.” (233) Wayne believes that his life story is typical of so many other Aboriginals who have squandered their opportunities because of incredible adversity. However, he believes that his capacity to deal with his hardships has strengthened him and given him a purpose: “it’s made me who I am now”. (233)
Ref: englishworks.com.au
About the novel.
When writer Patti Miller discovers that the first post-Mabo Native Title claim was made by the Wiradjuri in the Wellington Valley where she grew up, she begins to wonder where she belongs in the story of the town. It leads her to the question at the heart of Australian identity – who are we in relation to our cherished stolen country?Feeling compelled to return to the Valley, Miller uncovers a chronicle of idealism, destruction and hope in its history of convicts, zealous missionaries, farmers and gold seekers who all took the land from the original inhabitants. But it's not until she talks to the local Wiradjuri that she realises there's another set of stories about her town, even about her own family. As one Wiradjuri elder remarks, 'The whitefellas and blackfellas have two different stories about who's related to who in this town'.Black and white politics, family mythologies and the power of place are interwoven as Miller tells a story that is both an individual search for connection and identity and a universal exploration of country and belonging.
More about Mind of a Thief.
Home is a place where we can feel secure, confident and happy
“Place” is a solid piece of ground: In the book ‘The Mind of a Thief’, Rose Chown, an Aboriginal elder, whom Miller considers critical to her research, yearns for a sense of place with regard to the Native Title claim, and ‘only wants to be on the land where she was born’.
The more solid the place, often the more secure and confident one feels. A good sense of home often leads to a positive and strong sense of identity.
Likewise, Patti Miller remarks ’I knew this place was my ground. It wasn’t a country, not a nation, but hills, valleys, creeks, dry dusty paddocks, gum trees, she-oaks, dome of childhood sky’.
However, place also reflects identity and the stories we tell about our place are critical to who we are.
According to Patti Miller, the stories we weave, the questions we ask about our past, and the way we reinterpret these stories is important to our sense of identity. Also, Patti Miller believes that critical to a sense of who we are, is how we weave together the different aspects or themes of the story of self, family and ancestors. “identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.”
“The warp and weft of identity is re-woven every time and is so tightly and thickly made it seems we were born with it, part of our flesh, instead of it being only a cloak” (16)
Identity is often a matter of chance as well as upbringing. “Even with the same genes, the story could so easily be different: a series of random chances that determines where the cloak of identity is hung” 235
“I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” 239
Being in the mainstream story makes all the difference
Identity as part of the main story: confidence and certainty
Patti Miller has Irish ancestors who were also the founding fathers of Wellington and accordingly she knows that she is part of the “main story” and this makes all the difference. Her great-great-grandfather , Patrick Reidy, was a member in 1867 of the original Town Common Committee.
Unlike the aborigines, “as part of a farming family” Patti realises that she has a “something the Aborigines didn’t – a sense that I belonged in the main story.” (195)
Wayne Kerr keeps going because of “identity; because identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.” (237) Wayne experiences a different type of connection with his ancestors. Contrastingly, he had a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place, including the continuity of culture in relation to place. “He knew who he was in relation to place.” The knowledge of his 10,000 year old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.”
Struggling on the margins: individuals and groups on the margins
It is very difficult to be oneself if one belongs to marginal groups. In this case, individuals are often restricted by disadvantage or by injustice. (Being an outsider has a big impact upon one’s sense of self.) Patti Miller shows that many Aborigines lack opportunities because they are the victims of prejudice in the community. They also lack a strong and purposeful sense of self and suffer what could be called an “identity crisis”.
Wayne’s NEGATIVE story:
Wayne is typical of those aborigines who suffer from a lack of purpose, a lack of connection and a lack of pride and dignity. His own immediate family is dysfunctional and his daughter becomes institutionalised because of her addiction. As part of the marginalised story, he feels isolated, excluded and often desperate. Wayne was sexually exploited during his childhood and is psychologically scarred. As Patti Miller states, he suffers from “a wound that never properly heals”
Wayne’s story: Positive (Aboriginal identity) Obsessed with the land-rights claim, Wayne becomes more positive about his life and gains a sense of purpose as he delves into his cultural roots. For him, his own personal and family identity is connected with that of the tribe. “it was always about protecting Wiradjuri identity.” He keeps going because of “identity is the most important thing. It gives you self-esteem, it gives you something to live for.”
Positive (family): It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them.” Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s a part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation.
Positive (place) Wayne gains a certain confidence and passion because of his sense of continuity with place and the continuity of culture. The knowledge of his 10,000 years old ancestors “coursed through him, made fire in his veins and his heart, illuminated him.” Patti Miller suggests that although he is not part of the main story, his historical and spiritual connection with the land gives him a much strong sense of place than the white settler such as Patrick Reidy will ever achieve.
Stories about culture and origins: Language and belonging:
“Native Title is about belonging. It’s about where you belong and what belongs to you.” 138
Wayne says: “It has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.” “I knew for certain .. that identity and connection could only be found in the telling. It wasn’t the threads of the story that really mattered, it was the weaving of the threads.” 239. (Not only do the stories matter, but the words we use to tell these stories also influence our identity.”
An aborigine’s identity is not just based on the biological family but also on the clan, the skin groups and the aboriginal language group into which they are born. Wayne Kerr belongs to the Wiradjuri clan which joins clan members together through language, but also through kinship laws. The clan also determines their relationship with the land and “who has the right to speak for it”. In other words, some leaders have greater power than others because of their traditional place in the clan. (155) With regards to the land rights claim in Wellington, membership to the clan also determines who has traditional access to the land. (155) “Your moiety (see below) gives you the right to identity spiritually with certain areas of land, but so does where you were born, who your mother and father are.” The conflict with Rose which divides the land rights claimants amongst themselves has its basis in the moiety. Rose has the right to “identify” with the land, but not the “right to speak for country” (156)
Ancestral stories: myths and origins
Who we are and where we come from, Patti Miller would suggest, is critical to our sense of being in the world.
The mythical and spiritual stories that shape and inform a person’s life are critical to their sense of identity. Such stories also influence an individual’s views and values.
We must celebrate and cherish our memories, our roots and our ancestors. The pursuit of ancestral land claims on behalf of the aborigines shows that individuals need to reconnect with their cultural ancestors and roots in order to have pride and confidence; Wayne celebrates with his ancestors the story about the mythical Baiame who came out of the sea with his “emu feet”. He was a “giant of a man with his two wives and stroke up through the Valley and he created it.” The stories people tell about their origins, and the spiritual views and values have a big influence on our journey through life.
Aboriginals realise that dialect is critical to a sense of cultural identity without which they have difficulty relating to community and place. For this reason, aborigines in the Kaurna community in South Australia are determined to keep their language alive because of the critical link to their cultural origins. “ it has always been important to me to speak my own language because it’s who I am, it’s where I belong.”
Relationship with the group: immediate family members;
Our relationships with wider groups and clans are important; for some this means our relationship with our grandparents; for others with our ancestors (great-great grandfather – Patty Miller); for the indigenous, clan based on language identification (determines social kinships; marriage patterns); the relationship with mythical ancestors (Baiame) is critical because these relationships form the basis of many of their land-rights claims. These relationships also become a source of pride and dignity.
Wayne’s duty to his grandchildren reinforces his cultural and social obligations as an Aboriginal which helps him give back to the community. “Too many Aboriginal people have forgotten it’s part of Aboriginal culture to look after kids in this situation. It’s my responsibility to look after them, discipline them, re-educate them. (231) Wayne wants them to “go into the future with their identity intact” (233) Patti states, “Sometimes there is too much pain and it doesn’t make you stronger, it just wounds you forever.” (233) Wayne believes that his life story is typical of so many other Aboriginals who have squandered their opportunities because of incredible adversity. However, he believes that his capacity to deal with his hardships has strengthened him and given him a purpose: “it’s made me who I am now”. (233)
Aboriginal Society - Moieties
Moiety is a form of social organisation in which most people and, indeed, most natural phenomena are divided into two classes or categories.
The word derives from a Latin term for half. These categories are rarely actual gatherings of people with a common interest or purpose They are intermarrying divisions of society which describe kin relationships and provide a general guide to behaviour. In art, moiety can play an important role in determining the subjects which an artist may paint.
A person usually marries someone of the opposite moiety and is forbidden to marry into his or her own moiety. For instance, in north east Arnhem Land, Yolngu clans are divided into moieties called Yirritja and Dhuwa, each of which owns distinct lands and descends from different Creation Ancestors. If a man is Dhuwa, then his wife is Yirritja, and vice versa.
Moieties are often named and are often associated with special emblems or totems - for example Kilpara (Eaglehawk) and Makwara (Crow).
Moiety names are commonly used as convenient labels of address or as a means of social identification. Moiety affiliation can have implications for the organisation and performance of ritual, for example in determining camping and seating arrangements.
Having a sense of difference- Mind of a Thief
- The children had to sit in the front at the cinema; the indigenous patients were made to sit on the veranda at the hospital. (Patti’s mother also states, “the aborigines were always put on the veranda” (205)
- The indigenous families were controlled by a ration system that distributed staple items. In the 1970s, the aborigines were stilling coming to the Wellington police station to collect their ration tickets. (203)
- The father had to ask for permission from the Bulgandramine Mission manager to go to town (194)
- Jimmy Governor was not paid for his labour; he was exploited
- Andy Towney was refused a drink from the RSL club in the 1970s when he returned from the Vietnam War (196).
Consequences for sense of self; erosion of confidence
- Sense of being disempowered; socially disengaged/disaffected
- The missionaries did not think the Wiradjuri had a spiritual life. “They had not heard of the Dreamtime or the Rainbow serpent and dismissed the stories they were told as fantastical.” (85)
- This constant sense of exclusion leads to feelings of worthlessness; they are made to feel like second class citizens; they are subject to segregation; “It was segregation like South Africa”, says Evelyn. (194)
- The indigenous citizens feel a strong sense of hatred; they engage in anti-social activities and violence. Wayne says, “I was a complete madman. Absolutely mental. Absolutely mental.”
- Jimmy Govenor – snapped and killed a group of 5 women and children. “the women had apparently taunted Jimmy’s white wife for marrying a black man.”
- Evelyn constantly feels a sense of pain; she draws attention to the fact that they were treated as lesser human beings. At the cinema she was told, “get back down ‘ere you little nigger”. (195). “She knew the hurting inside herself, the pain of not being regarded as fully human”.(199)
Comparisons:
- with migrants; refugees; Kayne/ Wayne (socially disaffected and disengaged); disabled people. Mrs Sharp is told by the doctor in the 1970s to institutionalise her autistic son.
The challenge for such individuals is to try to find a way to engage without being ostracised or humiliated or controlled.
Positive: reconnect with roots; – regain pride and dignity/ confidence/ place to belong; exercise control over self esteem
- Wayne finds strength in the aboriginal myths – the knowledge of kinship systems gives a strong sense of place. (Obsession with land rights claim: 250, 232, 155.)
- Migrants find strength in discovering their ethnic and cultural roots. eg. Najhi Chu
- Kayne finds a substitute family and discovers love and trust – dignity
- Matthew and soldiers (see psychiatrist’s comments) – need to retain a sense of the whole
What is Identity and Belonging?
An identity is who or what a person or thing is. Your identity defines who you are. It is a self-representation of your interests, relationships, social activity and much more. Our sense of identity and belonging is impacted by various factors, including our experiences, relationships, and our environment. The journey to find identity and belonging can often be a struggle, since we ask ourselves, ‘who am I?’ vs. ‘who do others want me to be?’ and ‘where do I belong? Where do I fit in?’ This point in our lives is completely subjective, meaning that it is our personal view that influences our decisions. The issue of identity and belonging has encompassed humans for many generations, and will remain a key turning point for many to come.
Identity: What is Identity?
Identity is multi-faceted, meaning that a combination of many traits forms one identity. An identity can be defined as anything, depending on what you wish others to perceive and also how others wish to perceive you. Listed below are some examples of ‘identities’ :
* Career Identity:
> Lawyer, nurse, environmentalist, politician, etc.
* Family Identity:
> Father, mother, younger brother, older sister, twin, nephew, cousin, etc.
* Skills Identity
> Athletic, intelligent, leader, listener, etc.
* Cultural Identity
> History, tradition, religion, gender, etc.
* Social Identity
> Peer group, clique, gang, club, mob, social class, etc.
Note that people do not just possess one concrete identity. We are neither just a doctor nor an entrepreneur, but also someone who loves rock music and likes to dine out. In different situations, we may alter our identity accordingly to the environment and the people. For example, you may be lively with your primary school friends yet more reserved and serious with your high school friends. This is usually due to our innate desire to belong; sacrificing or amending our identity to do so.
Belonging: What is belonging?
Belonging means to feel a sense of welcome and acceptance to someone or something. As suggested by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (see picture), a psychological theory centered on humans’ innate desire for fulfillment, belonging is a need that we naturally seek in order to feel loved. In the same manner as our identities, there are many forms of belonging.
* Relationships
> Family, friends, partner, teachers, associates, pet
* Social
> Groups, classes, clubs, organistions, teams
* Environment
> Australia, America, Melbourne, Queensland, countryside, metropolitan, nature versus man-made environments, etc.
If we fail to find a sense of belonging, isolation and depression often ensues. However, there are those who do not belong but are in fact, liberated by their independence. This may be due to their desire to rebel from family tradition, friends’ expectations or work commitment and thus, are pleased to be set-apart.
*Taken from http://www.vcestudyguides.com/guides/context/identity-and-belonging
Audio/Visual & Other Resources1. Great Audio File from the ABC 2. Audio: The Context in VCE Studies VCE English 3. Waleed Aly Talks about Adam Goodes 4. Sunday School: Discussion about context writing and The Mind of a Thief. 5. Stan Grant Article 6. Louis Theroux and the Nazi's |
Identity & Belonging Quotes"It takes a village to raise a child."- Old proverb. “Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known.” ― Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”― Oscar Wilde “If you understood everything I said, you’d be me”― Miles Davis “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”― Mahatma Gandhi "Who are we but the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves, and believe?"- Scott Turow "My identity began with the fact of my race, but it didn't, couldn't, end there. At least, that's what I choose to believe." - Barrack Obama "Never forget what you are, for surelythe world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you." - George R Martin |
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Context Writing Advice
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Influences: What influences identity and belonging?
Everything and everyone can influence a person’s identity and belonging. While some influences can be major, such as one’s relationship with their family, other influences may be minor, for example an incident with a friend many years ago. For different people, the same experience may have affected them to a different extent, for example, a pair of friends travelling to an art exhibition. While for one friend, the experience was exquisite and a good night out, for the other, it may have inspired them to switch careers and become an artist. Although we all live in the same world where many of our experiences overlap, the reason why we are all unique is because we ultimately choose what does or does not impact us in a crucial or unimportant way. It is through the addition of the myriad parts of our lives that come together to create our identity.
Why does the struggle with identity and belonging occur?
It is a valid point to argue that everyone has struggled with their identity and belonging during a chapter of their life. There comes a time when our opinions and beliefs begin to differentiate from those around us. During this time, some people may discover where they belong, whereas many others do not. It is not solely one stage of our lives when we are confronted with an identity crisis, but a continuous challenge throughout our lives as we encounter new experiences that will alter our thoughts, emotions and perspective on ourselves.
The people listed below are famous and have made their mark on the world. Explore individuals that may have influenced the world but are less recognised. Also consider people you know personally who may have influenced your identity and belonging.
Rosa Parks
Nelson Mandela
Martin Luther King Jnr
Adolf Hitler
Osama Bin Laden
Barrack Obama
Benazir Bhutto
Everything and everyone can influence a person’s identity and belonging. While some influences can be major, such as one’s relationship with their family, other influences may be minor, for example an incident with a friend many years ago. For different people, the same experience may have affected them to a different extent, for example, a pair of friends travelling to an art exhibition. While for one friend, the experience was exquisite and a good night out, for the other, it may have inspired them to switch careers and become an artist. Although we all live in the same world where many of our experiences overlap, the reason why we are all unique is because we ultimately choose what does or does not impact us in a crucial or unimportant way. It is through the addition of the myriad parts of our lives that come together to create our identity.
Why does the struggle with identity and belonging occur?
It is a valid point to argue that everyone has struggled with their identity and belonging during a chapter of their life. There comes a time when our opinions and beliefs begin to differentiate from those around us. During this time, some people may discover where they belong, whereas many others do not. It is not solely one stage of our lives when we are confronted with an identity crisis, but a continuous challenge throughout our lives as we encounter new experiences that will alter our thoughts, emotions and perspective on ourselves.
The people listed below are famous and have made their mark on the world. Explore individuals that may have influenced the world but are less recognised. Also consider people you know personally who may have influenced your identity and belonging.
Rosa Parks
Nelson Mandela
Martin Luther King Jnr
Adolf Hitler
Osama Bin Laden
Barrack Obama
Benazir Bhutto
Articles about Identity and Belonging
Stolen Generations
This article (we read this in class) discusses the issues of identity in relation to the stolen generation.
Don't Deny our Australian Identity
This article by Kevin Donnelly focuses on Australia Day, and what it means to celebrate Australia Day and analyses what it means to be an Australian in 2013.
The Drum ABC, 23 January 2013.
Stuck in the Middle
This article by Kevin Donnelly focuses on Australia Day, and what it means to celebrate Australia Day and analyses what it means to be an Australian in 2013.
Vibe Wire 6th February 2012
Like it or not, we're more diverse than ever this Australia Day
This article, written by Bob Birrell, a researcher at Monash University focuses on the changing face of Australia, a tale of two cities and nationdivided in regards to the celbration of Australia day and what it means to be Australian.
Vibe Wire, 31st January, 2013
This article by Kevin Donnelly focuses on Australia Day, and what it means to celebrate Australia Day and analyses what it means to be an Australian in 2013.
The Drum ABC, 23 January 2013.
Stuck in the Middle
This article by Kevin Donnelly focuses on Australia Day, and what it means to celebrate Australia Day and analyses what it means to be an Australian in 2013.
Vibe Wire 6th February 2012
Like it or not, we're more diverse than ever this Australia Day
This article, written by Bob Birrell, a researcher at Monash University focuses on the changing face of Australia, a tale of two cities and nationdivided in regards to the celbration of Australia day and what it means to be Australian.
Vibe Wire, 31st January, 2013