Transcript Cultural Awareness Workshop Hockey Queensland Coaching Conference 3-4 June 2015 Delivered by Julie McNeil.

Cultural Awareness
Workshop
Hockey Queensland Coaching Conference
3-4 June 2015
Delivered by Julie McNeil
Cultural Awareness is the foundation of communication and
it involves the ability of standing back from ourselves and
becoming aware of our cultural values, beliefs and
perceptions. Why do we do things in that way? How do we
see the world? Why do we react in that particular way?
Cultural awareness becomes central when we have to
interact with people from other cultures. People see,
interpret and evaluate things in a different ways. What is
considered an appropriate behavior in one culture is
frequently inappropriate in another one.
Misunderstandings arise
when I use my meanings
to make sense of your
reality.
LETS SHARE SOME INFORMATION
ON INDIGENOUS CULTURE
IN AUSTRALIA
http://shareourpride.reconciliation.org.
au/sections/first-australians/
Dreaming
‘Dreaming’ or ‘Dreamtime’ are English words that describe a rich Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander concept. In reality, it is impossible to find words that
adequately capture this core element of who we are but it’s something you feel
when you sit with us on our country and hear our stories with an open mind and
heart.
Dreaming is more than a mythical past; it prescribes our connection as Aboriginal
people with the spiritual essence of everything around us and beyond us.
Dreaming stories are not in the past, they are outside of time – always present
and giving meaning to all aspects of life.
MEANING OF COUNTRY
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are connected to country through
lines of descent (paternal and maternal), as well as clan and language groups.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have such a strong sense of belonging
to country; they have no desire to own the land of others.
Territory is defined by spiritual as well as physical links. Landforms have deep
meaning, recorded in art, stories, songs and dance. Songlines or Dreaming Tracks
as well as [Kinship structures] link Indigenous peoples to the territories of other
groups. In the past, these links were also used for trade.
When we say country we might mean homeland,
or tribal or clan area and in saying so we may
mean something more than just a place;
somewhere on the map. We are not necessarily
referring to place in a geographical sense. But
we are talking about the whole of the landscape,
not just the places on it.”
Professor Mick Dodson AM, United Nations International Expert Group Meeting on Indigenous Peoples and Protection of
the Environment, Khabarovsk, Russian Federation, August 2007
Customary Law
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have complex codes of conduct
to guide people’s behaviour. Today, every Australian is answerable to Australia’s
laws. Traditional or customary law in no way substitutes for Australian law but it
can coexist and guide a community on how to behave according to traditional
beliefs and practices.
In the same way, Jewish people in Australia follow particular religious laws
around diet, ceremony and behaviour while they also abide by our nation’s laws.
In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, codes of conduct cover
behaviour around:

Leadership and etiquette

Property

Laws around special events like marriage, coming of age and death

Sacred knowledge
SHAMING
The concept of shame used by Aboriginal English speakers is broader than the
non-Indigenous use of the word. The meaning of shame extends to include
embarrassment in certain situations (Leitner & Malcolm 2007:169) and is often
due to attention or circumstances rather than as the result of an action by
oneself (Vallance & Tchacos 2001). The feeling of shame can totally overwhelm
and disempower a person.
Sorry Business
Is a term used by Indigenous Australians to refer to the death of a family or
community member and the mourning process.
Sorry Business includes attending funerals and taking part in mourning activities
with community. This can take an extended period of time, a week or more, and
may also involve travelling long distances. It is extremely important in Indigenous
cultures that people participate in Sorry Business. Be aware that it is common
practice not to mention the name of a deceased person or show pictures of them
for some time after they have passed away.
INDIGENOUS LEARNING
How we learn - culture way
We connect through the stories we share.
We picture our pathways of knowledge.
We see, think, act, make and share without words.
We keep and share knowledge with art and objects.
We work with lessons from land and nature.
We put different ideas together and create new knowledge.
We work from wholes to parts, watching and then doing.
We bring new knowledge home to help our mob.
IMPACTS OF HISTORY ON INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE
The events of the past are very important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people. These events weren’t that long ago. There are many people alive today who:
Were forcibly removed from their parents under government policy.
Had their children taken away.
Were not allowed in towns after 6:00 at night.
Were not allowed to be in certain areas without permission.
Were barred from schools and hospitals.
Returned from wars only to find they did not have the same rights as white people.
Have not enjoyed the same rights as others, simply because they were Indigenous.
There are even a few very old people today who witnessed killings and poisonings as
young children. This affected those people deeply.
INFORMATION ABOUT FIRST AUSTRALIANS – INDIGENOUS CULTURE
Assumption 1
You’ve got to be black to be ‘a real’ Aboriginal – or that Aboriginality is attributed
to the degree of ancestry, such as ‘she is 1/8th Aboriginal’.
You might meet a person who says they’re Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander but
you’re doubtful because they don’t look the way you think Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people should look.
Perhaps their skin is not as dark as Aboriginal or Torres Islander people you see on
television, perhaps they’re dressed differently to how you imagine we should be,
perhaps they live in the city and you thought ‘real’ Aboriginal people live in the desert.
All Indigenous people take pride in their ancestry that goes
back tens of thousands of years. Indigenous cultures have
evolved over time, just like all cultures, such as through
contact with other people, new technologies and new
ideas. Whilst Indigenous Australians move between two
cultures they are still incorporating traditional practices
and beliefs in their everyday life.
ASSUMPTION 2
At Federation in 1901, the rights of citizenship were extended to Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
THIS IS NOT TRUE.
The Australian Constitution, section 51 clause 26 reads: “The Parliament shall,
subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and
good government of the Commonwealth with respect to: The people of any race,
other than the aboriginal race in any State, for whom it is deemed necessary to
make special laws.”
Clause 127 reads: “In reckoning the numbers of the people of the
Commonwealth, or of a State or part of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives
shall not be counted.”
THIS STILL CURRENTLY REMAINS THE POSITION with the
RECOGNIZE Program now being active to try and delete these
references in our constitution to allow FIRST AUSTRALIANS to
hold the same recognition as any other person
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people don’t just live in the bush

The highest proportion of Indigenous Australians live in Sydney.

In 2006, 31% of Indigenous people in Australia lived in major cities; 22% lived
in inner regional Australia; 23% in outer regional Australia; 8% in remote
Australia and 16% in very remote Australia

Not as many Indigenous people live in the bush compared to urban and
regional areas. It is important to remember that a person does not stop being
Aboriginal because they have a western lifestyle; the two cultures do not
cancel each other out.

The legal definition provided by the Federal Court declares a person is
Indigenous when they are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, that
person identifies with the culture and is accepted as such by the community
in which they live, whether that community is in Yuendumu, Redfern or Perth,
they are no ‘more or less’ Indigenous because of where they live.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people excel at more than sport
Aboriginal Tasmanians are alive and well
Violence/abuse against women and
children is not part of traditional
Indigenous culture
Native Title can’t take away people’s
property
WHY IS UNDERSTANDING
CULTURE IMPORTANT ?–
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Degrees of Cultural Awareness
There are several levels of cultural awareness that reflect how people grow to
perceive cultural differences.
My way is the only way –
At the first level, people are aware of
their way of doing things, and their
way is the only way. At this stage,
they ignore the impact of cultural
differences. (Parochial stage)
Degrees of Cultural Awareness
There are several levels of cultural awareness that reflect how people grow to
perceive cultural differences.
I know their way, but my way is
better - At the second level, people
are aware of other ways of doing
things, but still consider their way as
the best one. In this stage, cultural
differences are perceived as source of
problems and people tend to ignore
them or reduce their significance.
(Ethnocentric stage)
Degrees of Cultural Awareness
There are several levels of cultural awareness that reflect how people grow to
perceive cultural differences.
My Way and Their Way - At this level people
are aware of their own way of doing things and
others’ ways of doing things, and they chose
the best way according to the situation. At this
stage people realize that cultural differences
can lead both to problems and benefits and are
willing to use cultural diversity to create new
solutions and alternatives. (Synergistic stage)
Degrees of Cultural Awareness
There are several levels of cultural awareness that reflect how people grow to
perceive cultural differences.
Our Way - This fourth and final stage
brings people from different cultural
background together for the creation
of a culture of shared meanings.
People dialogue repeatedly with
others, create new meanings, new
rules to meet the needs of a particular
situation. (Participatory Third culture
stage)
How Do I Manage Cultural Diversity?
We are generally aware that the first
step in managing diversity is recognize it
and learning not to fear it.
Admit that you don’t know.
Knowing that we don’t know everything, that a
situation does not make sense, that our assumptions
may be wrong is part of the process of becoming
culturally aware. Assume differences, not
similarities.
Suspend judgments.
Collect as much information as possible so
you can describe the situation accurately
before evaluating it.
Empathy.
In order to understand another person, we
need to try standing in his/her shoes.
Through empathy we learn of how other
people would like to be treated by us.
Systematically check your assumptions.
Ask your colleagues for feedback and
constantly check your assumptions to make
sure that you clearly understand the
situation.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY – THE IMPACT AND
THE REALITY
https://youtu.be/WiQq_XAVPLg
RECRUITUNG IN THE
MULTI - CULTURAL COMMUNITY
Cross Cultural Awareness and the
strategies you develop from the
information you obtain cut across all
cultures
Breakdown of population from indigenous
communities or migrant communities that
have a strong hockey background
In business and in sport, Australians
understand that respectful relationships
are a prerequisite for success
http://shareourpride.reconciliation.org.au/sections/respectful-relationships/
WHERE TO LOOK FOR SUPPORT
1.
Local Councils has contact details for multi cultural groups in your community
2.
Local Councils have contact details for indigenous groups in your community
3.
Look at events that might be celebrated by these groups and consider a
partnership – come and try days/ information booths about the sport
4.
State Government Departments have information and support
5.
Highlight National Programs – NAIDOC, NRW, HARMONY DAY to increase the
connection between hockey and these multi cultural communities
6.
Information to the local community centers, target schools, after school
programs and through Sporting Schools – train coaches to be comfortable with
high populations of multi-cultural participants
Recruitment outside comfort zone is not easy
to do and requires specific strategies,
resources and support
Needs to be supported by a National or State
Recruitment Strategy
2. Needs supporting training and resources at local
association and club level so volunteers are
prepared for increased multi cultural members
3. Integrated approach connecting community
groups/schools not stand alone programs
4. Link to local, regional and state support programs
1.
LINKS
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/
http://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/
https://www.communities.qld.gov.au/multicultural
http://www.indigenous.gov.au/
http://www.harmony.gov.au/celebrate/app-downloads/
http://www.remotehockey.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Remote-Hockey/240981416918
https://www.facebook.com/pages/RIHP-Rubies/229985613743010
https://www.facebook.com/RIHPBLAZE