What does First Nations truth-telling look like? Reconciliation Australia

Reconciliation Australia's website is a rich resource. Recently, there's been material on Narragunnawali Awards to schools for work promoting reconciliation, the Victorian Treaty legislation, Indigenous governance of Indigenous organisations, and the nature of First Nations truth-telling.

Main points on the last of these:

A core principle of truth-telling is that it should always be First Nations led. This means that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities are the ones setting the direction and making the key decisions.

First Nations led truth-telling:

• centres First Nations voices, knowledge and perspectives.
• prioritises the needs and aspirations of the First Nations people of that place.
• gives First Nations peoples the final say over decisions at every step in the process.

This does not mean expecting First Nations peoples to have all the answers or to do all the work of the truth-telling activity.

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A downloadable pdf gives more detail. This paragraph is of particular relevance to confronting the history of the Australian Wars:

Non-Indigenous truth-tellers

Increasingly, non-Indigenous Australians are taking responsibility for investigating the historical actions of their own families and organisations, and their impact on First Nations peoples. The principle of First Nations led applies equally to this truth-telling. Though important and well-intentioned, sharing that history may cause further harm and distress. This is why it is critical that the voices and perspectives of First Nations peoples are sought and respected throughout the process.

The pdf links to examples of First Nations-led truth-telling.

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Picture credit: Apology by PM Kevin Rudd to Australia's Indigenous Peoples, February 2008 (Wikipedia/Bill H. Gong 2016/CC)

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