Journal Week 1 Alinta the Flame

Wk 1
a) The course seems heavy but interesting. I enjoy learning about people, situations and past events especially women’s roles in history- past and present. Their recognition and achievements are long over-due.

b) I am interested to hear about their struggles for equal rights (wk 6) and also am enjoying the Aboriginal issues.

c) I will have to see as I go along if there are any worries, otherwise I hope I will keep up and come out of the course more informed than before.

2. a) History is open to interpretation; many stories vary from a person’s reflexes to bad-eye sight or even the way they were bought up. Some very important decisions were made in the world by leaders under the influence of alcohol or drugs or sex for that matter. Many mistresses knew the outcome of major events before the countries did. For example Winston Churchill in his time made many decisions on Cocaine also many songs and movies from history were created from substance abuse. Nero was drunk and surrounded by women while Rome burned.
b) The Cronulla beach riots in Sydney is a great example of conflicting witness recounts. Australia watched – by the media mostly – and we all judged the situation that changed the local communities lives forever. Two groups, one protecting their way of life and the other wanting to destroy that peaceful laid back beach scene. Many nationalities were involved and people were hurt and charged as well. Both groups involved blamed each other and to this day many people have mixed emotions on this confronting sad event.
3. Traditional Aboriginal culture in 1864 was all about the family way of life. I learnt that I am thankful I was not around then otherwise I would not have lasted long as the elders suppressed a women’s place in the tribe. Women were ordered to work hard, get a partner and have many children. Their childhood was about being taught how to care for the children and preparing food and listening. Not too much talking was allowed, yet the children seemed happy and contented. Much of their learning skills came from the elder women or their mother’s.

4. The men in the tribe ruled. They were the hunters and made all decisions and ordered harsh punishments if their laws were broken. The women cooked, gathered berries and roots and cared for the men and the elder women taught the girls how to obey their men. The elder women would make a suggestion about a problem and the male tribal elders would decide the outcome.

The men sat all together and smoked and talked and the women sat separate with the children. The men did not look after any babies. In Australia today the men are expected to care for their children, to help with bathing, cooking, home-work, school meetings and sport commitments. It’s more of a partnership with shared responsibilities and women who are dominated or abused will terminate the relationship and move on to another partner.

I empathise with the tribe – they were tough hunters yet they gave shelter and food to strangers- non Aboriginal people. Had they had better weapons and joined forces with the other tribes then history may have been different. There was enough land for everyone but the white settlers saw them as wild almost animalistic yet they were a tight knit caring family group whose only real problem was they were black skinned.

WOMEN’S STUDIES 1
CHRIS HICKS
JOURNAL WK1
ALINTA THE FLAME DVD.