Aboriginal puppets in the workplace

Recently, I received an email from someone describing something many Aboriginal people already know, but that is rarely properly understood by Non-Indigenous peoples.

He spoke about Aboriginal peoples in identified positions are often just puppets operating under the system, which, of course, always knows what’s best for us.

We’re being hired to teach and work within Culture, only to be told exactly how to behave and teach culturally by Non-Indigenous managers and bosses.

These are the same ones who are flat out remembering, or if they can, trying to pronounce the local Country they’ve worked on during the last 10 years.

We are still being micromanaged, constrained, and corrected while given the “opportunity” to help work with Aboriginal peoples.

All the while, government and organisations wonder why things “just aren’t working” for them, their staff, or the people they’re working with.

Well…
I guess, if you don’t laugh, you cry!

This does not mean Aboriginal staff in identified roles cannot or do not have a positive impact.

Many have done and still do incredible work within the tight boundaries we/they can be given.

But I have seen the reality of this puppet show, with my own eyes, time and time again, and between us, the show's gotten really old.

“How does this even happen?”

The workplace offers opportunities for Aboriginal people to make a change in the lives of other Aboriginal community members.

Sounds beautiful, but once a contract is signed and feet hit the ground, people quickly realise who’s got all the power.

The workplace (especially managers) controls what, why, and how everything is allowed to take place at all times.

I hear what some of you may be thinking, this is normal. Yes, of course, a workplace needs agreed-upon expectations and standards.

But don’t confuse the apple for the orange, because they’re both fruit.
This is very, very different.

Promises VS Reality.

I will give you a real example.

A beautiful Gomeroi cousin of mine works with at-risk Aboriginal youth.

They were promised the world, which is not unusual.

Freedom to take kids out on Country.

Freedom to teach Culture.

Freedom to pass on life skills in ways that actually make sense and can be best understood by at-risk Aboriginal kids.

When they started working with this NSW Government organisation, however, the reality was very different.

Taking teenagers out on Country was, well… too “risky” and the freedom to teach culture wasn’t actually all that free.

Because going for say, a simple walk and talk out on Country is highly dangerous, right?

What if a thirteen-year-old boy who wants to learn his cultural ways goes out bush and randomly decides to become aggressive or violent?

The government organisation cannot and should not risk this. When it comes to both the kids' and the staff's safety, it genuinely matters to managers on a personal level…

So naturally, management came up with or already had a really smart solution.

Kids who have already sat in paddy wagons and jail cells are to be brought into cold, indifferent government offices to learn.

They are to be watched by uniformed strangers with authority.

And placed into white walls, harsh lighting, and tightly spaced rooms that feel more like an interrogation chamber than places of learning.

Apparently that’s the safest, most affective, environment for these anxious, traumatised, at risk kids to truly learn their Culture. . . .

When control replaces culture

This may sound like a rant or a one-off example.
Honestly, I wish it were.

Unfortunately, this is not a unique experience.
Time and time again, including in my own experiences working in Aboriginal-identified roles, I have seen management scream one thing, “we truly care”, and yet do and show the exact opposite.

Eventually, what happens is that Aboriginal staff, and rightly so, push back.
But rarely is this helpful for their position.

When they raise concerns.
When they challenge management or the old system.
When they burn out trying to change things for the better.

They are quietly labelled as difficult.

As whinging, troublemakers who cause problems.
Another stereotype, now confirmed as true, about us.

Little do management realise that we were set up to fail the moment we signed the contract.

The irony to top it off, like the shiny cherry, is this.

Many non-Indigenous staff look at Aboriginal-identified positions and those who fill them with contempt.
As if all Aboriginal-identified positions are “unfair”.

What these people don’t realise is that, in reality, Aboriginal people in these roles are often the most restricted people in the room.
Still being told and corrected by people who are not Aboriginal on how to be Aboriginal.

Another Aboriginal catch-22.

DEVILS ADOCATE: This isn’t always the case; some Aboriginal people do have cushioned jobs. But this is based on my experiences and the average experiences of those around me in NSW.

The Solution?

It’s all good to talk about problems, but what’s important is coming up with solutions.

The answer is not more committees.
Not more policies.
Not more tick a box cultural training.
No more half-hearted acknowledgements of Country during Zoom meetings.

One answer:

More Aboriginal entrepreneurs and Aboriginal people starting their own businesses.

Otherwise, we will forever be puppets, working under the control of others in a system specifically designed to control people and keep us poor.

This is the case regardless of whether you are White, Black or Brindle.

Of course, no matter what, even with our own businesses, we’re still under government control, but by doing this, we can start to cut the strings from these puppeteers so that we can begin to have more control over the direction of our own lives, families’ lives, communities and our future generations.

No one can do it for us.
No one will do it for us.
We must save ourselves.

JHK
Your Online Brother