A story About an Aboriginal man during the

1900’s.

By Tony Wakim

I lived in a society with many other aboriginals but we were treated as if we didn’t own this land. We were picked on, spat at and we could even have the same rights as those who killed our ancestors. We couldn’t marry the women we loved without a permission from the governor. We couldn’t socialize with any white people without their permission

Me and my Family worked on a corn field for Mr. Wilson, a white British man who is greedy and gives us so little for a big workload we do everyday. We clean his clothes, look after the sheep and the land full of crops.

• I Think life in Australia is not as good as I would have imagined It to be, but we are well of and we do with what we have as we herd about those who have been working for a really low wage and we are grateful for what we have.

Only recently were we as Aboriginals allowed to practice our religion and cultures. Some Aboriginals were forced to convert to Christianity but now we have the freedom to practice our religion.

We are not allowed to vote because in the eyes of the Federal Government, we are not Australians and they rule Australia not the aboriginals.

We have many issues concerning medicine because of our poverty and now the Bubonic Plague which has killed many people in Australia is causing panic as we do not have the money to deal with this plague if it hits our land.

• Some of us are not allowed to enter a pub to get rum or a beer because of our colour and our culture which impacts us a lot because the waters are polluted and carry deadly diseases like diarrhea. We get our water from the river using a metal barrel.

• In winter we ask Mr. Wilson if we can bring some sheep into our small house to warm up the room because we cannot afford a stove. Some nights it gets so cold that we fall asleep hugging each other for warmth. Sometimes it snows in the mountains.

• During the hot summers we are not allowed to go to the beaches or the rivers if ‘white’ people are already there. Once the bushes went alight and we had to leave immediately as it was heading right for us.

• Aboriginals have been living in these lands for centuries but the respect we get from the 'white' society has not been admirable over the years but the aboriginal people will have their day when they stand proud and be treated equally like we should be treated as we were on this land first.

Done By Tony Wakim.

• The Aboriginal man later died in a peacefully, quiet sleep but wasn't remembered for his hard work and was buried in the forest away from the public and Mr. Wilson got another aboriginal man to fit in the mans shoes.

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