Hey y'all! Sorry for the longer than wanted absence, but I have been so busy that I just haven't had a chance to sit down and fully write about my trip to Broome, the way that I wanted to. But now is finally the time!
As a part of our Australian History class here at Notre Dame, our group of study abroad students took a field trip to Northern Australia- in the Kimberley region. We spent a week in the outback with an aboriginal family, learning about and experiencing the aboriginal culture. Out of respect for privacy to everyone involved in this trip, I am not going to be too specific: I can't use names or post pictures. This post is going to focus more on the history of the culture and how this trip impacted me personally.
If you didn't know, the aboriginal people are the original people of Australia, and were here thousands of years before the British Colonization in the late 1700's. Unfortunately, they were considered a dying race by the English and thus, victims to many extensive forms of racism. Problems between the groups continued throughout history. Australia is currently working towards reconciliation of their history of discrimination and maltreatment of aboriginal people, but certainly have a long way to go.
One of the primary issues is the lack of awareness about aboriginal culture. A majority of the modern Australian population don't have knowledge about the aboriginal people, even though they have existed on this continent together for years. For us, as foreigners, this field trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
On our trip, we got to experience the land that the Aboriginal people consider sacred. On our drive to the campsite, the land around us was the stereotypical Australian bright red dirt, covered in a light green bush, next to a the brightest blue sky, with not a cloud in sight. Multiple times, we were given the chance to swim in the warmest ocean I have ever experienced, with the whitest sands. We walked through the bush and learned how the plants and land were used for medicine, food, hunting. Most importantly, we learned how to respect the land while still using it as a resource. This is a major part of aboriginal culture, and using the land correctly is central to their way of life.
Throughout the week, we met many respected aboriginal elders, including the traditional owners of the land we were on. They shared the stories of their own lives, and the way they were personally impacted by the discrimination from the English, and then the White Australians later on. But they also shared with us their customs, beliefs, and how they live their daily lives. We were able to meet a couple aboriginal artists, and they talked about the impact of the environment through their art. The philosophy they hold is that each piece of art shares a story, whether that be a personal story or a traditional story. We got the opportunity to visit a school in one of the surrounding aboriginal communities, and met some of the kids there (who were so adorable), and got to talk to them about their families, school, and their lives in general. There were so many similarities between these kids and kids back in America, yet there were still so many differences as well. The people we got to meet and talk with were what made this trip so special.
Personally, I learned so much in such a short period of time, about a culture that I had known nothing about prior to this trip. The family we stayed with were so welcoming, and I am so grateful to them for allowing us to be apart of their community. I met so many amazing people on this trip, who are beautiful inside and out, and I will cherish the stories they shared with us, and carry them with me for the rest of my life.
If you are considering studying abroad, this is what it is all about- learning about a new culture, and letting it impact and change you for the better. Broome was one of the best experiences I have had in Australia, and it has made this adventure that much more life-changing.
