Indigenous People's Workshop – a Personal Reflection
Chen Nan Hsin
Chen Nan Hsin is a member of Taiwan SCM
(This article is translated by Wong Kai Shing of Hong Kong SCM)
Giving thanks to God and to the Headquarter of the Ministry on Higher Education of the Taiwan Presbyterian Church, I could attend the meeting on 'Working for Justice with Indigenous Peoples' in Australia in January/February this year. The 10-day meeting was organized by Australian SCM, in joint coordination with the WSCF Asia-Pacific Office. There were 18 participants from Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. The programs included reporting on the situation of Indigenous peoples in the above-mentioned countries, exposures to areas of the local aborigines, analyzing different cultures and sharing responses of different national SCMs on issues of the indigenous peoples. There were also Bible studies, seminar on women's issues and a cultural night in which different national movements introduced their activities. The meeting did not only help me to learn about the situation of the indigenous peoples in different countries, it also made me think about the direction of the aboriginal movement in Taiwan and how to strengthen the work of student Christians in supporting the Taiwanese aboriginal struggles.
Besides myself, there were three other participants from Taiwan. We arrived in Australia on the morning of January 26. It happened to be the Australian National Day. Since the first white person landed on the continent more than two hundred years ago, the British have been claiming the ownership and sovereignty of this land. Although Australia became independent after the Second World War, it is still a member of the British Commonwealth. For the Australian Aborigines, the national day represents the day of the beginning of their suffering. While the government was celebrating the national day, the Aborigines organized their own memorial activities. We took part in the cultural events of the aborigines. We saw their performances of traditional music and dance, which were synthesized with modem musical style. We also saw their cultural relics and handicrafts and bought some as souvenir.
The few days of exposure to see the real life of the Aborigines left us with a very deep impression. The participants were organized into three groups, to visit Aborigines living at the coast, in the plain and in the city. Our group visited the community organizations, non-government and government organizations for the aborigines living in the city. We benefited in learning from their many years of struggles for their rights. We can share some of their achievements, which the struggles in Taiwan has yet to attain.
There are several community organizations providing a wide range of services for the Aborigines in the city. These included services on housing, vocational training, counseling and unemployment benefits. The work of these organizations reflect how the Aborigines respond to the serious competition in living and the problems relating to their children's education and their youths. They know how to utilize the resources in the community to maintain their survival and to avoid losing their own identity and culture within a white-dominated urban society. They try to find a balance between tradition and the modem, despite coming across many failures and difficulties.
There are many Aboriginal non-government organizations. One such organization called 'Tanby' aims at promoting awareness, educating and producing publication on Aboriginal issues. 'Tanby' has developed into a resource and training centre for the social movement of the aborigines. We also visited a hospital that provides medical information and health education for the Aborigines. There are about ninety similar organizations around Australia providing medical and health care services and working on community development with the Aborigines community.
Finally, there are government organizations such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and NSW-Aboriginal Land Council. The former is responsible for fund allocation from the Federal Government to local governments and non-government organizations as well as advise government departments on the impact of their policies on the rights and welfare of the Aborigines. The latter deals specifically with issues related to Aborigines land rights.
Although the Aborigines only make up 1.6% of the Australian population (similar to that of the Taiwan aborigines), after many years of struggles, the Australian government cannot disregard their demands when making policies. Australia has been founded for two hundred and six years. Only since twenty-seven years ago can the Aborigines claim Australian citizenship. During hundred years of struggles, the Aborigines have sacrificed a lot. The Taiwanese and Taiwan aborigines can learn from their experiences in their struggles.
Echoes and Responses
After the meeting, I felt deeply that the Taiwan aboriginal movement has a long way to go. What role can the SCM take in the movement?
When we look at the historical development, it is unavoidable that because of mutual influences, the development of different cultures has been either enhanced or weakened. The interaction between two or among more cultures often result in forcing the weaker culture into a crossroad of choosing: 1) preserving the 'independence' of the culture; 2) being 'assimilated'; and 3) being in 'co-existence'.
Being 'independence' means people of the weak culture will try to separate themselves from other cultures to avoid any interaction. Being 'assimilated' means after invasion of the weak culture by the strong one, the former will decline and be assimilated. So much so that although the ethnic group still exists, the people do not have any awareness of their own culture. Being in 'co-existence' means regardless of whether the cultures are strong or weak, they can maintain their own cultures and at the same time selectively learn from other cultures. Through benevolent interaction, the original ethnic group will finally emerge with an awareness of a new community. Some cultures do not have any chance to choose. Even though the people want to recapture their culture, they have lost it forever.
Many student bodies organize serving teams and swarm to the aboriginal areas. They arrange many recreational activities. However, are these activities helpful to the aborigines or are they, to some extent, assisting in the assimilation of the aboriginal culture? In working with the aborigines, we have to think about what
attitude should be taken to treat both cultures equally. I think anyone who is concerned with cross-cultural work has to do away with two kinds of mentality: "instructive" or the "savior's" mentality. People with an "instructive" mentality have already judged that the other culture is backward and barbaric. So they come with their 'advanced' culture to serve and to teach people of the backward culture and to give them services which they do not need or may even be harmful to them. This mentality will never build up the mutual respect between people of different cultures. A distinct example is the policies of the Taiwan government to the aborigines that have destroyed their social traditions and economic structures. The activities and services of the student bodies have in some ways made the aboriginal children admire the foreign culture and find difficulty in identifying with their own.
People with the "savior's" mentality cannot really "save" others through their services. For me, what is important about "salvation" is that it be a process of reflection and not as a propaganda. The reflection process will help to remind us of the lessons of past history and seek justice and equality. Whenever the "savior's" mentality continues, the culture of the aborigines will be sacrificed the inequality between cultures will continue to exist and creates new damages.
So what should be the attitude of being concerned for the aborigines? Both the aborigines and the han people (non-aboriginal Taiwanese) have to take a step forward. The han people should reflect further on their discrimination against aborigines while the aborigines should rebuild their confidence in their own identities and culture. To work for the aborigines does not mean that we come to teach them anything. Instead, we should prepare ourselves to be taught. People should learn to understand that all cultures are given by God. We cannot say which culture is right or wrong or which is good or bad. People born in different cultures have different values.
People who are involved in cross-cultural work should be sensitive to others so that they can work together for the future of the aborigines and Taiwan. Before we work with the aborigines, we should listen to their voice; before listening to their voice, we should listen to our own voice. We should ascertain our role so that we will not mistreat people of other culture. Weshould learn from their strengths and help to fulfill their needs. In this process, we will face many conflicts between values. We should deal with cultural differences carefully. If we set aside our cultural background and try to live and work in other culture, we could see their problems more clearly. This is because their problems have become our problems. Many great persons in the world are using the same approach to become close friends with the grassroots people they served.
The Australian meeting has helped me to rethink about the shortcoming of the aboriginal cultural exposure programme organized in Taiwan last year. Although participants were able to build up good relationship with the aboriginal children and their families through the exposure programs, they missed the process of self-understanding and reflection.
First they should ask 'who I am?' and then ask 'what can I do?' Finally, they should put their reflection into action and make the end of the exposure the beginning for action. The participants will not only be friends of the aborigines but companions in the struggles.
We have to be concerned about the direction of the aboriginal movement. We have to turn the love of Jesus Christ into action to fight for the oppressed. This is the best way to realize the vision of SCM. I hope there will be more college students who can actively participate in the struggles with the aborigines for the future of the aborigines and Taiwan and the realization of the Kingdom of God.
I am aware I cannot avoid the limitation of my cultural background when looking at the problems and that culture is not the only dimension to analyze the problems. The aboriginal traditions have been changed a lot because of the contacts with outside economy. This can also be incorporated into the broader view of culture. There are also other factors to consider when looking at the aboriginal struggle.
I thank God who always reveal the truth through God's servants. In conclusion, I would like to quote a message of an Australian Aborigine friend:
"If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."