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Portfolio Milestone 1 : 500 words
SUCCINT DESCRIPTION
The artefact I bring to this process is called ‘Sharing Our Story’, a resource designed for Church Small Groups to run over 4 weeks. It contains a dual DVD pack (now digital) with 4x30min video episodes[1], 4x5min biblical reflection videos, a printed facilitator guide and instructional videos for promoting and running the sessions, and a supporting website.[2]
The video content of the artefact consists of an on-screen host/narrator that guides the viewer through information and most importantly, stories and reflections shared by a wide range of First Nations people across Australia. Imagery of the Australian landscape features highly in the video content. The resource package[3] contains enough information and activity suggestions for any group to facilitate their own sessions and was launched in 2014 after 2.5yrs of research and production.
THE CATALYST
The opportunity to create this artefact was an invitation to join a startup Not-for-profit to bring my creative, church and cross-cultural knowledge and skills, to create a ‘small group resource’ that will bring change. The ‘spark’ came from the founding director when he discerned that “There’s a wound in the spirit of our nation – an injustice towards First Nations people that began with colonisation and is ongoing today.” [4] [5]
This spark, combined with the realisation that (a) both sides of history was not taught in schools, meaning most people over 35 have not known the truth of Australia’s interaction with First Peoples, and (b) Christian churches played a significant role in colonisation, still benefit from land ownership today, and should be the first in society to address injustice, meant that the scene was set for somebody to make a start on doing something about it!
Add my personal moment – eg: the flying over central desert moment / the sunrise-moonrise moment.?
Or the thing that sparked the journey of the design of it….
– stewart and Craig saying we’d like to do a small group resource.(they were popular at the time – especially the nooma series)
– I had enough experience creating other smaller video based resources
– the season was rights (refer vocation and calling essay)
To strengthen this section, consider elaborating on the specific moment or experience that transformed these insights from knowledge into action. The milestone specifically asks for the catalyst that sparked your “design journey,” which might benefit from more personal reflection on your decision-making process.
THE CONTEXT
We quickly discovered that the Christian First Nations community was fractured, missionised, had been let down multiple times after serving and giving over long periods of time, and told us we will face criticism from all sides as we try and do something. The ‘secret’ to entering this space was to listen, build relationship (in this case with respected Aboriginal Christian Elder Uncle Rev. Graham Paulson) and do it together, each trusting what each other had knowledge for. In this way we learned and acted together, which in turn became our simple message to others. Nothing like this existed, and looking back we were both brave and naive.
The national appetite in 2014 for ‘togetherness’ was hopeful. The trajectory of First Nations recognition after the 1967 referendum, the 1993 Native Title Act, the Reconciliation movement officially commencing in 2000, the 2006 ‘Close the Gap’ initiative, and the ‘Recognise’ campaign gaining momentum in 2012 all pointed towards a hopeful public narrative. This was despite the failure of ATSIC in 2005 and the Howard Government’s horrific NT intervention in 2007.[6]
Despite the hopeful public tone, the challenges facing First Nations people were not on the agenda of Australian Christian churches, and if they were, were addressed by the alternative social justice minded ‘fringe’ of the church. The biggest concerns from mainstream churches were that “Aboriginal spirituality is evil”, and “there are no Aboriginal people where we live”. This meant that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, despite most having some level of contact with church, were highly suspicious of this initiative, including some of those I interviewed.
Having completed formal church and theology studies and deciding to reject a long-held sense of calling to ministry in a church context I now recognise some of the critical ideas and influences that I brought to this artefact.[7] The most important idea or skill that I brought to the artefact was a willingness to critique my own personal and church cultures, which was the key ingredient that Uncle Graham saw and valued.
PURPOSE AND INTENTION
The overarching goal, or long-term aim of the artefact was to see ‘a healing in the wound of the Nation’. The step we identified as critical was to first LISTEN to stories from First Nations people. [8] [9] It was our belief that increasing proximity through personal relationships would create an environment for meaningful actions to take place that address injustice.[10]
We did not articulate the intended action other that listening and building relationships. This message of togetherness resonated as some level with all First Nations people interviewed, and most importantly, with Uncle Graham, the ‘senior cultural consultant’ on the project.
Need to add……
GOAL/objective:
The goal of the artefact is to encourage an understanding of the shared history between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The objective of the resource is to cultivate understanding through personal stories and exploration of key historical eras, and then inspire a commitment to a relational approach to any kind of action, based on listening, learning, and mutual respect.
INTENDED AUDIENCE: This artefact was designed for Christian young adults and adults in Faith communities (eg, churches/workplaces) in Australia.
AUDIENCE NEEDS and EXPECTIONS:
• Addressing the lack of knowledge and understanding of the shared history between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and its ongoing impacts
• Providing a structured and supported way to navigate potentially uncertain and uncomfortable discussions about Indigenous issues within small groups
• Challenging negative stereotypes and biases by prioritising personal stories and diverse perspectives of Indigenous individuals
• Bridging the disconnect from the lived experiences of Indigenous Australians by highlighting First Nations stories and expereinces
• Offering initial guidance for non-Indigenous people who desire to contribute to better relationships but lack clear direction, emphasising listening and learning
• Helping Christian audiences reconcile their faith with the history of injustice, including the church’s involvement, through some biblical reflections
• Making the complex history more accessible and less overwhelming by breaking it down into manageable episodes and historical eras
• Counteracting the tendency towards solution-based approaches without genuine listening by emphasising the importance of being “quick to listen and slow to speak”
• Addressing the lack of suitable resources within church settings by providing a specifically designed free resource for small groups
However, this section could be strengthened by more explicitly addressing the scope and expectations of your artefact. While you mention that you “did not articulate the intended action other than listening and building relationships,” the milestone requires articulating “goals, objectives, expected outcomes, the intended audience and their expectations and needs.”
[1] Sharing our Story episode overviews:Episode One introduces the central concept of the ‘wound in the spirit of our nation’ and explores why this matters to everyone living in Australia, and particularly the Christian church.
Episode Two takes us back to the beginning of colonisation and the era of Protection that followed, including the controversial role of the Christian missions and government reserves. Finally, we explore the era of Assimilation, including policies of child removal and the ‘Stolen Generations’.
Episode Three we look at the transition from Assimilation to Self-Determination as a policy approach to Indigenous affairs, including the emergence of the Indigenous civil rights movement. However, as Indigenous Australians were granted equal freedoms, new challenges arose.
Episode Four explores ‘where to from here?’ and considers the role of the church, and our role as Christians in Australia, in this complex area. Our dream is that we can be part of a new period in history that will become known as a time of healthier, more respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
[2] Various 30sec, 2min and 30min versions were also produced for different purposes, and stories of interviewees subsequently re-packaged for other audiences. In this way – the artefact now exists in multiple forms, but the I will be describing the initial intended format at this stage of the process.[3] Sign up and view here https://australianstogether.org.au/churches/resources[4] The idea of the ’wound’ is expanded here: https://australianstogether.org.au/discover-and-learn/the-wound/somethings-not-right#element-292[5] This can be also described as ‘Indigenous disadvantage’ https://australianstogether.org.au/discover-and-learn/the-wound/indigenous-disadvantage-in-australia[6] See a more extensive timeline of events here: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation-timeline-key-moments/] [7] These include: (1) Community is the heart of ‘being’, revealed in my statement that ‘God is just an idea, unless it is lived out in relationship’ (i.e., togetherness), (2) to ‘be the church’ in Australia means we MUST address our historical context, (3) stories can change the world, stories are precious, and we all have one, (4) God is already at work in the world, and we join Him in it, (5) a move away from the ‘salvation-only’ focussed gospel, (6) Brian McLaren and W. J. De Kock were key theological influences, and (7) the landmark 2008 documentary series ‘First Australians’ by Rachel Perkins.Add list of references to here – appendix maybe?
[8] In doing so, our intended audience (non-Indigenous Christian people in Australia) would: (1) gain an appreciation and awareness of the current challenges facing Indigenous people today. (2) develop a greater understanding of our shared Australian history through recognising key eras in our past. (3) develop awareness of the roots of generational trauma as we examine how the key events in our shared history contribute to our current situation. (4) reflect on the importance of building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in the future.[9] I note here that we did not find ways to effectively measure these outcomes.[10] We discovered later that our approach was described (in part) by Gordon Allport’s ‘Intergroup Contact Theory’ and the extension of his work as ‘Vicarious Contact Theory’ via media and storytelling, but these theories did not drive or influence our approach.ADD IN BIBLIOGRAPHY