home | news l

Obama inspires young Aborigines

12 January 2009 - From Australia's remote western desert to the heart of American power, an Aboriginal law student is heading to Washington to for the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th, and first black, U-S President on January 20th.

Lyndon Brownley, the son of a Nyungar mother and Walyan father, has aspirations to be his own country's Barack Obama -- he wants to be the first black Australian Prime Minister. Mr Obama has inspired millions by breaking down the colour barrier to the White House.

Presenter: Linda Mottram
Speakers: Lyndon Brownley, a western desert Aboriginal man and law student; Celestine Rowe, a poet, and budding broadcaster with Central Australian Aboriginal radio from the Pintubi/Luritja tribe

BROWNLEY: It was very moving, exciting, black man in the White House.

MOTTRAM: Lyndon Brownley, a western desert Aboriginal man .. inspired by the election of Barack Obama.

BROWNLEY: As a young Aboriginal person who has a vision, you could say, of becoming the first Aboriginal Prime Minister of Australiat it gave me hope that we here in Australia could achieve something like this as well.

MOTTRAM: And Lyndon Brownley, a student of law, has been active in pursuit of his dream. He's attended two international young leaders conferences, one in Washington in 2000, one in China last year. He's established an indigenous youth mentoring program in his home state. And now, through the Washington-based Congressional Youth Leadership Council, Mr Brownley has been invited to head back to the US to join the millions of people who'll be in the Mall Park to witness Barack Obama's inauguration. Mr Brownley finds the Obama story inspirational.

BROWNLEY: Considering the history of the United States towards its indigenous and African American people I think it really touched a lot of people's lives a lot of people's hearts.

MOTTRAM: Though Lyndon Brownley will likely be the only Aboriginal person at the Obama inauguration, he's not alone among Aboriginal Australians in feeling a new sense of hope as the Obama era nears. From north to south, and deep into the traditional desert communities of Australia, the Obama win was a very particular moment of hope. The Northern Land Council sent a letter of congratulations to Mr Obama .. its chairman Wali Wunungmurra particularly commending the US leader- in-waiting on his recognition of the contribution of the First Nation Peoples. There was deep resonance for Australia's indigenous people, with all their continuing struggles. And in Tasmania, Aboriginal leaders are writing to Mr Obama, inviting him to visit Australia. They too feel invigorated in their cause. And in the distant desert heart of Australia, Mr Obama has also inspired. Celestine Rowe is 25 years old, a poet, a budding broadcaster with Central Australian Aboriginal radio and a full blood Aboriginal from the Pintubi/Luritja tribe.

ROWE: Having barack Obama, got up as a president, as a young person, as a family man, he's a positive role model for indigenous people not just in Australia but all around the world.

MOTTRAM: So when you watch his inauguration, what will you be feeling on that day?

ROWE: Butterflies, probably, I get butterflies thinking about it.

MOTTRAM: She also cites a hope for world peace from the Obama presidency.

ROWE: He's got talks of closing Guantanamo Bay, which I think is good, you know.
I see him bringing peace rather than starting wars like the previous President did.

MOTTRAM: But more even than the hope that Obama will bring world peace, there is a hope for a practical impact on indigenous affairs in Australia. Barack Obama has made hopeful promises to America's first nation peoples of expanded rights and influence under his presidency. Celestine Rowe wants that to reflect onto Australia, where work has begun on establishing an indigenous representative body.

Source: Radio Australia

Further information: social justice issues page - includes news index and external links