Reflections Inspirations Perceptions

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions : Wadjemup – Black Prison White Playground

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions (Post#4) : Wadjemup – Black Prison White Playground

Photos of the day are all about the thoughts behind “Wadjemup – Black Prison White Playground” that I was able to read when visiting the Rottnest Island Museum. It’s been a while since my last post that tackles my thoughts and opinions about something. While looking at photos that I can publish that related to Rottnest Island, I found photos that shows a heart breaking reality about it. This somewhat reminds me when I visited Center for Civil and Human Rights museum in Atlanta which made me cry while exploring it. And reading the texts and notes again breaks my heart. The dark history contradicts the beauty of the island. These photos are part of Rottnest Island Tour October 2016.

Western Australia … jails its Indigenous population at a higher rate per capita than any other country in the world

— Amy McQuire 2011

This really a disturbing information that I discovered about Western Australia history.

… we have in Western Australia a king-sized problem in this respect. Until the community solves that problem it is useless to expect that it will not be reflected in an institution such as Fremantle Prison

— Royal Commission into the Treatment of Aboriginal Prisoners at Fremantle Prison, 1973

Another notes that support that indeed there were issue on treating aboriginals in the prison.

Come read the loneliness and confusion
On the walls of this cell of seven by eleven
Yeah, okay, I’ll be honest: I ain’t no saint.
But then again, I wasn’t born in Heaven.

– Okay, Let’s Be Honest by Robert Walker, Inside Black Australia: an anthology of Aboriginal poetry 1988.

They didn’t have to be cruel by beating us or anything else,
it’s just the isolation. I think that was the pain. The pain was the isolation … I can see prison as more of a mental strain than anything else. More mentally. It sort of broke people

— Aboriginal Prisoner 1980

Discovering the thoughts of the aboriginal prisoners that time who experienced reality and brutality of prison in Rottnest are more eye-opener than any other historical facts that are published at that time.

At eight o’clock the first two of the condemned made their appearance on the scaffold, yelling and moving, the ropes were adjusted about their neck, the caps drawn over their features – when one of the poor fellows spoke loudly to his companion. “M…..are you dead?” “No, not yet” replied M…

–The Perth Gazette and West Australian Times

Chains in the northern, not the southern, portion of this state are fixed to the necks instead of the wrist of the nation prisoners … Children from 14 to 16 years of age are neck-chained

Both photos above showcasing how the colony brutalized the native people of the land, a heart breaking history.

Rottnest … is called the “Black Man’s Grave”, and may not after all be such a delightful spot in which to pass an idle hour as one might fancy. It is indeed a place of painful memories

Herald 29 May 1875

This thought about the island made me realized that it was not perfect because of its past history but the people today should be able to be thankful to the aboriginals to have such wonderful island, its because of them that is why we have a place to get relax and appreciate the beauty of nature in a more comfortable and relaxing way.

The prisoners will sit down and weep most bitterly, particularly old men, or those who have left wives and children on the main … they seem most intensely alive to their lost Freedom, and lamentably bewail their captivity.

–Description of male Aboriginal prisoners on Rottnest Island in 1842 Government Gazette, 11 February 1842

This is historical reality that we understand that native people whatever their color and culture is, must be respected specifically this time, aboriginal and non-aboriginal people must have equal rights in our world today.

Midgegooroo, on seeing that preparations were making to punish him, yelled and struggled most violently to escape … in fewer than five minutes he was pinioned and blindfolded, and bound to the other door of the jail … they then fired and Midgegooroo fell …

–The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 25 May 1833

A cruel reality that honestly, I cannot imagine and do not want to think of. But learning this historical facts must influence the people right now that all people have rights to live not only according to laws of the land but according to the culture that they have. We have to respect that all people have their own ways of living, as long as we do not take away the rights of others.

This is not the place to grow up from being a teenager to becoming a man

–Aboriginal prisoner, End of the Road documentary, 1991

Reading these notes about the life of the aboriginal prisoners in Rottnest Island made me felt uneasy as these were historical facts. The beauty that surrounds the island contradicts its past and that is true, but it was not bad to appreciate the island of its serenity, for me, we just have to remember and be thankful that the aboriginals made a huge contribution to the island why now it is so charming, a contradicting tranquility that it offers in our time that does not exist when the island was still a prison land.

Notes :
Photo : history, facts, thoughts, Wadjemup – Black Prison White Playground
Location : Rottnest Island WA, Australia
Transportation :
1. Join Day Tours from Perth where different options are available or
2. Take cruise to the island with your own or rented boat
Official Website : Rottnest Island

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions : Live, Love, Laugh, and Learn

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions (Post#3) : Live, Love, Laugh, and Learn

While walking inside the Creative Boutique store located at the crucifix shape structure of Red House Theater building, this quote caught my attention. After reading it, I just thought, it’s a new way of belief to live life. The words are simple to understand buts inspiring and it amuse me, yet looking at the reality of life happens on Earth, it’s not simple as it is but these words can kick what’s within ourselves to be happy whatever situation we will be. The photo is part of Taiwan Experimental Travel Adventure Photo Collection January 2017.

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions : A Formal Apology to Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions (Post#2) : A Formal Apology to Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents

If you live in Australia for sometimes and able to travel around the country, most likely you heard about the ‘Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents’. At first when I heard about it, I was curious. I wanted to understand what those words really means. And then I learned from different tours that I had in the country that ‘Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents’ are referring to aboriginal children that were forced to be away from their parents to experiment the development of these ethnic children to adapt to modern society instead of growing from their natural birth family and its tribes. It is also referred to children that migrated to Australia and grew up to national institutions instead of growing with a foster parents. Last 2009, the Prime Minister of Australia had a formal apology to the nation about the mistreatment given to these children. And that apology transcript has been displayed in Parliament House and I had a chance to see it during the visit.

When I found this piece of document, I stopped for a while to read the whole script. While reading it, it’s a profound discovery because, its one of the apology that I learned coming from a government. The acceptance of mistakes that was done from the past and the willingness to correct it to move forward and to be responsible of what the nation has done is something unusual. Apology between people are already common as innate feature of humanity, but nations apology is something different, it’s a huge responsibility. Yes, we cannot go back from the past, but accepting it and making a difference is something the government or the nation can do right now. Please refer to the link Forgotten Australians Apology for the whole transcript of the apology since my photo is not as clear as it should be. This photo is part of Canberra Day Tour June 2013 Collection.

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions : Cemetery of Negativism in Focus

Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions (Post#1) : Cemetery of Negativism in Focus

One of the photos on this had been published under the category of photo theme “Something To Look At” post which can be found here. This time, I will further elaborate the details of the cemetery based on my thoughts opinion and my understanding. Maybe the idea is not the whole worlds truth but it’s my truth.

It is interesting that someone had thought about creating a cemetery of negativism. Even though the idea was came from American soldier (Commander Major John Hightower), his thoughts through humour are still something to ponder. When I saw the name of the cemetery, at first I was curious and then I walked further if I can see more. Then I found different tablet inscriptions and to my surprise there are more ideas engraved in the tablet.

Here are the following inscribe thoughts about negativity.

1. BOSS WONT LETTUCE
A GREAT IDEA – 22 MAY 1907
HILTED 1 SEPT. 1909

This kind of thought usually happens when we tried to put our selves in our boss shoes based on his/her character that we thought we know. This also occurred when we knew that there are confidence issues in the (our) idea or in the (our) capacity to accomplish things.

2. HOSPITAL
DOANNA SET A PRECEDENT
HIS PASSING WAS THAT OF A PRECEDENT

I really like this idea. Because most us of are afraid of failures, we are looking of something as basis through example, model, rules or standards that we can use so we are not solely to blame in the future. A very nice tactic to use to justify ourselves when we compromise.

3. KANTDU NUTHIN WRIGHT
BORN DEC 5, 1905 DIED JUNE 14, 1903

This is also a confidence and trust issues. Thoughts like this only hold on to proven success. Failures are thought only as wrong things where in fact it has positive effect based on the way we perceived things. It’s not only victory or triumph teach us something even failure as well.

4. IMN ONLY CHILE
BORN 27 MARCH 1908
DIED BEFORE HIS BROTHER

This one is used for a reasoning of doing inferior things. When we had done it, we are trying to escape to be accountable on something that is not right. Or we are trying to deny the responsibility being assigned to us even we haven’t started yet to prove what we can.

5. JUST KANT SHAKIT
BORN 5 OCT 1919
DIED OF PASSIVITY 20 MAY 1913

This is the kind of thought when we started doing something and we can’t finish it because of so many reason, whether we don’t like what we’re doing or can’t finish it on time. It also symbolises the level of our hope of achieving things.

6. EYE FORE GOT
BORN HUMBLY DIED SOMETIME

A very senseless justification for not able to do things irregardless of reasons. We are aware of our jobs and responsibilities and the thought above is weightless of making out of it.

7. A TRUELY MISERABLEDAY
BORN IN GLOOM

LIVED WITHOUT BLOOM

BURIED IN THIS TOMB

Never thought about good things. The whole mind clouded of bad things and never realised there’s always of a window for second chance. It’s similar to loosing hope perception.

8. WHY DIDENT I?
BORN ????
LIVED WONDERING WHY
DIED FOR NO REASON

This thought is something of not taking chances because of some reasons. And this usually happens when the opportunity has been lost. Well take the chance again when it comes, if it will come again, right? You know for yourself the probability of chances that it will come.

9. KNOT A TEEMPLAER
BORN A STAR
LIVED A METEOR
DIED IN FLAMES

This thought is looking too much on perfection and having inferiority complex leads to this. But to be honest, perfection always starts from simple one, perfection always requires time and devotion so do no used it as escape goat for not doing great things.

10. WONT B. USED
STARTED: 10 DECEMBER 1906
ABANDONED: 14 DECEMBER 1906

Predicting or analysing too much of things that will happen in the future is really an activity that used so much energy. Future is beyond our control but we can affect whats in front of us right now.

11. ITZ NOT POSSIBLE
CONCEIVED 11 NOV, 1905
STILL NOT BORN

Most of the inventions that people made in our time had struggle of impossibility but looking around in our world, we are living in modern time because a lot of the inventors breakaway that thought. Without trying we will not achieve anything and for me, there is no harm of trying unless we are really lazy to do it.

12. KNOW DAM WAY
CONCEIVED NEW YEARS EVE
DIDN’T WORKOUT

Thinking about disappointing when it comes to result, we can only guess what can happen in the outcome of the thing we do, we may influence the result but we cannot tell what is going to happen.

13. UHAFTO OR ELSE
BORN OF INTIMIDATION
LIVED IN RESENTMENT
DIED WITHOUT FAME

Doing things because we have no choice or because we are forced to is one way of implying that there is no really choice which is wrong. In everything there is always a choice. Reasoning something like that is one way of showing we are afraid of something. This happens to everyone I am not excluding myself.

14. LETZ STUDY IT
DELAYED BIRTH
STEP CHILDHOOD
NEVER REACHED MATURITY

Not knowing of things is not really enough point of argument to not doing things. Sometimes discovery happens from accident. Making reasons of not know is not justified. Being resourceful is better.

15. WILL NOT LAST
BORN 3 JUNE 1906
AND DIDN’T

This is the same of not having trust or confidence on someone or something. Having faith on something is really propounding but faith alone is not enough, something must be done and not just waiting.

16. BLAME ME WILL YA
ADOPTED 4 JULY 1911
RETURNED 5 JULY 1911

The thought above is usually used to end discussion or argument and sometimes the start of fight or understanding. Taking responsibility like this way is not really enough, it has to be clear how to make things right.

THE LOST CEMETERY

The wisdom of negativity and whom it came from.

All the photos above are part of Camp John Hay collection during the visit in Baguio City in the province of Benguet Philippines last May 2010.