The question of Belonging
This Friday I will be speaking at a round table looking at cultural belonging.
Why?
Because I believe with placement comes care.
If you do not feel like you belong, you most likely use the space around you without care. As if it is not yours and not your responsibility to look after it.
If you think about it, the way modern australians treat the land around them shows clear signs of lack of responsible care: we mine like there is no tomorrow, we destroy ancient forests (ecosystems older than homo sapiens) like they are worthless, we treat land like consumable and disposable real estate, we vote for conservative governments because we do not want to upset the interest rate of our mortgages.
We then struggle to find an identity that would allow us to consider ourselves a true ecological being, a citizen of the land where we reside.
Do you agree?
Do you think this is a bunch of crap?
Do you think there is indeed a widely accepted socio-cultural reality that we as 'Australian' recognise ourselves in?
Do you belong?
You know how many people I witnessed crying when confronted with their post-colonial guilt?
I'd like to hear your comments.
This event is for your questions, and there might -or might not- be answers.
ITALIAN FORUM CULTURAL CENTRE
23 NORTON STREET, PIAZZA LEVEL, LEICHHARDT
Main Theatre