Thread by @DAM_Crew_WA

We are very happy to provide an update on one of the local campaigns we are assisting with:

DAM has been assisting local Noongar woman, Casey Kickett, with her campaign to have the City of Joondalup (CoJ) remove a plaque commemorating one of.../1

...many ‘’missions’ that existed in the area back in the 1800’s along with the man who established it.
These missions served to fracture and separate Aboriginal families and to indoctrinate Aboriginal people. Yet, the plaque does not tell these truths.

On June 29th,.../2

... members of DAM supported Casey and attended a meeting with her and the City of Joondalup Mayor + the CoJ Manager of Community Development and Library Services to discuss the plaque along with a newsletter article printed by the CoJ. This insulting and misleading article../3

further perpetuated the idea that loving and compassionate white folks came here to care for and help the original caretakers of this land.
(The CoJ are establishing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and one of the key parts of establishing a RAP is truth telling....)
/4

With that said, we are pleased with the most recent update from the CoJ. We’ve provided snippets of the CoJ’s update below:

Article:
A review of the article titled ‘Early Education in Wanneroo and Joondalup’ featured in the City’s Family and Local History Newsletter has been /5

undertaken by the Local History team. A further article informed by different sources is being drafted for consideration in the next newsletter. ✅

Collection & Sources:
The City has made progress in adding suggested resources to the Local History Collection. [They are adding /6

numerous books, papers and other resources either written by Noongar/Aboriginal people or in collaboration with them which tell the truth about the history of this area, WA; land, people, colonisation etc.]✅

Staff ongoing learning:
The City is continuing its commitment /7

to cultural training including two Reference and Local History staff currently undertaking a 6-month Core Cultural Learning course with other staff members receiving general cultural training. Their RAP Community Reference Group will also be undergoing training. ✅
/8

The plaque:
Although we (Casey & DAM) wish to see this plaque removed yesterday, the CoJ wants to respect members of the soon-to-be-official RAP Comm Ref Group by this being the first matter of official business for the group. Casey and DAM understand this so we are looking /9

forward to this matter being handled over the next two months. ✅

Further updates provided by the CoJ were in line with our expectations. ✅

Casey and DAM are pleased with the City of Joondalup’s progress on these matters and we are excited at the potential for growth, /10

awareness and healing brewing within the CoJ.
We will provide more updates as this campaign progresses so continue to watch this space! /end
#DAM #Decolonise #CommunityBuilding

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