Phoenixuk2oz

Yeh.....me too

Phoenixuk2oz

Florida_03

Confused???

I merely find it interesting that the British are so concerned with the Australian aboriginals welfare, yet ignore their own British aboriginal welfare problems...

British Aboriginal Health

British Aboriginal Poverty

British Aboriginal Children in Poverty

You cast your gaze too far...look closer to home.

maxpaxx

LOL I have just started this book!


I can't believe how many things in it I really had never heard of before.

Anyone who's not read it - you should take the time it's very interesting.

(On a trashier note anyone considering reading Helen Fieldings new novel don't bother it's utter drivel and I have just wasted 2 days when I could have been reading something not so obviously written to turn into a film) Sorry to take your thread off to a tangent - just don't want anyone else to buy this to take with them!

parkhigh

Hi
For those of you interested he is currently on tour at the moment. I was hoping to catch him in Basingstoke sat 10th april but am away. he may be in your neck of the woods. Tickets are selling very fast.
Irene

debio

You are utterly sad and offensive.This could be posted relating to many countries all over this wonderful world-that is life after all.:lecture:

loose

Dont let Florida get to you debio. He's just a tool who fishes for a bite sometimes. Gets his kicks out of stirring things up for no reason.

Anyway, I like the Bill Bryson book. Made me laugh, and struck a chord when describing things i'd experienced too. His other books are worth a look. Notes from a Small Island is great.

Phoenixuk2oz

Hi Florida

You make two assumptions my friend

1) You assume I am British

2) We [British] do not look "closer to home"

The good folks who have voiced their opinion on this thread have done so as a result of a less parochial attitude. Thus creating a non assuming......non parochial....more understanding of what goes on outside ones own country

Crickey......and all this without casting stones and open mindededness!

Perhaps a lesson here my friend

Phoenixuk2oz

Don

I read the Bill Bryson tome on Aus a couple of years ago and found it very funny.

I don't think he got to Darwin for very long...

loose

I agree - I've only been lucky enough to do Perth and the Southwest, then Darwin. I thought he was fantastic on the South West (especially the Tree Top Walk) but I dont think he really got Darwin. Cant blame him though, i dont think many do, but i loved it!

You ever been?

Phoenixuk2oz

How ya doin maxpaxx

Agree Bill Bryson is very interesting. He also portrays a balanced view of Oz which is refreshing

Phoenixuk2oz

Phoenixuk2oz

Thanx parkhigh......much appreciated.

I for one will go if he's in my neck of the woods before we depart to Oz

Phoenixuk2oz

Don

I got mine out (whoops! matron!) as we still have it in the bookcase and unfortunately it's not very well indexed so I can't do a quick check on how much space he gives to Darwin. From memry, he didn't spend much time in the Aboriginal areas or other outback, but mostly in the bigger 5 cities.

Phoenixuk2oz

Me thinks he does whistle stop tours Don......so doesn't go anywhere for long

One of his comments which made me chuckle was "I'd rather have my bowels removed... in the woods with a stick, than swim with sharks".......

Daft beggar isn't he

Phoenixuk2oz

sdwis

My own experience from my visits to various cities/towns in Australia is that the Aboriginals tend to not live or be seen in the larger cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, but in smaller communities. When I went to Queensland (Cairns, Port Douglas, Kuranda) I met quite a few who were going about their business working in shops(some which they even owned), shopping in the supermarket. working on construction sites with hard hats. I even went to a blues club in Cairns which many patronized, danced in, and played in the house band. Many were relaxing at the beach or parks, and I even saw quite a few young Aboriginal children on the school playground blending in with children of many other races. In the Northern Territory (Alice Springs, Darwin) there is a large Aboriginal population as well.

I had the opportunity to speak personally with a few of the adults I met, who stated that many Aboriginals think of the 'white mans' ways as madness to them, and they are just not interested in assimilating (which to the white man seems like madness) On the other end of the spectrum, I also spoke with an Aboriginal man who was one of the 'stolen generation' children who was grateful for the experience because it allowed him to get an education and become a productive professional member of society.

The most interesting thing that I found out was that many "White Australians" have Aboriginal heritage, but you cannot tell this by looking at them, but they will admit/prove it if they can benefit in someway financially.

Amazulu

That's a good point. How many world famous white aussies are there?, loads. Kidman, Gibson, Kylie, Ledger, Norman, Hewitt etc.
How many famous Aboriginal people are there?, I can name one, Kathy Freeman (& maybe Jim Smith the Wallaby, but then I'm a rugby fan).