EP 22 – Identity front and centre
Meena Singh is Yorta Yorta and Indian and is the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People in Victoria. She lives on the lands of the Kulin people.
We chat about:
The history of Indian indentured labour in Fiji
Her dad came to Australia to be a provider for his family
Her mum always grew up with family and culture
Asserting her Aboriginality more because of her very Indian name.
A key mistranslation - Buppa
FBIs - Fijian Born Indians
The many ways parents show love - giving you packets of biscuits, cutting up your fruit, and making your bed
Names that reinforce identity - my Blackest angels
‘Mother’ tongue
Colourism in India v being proud of being Blak
Getting a lifelong love of learning from her mum
The alienating experience of studying law
Bringing your lived experience into work as a lawyer
The recipe that is the colonial project
Child protection involvement in Aboriginal communities and the fact that removal of children needs to be the last resort
Pre-colonisation community structures
Mixed Media:
The Cummeragunja Walk-Off https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2022/02/03/what-was-cummeragunja-walk
More Meena on SBS Hindi https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/audio/combat-stereotypes-with-stories-melbourne-lawyer-giving-voice-to-aboriginal-communities
Educating Rita, play by Willy Russell
Margaret Thornton https://law.anu.edu.au/people/margaret-thornton
Mari J. Matsuda, ‘When the first Quail calls: multiple consciousness as jurisprudential method’ https://www.northeastern.edu/lawstudentaffairs/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/When-the-First-Quail-Calls.pdf
Our Youth, Our Way https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/inquiries/systemic-inquiries/our-youth-our-way/
Koori Youth Council Ngaga-dji project: https://www.ngaga-djiproject.org.au/
Guest: Meena Singh
Edited by: Kate Robinson
