They invented the word “genocide” for what happened to my people: says Aboriginal elder

Episode 1 of ‘Chris Sweeney Talks To’ features Rob Arnol.

An elder of the Palawa tribe in Tasmania, he recounts the horrific treatment Australia’s indigenous population have endured; from the infamous Boundary Streets, to putting their heads in jars for display, to invading their lands and treating them as second class citizens.

Rob also reveals how the discrimination carries on today, by discussing his own experiences with racism, but also why he feels the Australian government is pursuing a policy of ‘subtly’ killing off Aboriginal groups to seize the valuable natural resources bestowed on their tribal land. But he defiantly says, “we aren’t going anywhere.”

Chris Sweeney is a features writer and author. Follow him @writes_sweeney