I give Nelson Mandela so much respect for being able to actually forgive such a terrible event in his life.
Forgiveness is the key to life, and his actions were the epitome of forgiveness. I think that the world could be a much better place if more people were able to forgive and heal. Forgiveness without resentment is a hard task, but well worth it in the end. I try to live that way in my own life. I’m compassionate about people. I take the time to stop and try to understand another person’s circumstance. I put myself into their situation, and relate on their level in order to understand and relate to them better. I apply it to my everyday interactions by thinking about other people’s experiences and relating it back to my own. We all come to life with equal footing. Our common thread is humanity – if people stopped and thought about each other’s humanity we would be better off.
I had a tough time growing up in Australia.
People have a stereotyped image of what an Australian is, and I didn’t fit the stereotype. I found the Australian culture quite harsh 20 years ago. There used to be a level of crassness that was quite pervasive. After being so fragmented in the past, I feel it is now mixed and different cultures are better supported and celebrated in Australia. I think that being brought here has exposed me to different cultures. For me it is more about being part of the global village. I’ve had the opportunity to experience a peaceful existence where different ethnicities are represented. Minds are opening up more as time progresses. There is a diversity here, which continues to get better. In the street, all you need to do is look at the diverse range of fashion on display. People from different backgrounds are being more individual in their expression. Settling here was a bit hit and miss. But things like the Multicultural Act of 2011 ensure that social cohesion is taking place, making for a happier existence for everyone. Legislating for change indicates the government is serious about inclusion and harmony between different cultures.
I don’t think there is a thing such as an “Australian culture”.
I’ve learnt about a range of cultures. It is a cosmopolitan place to live, and is a melting pot of cultures and traditions. This is the beauty of racial tolerance – when cultures comes together to celebrate at festivals and include people from outside the culture. Personally, I have embraced African culture more since having a baby, but feel part of the Australian community as well. I even called my daughter Matilda – you don’t get much more Aussie than that. I do have an idealistic view of what Africa was like – it’s not perfect – but I valued it more because we identified more with each other.
I am 6th generation Scottish African, and I had a black Muslim African father, so I know a bit about belonging to different cultures. It has been a struggle for me between these contrasting cultures and ethnicities. However differences in colour and mixed races just add further to the patchwork of global communities. Mandela’s influence as a contemporary role model has taught me to value every culture, and see what it has to offer, and that there should be equity across the board. Everyone deserves respect despite their cultural background.
I’m not into keeping specific African customs alive. I’m not locked into any one particular culture, which is liberating in a sense. I believe in respect and courtesy. I like to say “hi” to people, which is a value that I learnt in Africa about the positives of social interaction. In Australia, that community component is missing to a certain extent. People here are too shy, but hopefully that will change over time.