For racial stereotypes start here

by Ed

I’ve begun contributing to The Spirit World, which is nothing at all to do with Doris Stokes. It is part of the new Well Fed blog network in the US. You can check out my first entry on the real beer that real Aussies drink here. I think I was frustrated by the assumption by overseas bloggers that I lived breathed and drunk Fosters lager.

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

deborah January 29, 2006 at 5:39 pm: Hi Ed – Interesting article. I know this point isn’t part of the article except I am slightly unsettled by your comments about Indigenous people in the first paragraph. I think it is imperative to be careful at the terms used here. The words populate, populated etc are generally offensive when put in the context of the Indigenous community – as many government documents back in the ‘Invasion Days’ only referred to Indigenous peoples as populations, a statistical definition if you like. It is preferred (as explored in my Indigenous Studies major) to write Indigenous community or peoples. Also there may be a few people who would contest yout description of “ownership” of the land.

Apologies if this is rude of me to state so, but as a person who works closely with the Indigenous community I automatically feel compelled to share this information.
Ed Charles January 29, 2006 at 7:39 pm: The article was designed to sterotype as the beer companies do when portraying Australia overseas and take the piss out of what they do. The way I wrote about Australia day was deliberate as I gather they regard it as Invasion Day, so it was a swipe at WASP Aussies.
In a few hundreed words I didn’t have the space to describe the ins and outs of what happened but wanted to at least try and get people to think – hence the link to Wikpedia. One problem I had trying to describe the aboriginals is that they are not a single race and cannot be referred to as such.
deborah January 29, 2006 at 8:20 pm: I understood the intention of the article with it being tongue in cheek.
However I hope you can also appreciate that when one deals with certain topics and perpetuated stereotypes on a day to day basis, even tongue in cheek doesnt really mix well. You are right Australia Day is celebrated as Survival Day by many Indigenous peoples – of all communities in Australia. I just think that not everyone is going to click on links when they read an online article.

This area of blogging is interesting – how best to write about cultures, traditions without offending them directly. Could be interesting for the discussion which is going on in the WellFed Writers Mail Group at the moment considering there is an effort to reach an audience with our writing.
Hugh Jass February 21, 2007 at 12:09 am: Hi Ed-I never read the article yet but iam certainly looking forward to from the controversial comments that i read. Hope u have a merry Christmas and a happy new year. see you soon.
Hugh Jass February 21, 2007 at 12:14 am: Hi Ed-I never knew my comment would really be put on this website so now that i have the chance to speak to you i was jut wondering if you can help me with my English assignment and give me some ideas if possible. I am writing about how Australian stereotypes are effected by the denial of Aborigines by the Australian government. Send an essay if possible to xpectdaunxpected69@hotmail.com…Thank you.
Guylian August 11, 2008 at 5:13 pm: “‘FOSTERS’ is Australian for Marketing.”