Embracing our culture

By Ed Merrison
BETWEEN them, Mick Vaughan, Dotty Peters and Sam Halim have hundreds of years’ experience in being Australian and though that experience varies wildly, each of them is immensely proud to belong to this nation.
For 75-year-old Aboriginal elder Dotty Peters, every day is Australia Day, a fresh reason to appreciate what the country is.
“I was brought up to appreciate the things around me – the mountains, trees, animals and people – and to have respect for those things. I think that’s important,” she said.
Ms Peters, who was born on Coranderrk Reserve and has lived in Healesville all her life, said while some Aboriginal people thought of Australia Day as ‘Invasion Day’ times were different now.
“It’s time for us to all work together, to have more understanding and tolerance of one another and to realise we’re all Australian,” she said.
Nonetheless, Ms Peters remains extremely proud of her Aboriginal heritage.
“Aboriginal culture has always been part of my life and I’ve become more involved in the last 36 years.
“That for me is definitely part of being Australian,” she said.
Ms Peters also said she was proud of all those who had fought in wars, including her father, to make this a free country.
Her appreciation extended in no small measure to the contribution of Mick Vaughan, who fought in World War II with the 9th Division Engineers.
Mr Vaughan, who turns 100 in February, said his generation had been brought up to love and defend the country.
Even as young as 12, Mr Vaughan used to help his master builder father load ships at Port Melbourne during World War I, and said respect for one another and for the flag was omnipresent in his youth.
Mateship and an interest in all people were an extremely important aspect of the Australian way, he said.
Mr Vaughan, who has travelled widely throughout his life, said it was a credit to Australia that its people were well-received all over the world.
“Wherever you go, Australians are welcomed with open arms and are respected,” he said.
Egyptian-born Sam Halim, who came to Australia in 1975 and later served for the RAAF in Bosnia, Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq among other places, had found exactly the same thing.
Mr Halim said he had raised the Australian flag with pride wherever he went and that people everywhere appreciated Australia’s contribution.
Mr Halim said he would like to see Australia Day celebrated with an even greater depth of meaning, with history a focus.
“Old people who have achieved things for Australia are our leading example of what we should do for Australia. We should follow in their footsteps,” he said.
Mr Halim felt that young people should be educated even more about Australia’s achievements, not only for the past 200 years but dating back to the first Aboriginals.
“I would love to see reconciliation,” he said. “If we add Aboriginal history to our history of 200 years, that is what we should be celebrating and teaching our kids.
“We’re an old civilisation, and migrants have arrived to make it an even greater one.
“That’s what I’d like to see on Australia Day. It would be beautiful,” he said.