Stupid white missionaries

I know i shouldn't be so mean to missionaries but sometimes they just get me annoyed. Currently, there has been an influx of American "volunteers" and people intent on converting people to God in Vanuatu that it almost seems like the rich and selfish land grabbing expatriates are in the clear!

I know I know -they're intentions are all good but it's scary to think they may actually want to STAY in Vanuatu- meaning they will need to find somewhere to LIVE and will TAKE Indigenous land. I know it's a generalization but why don't people realize that just because land is there doesn't mean it's yours for the taking. Maybe i'm just sore from looking at Australia's theft of land and relunctance to give it back to the traditional owners. It all seems so simple to me. If you steal land than it is not yours and you must give it back. No one told the Australian government this.

But anyway, maybe i'm the one being selfish. Trying to keep Vanuatu to myself. But the thing that is really worrying me is the beginning of a upper white class. Seeing how rich white folks treat Indigenous people in Australia, I know what it would feel like to be a second class citizen in your own country!

Note not all expatriates or white people are like this. But there are certainly alot who are and these are the few who make me mad.

It all stems from this comment i saw in this christian "YOUTH WITH A MISSION" blog talkign about their Vanuatu team they sent over to minister to the savages. They were talking about the people at Blacksands and said they had an angry spirit and "inferior pride". What just because they ain't white and don't follow your particular beliefs? It just got me very mad that people could still be like those old mission managers on the reserves.

But onto good things - the reason i have been thinking about Vanuatu lately is because I went and saw my dad in Sydney for his birthday and as his birthday present, my Uncle Simil - Man Tanna! - came along to! Mum did such a great job on dad's birthday! We spent the whole weekend together - just my dad, Uncle Simil and me - we went and watched a soccer game (Australia vs Uruguay) and went up to the Blue Mountains to visit dad's old army friends.

It was such a great weekend and I think my dad absolutely adored it! We both haven't seen Uncle Simil for maybe a year so it was a treat for both of us! My dad also worked out a simple family tree for me and I found out I have Solomon Islander heritage as well! It was awesome! But of all the things dad is - i think he is predominately Man Tanna and he's very proud of this as am I! Because no one ever better mess with Man Tanna!

We also learnt alot about Australian multiculturalism and how idiotic Anglo loving John Howard is. On our entire weekend - the only white Australian stranger we conversed with was a completely racist fool. I have never felt so belittled. I have never been the victim of racism before mainly because I am very fair skinned and so can pass as a white girl. But this man completely spoke down to me, Uncle Simil and dad. I saw this Polynesian fella just glaring at him. All we asked him was a simple question and he just acted like a controlling mission manager. I nearly felt like crying. And Uncle Simil was saying he coudln't stop thinking about it. Dad was the only one who wasn't effected by him and dad said it was because, growing up in racist, regional Queensland, he was used to it.

So yes - i learnt alot from this one single weekend. I'm glad I have a white mother -just because her presence stops me from being any more bitter than I am already. I have many beautiful non-Indigenous and non-South Sea friends but sometimes you can have just one experience that can make you completely bitter towards them.It just shows you how far we have to come to advance reconciliation. A bridge walk just ain't gonna cut it.