Hopes racial tensions can be eased between Aborigines and Samoans
Updated
In the north eastern Australian state of Queensland, police are hoping racial tensions, which almost reached boiling point between Aborigines and Samoans near Brisbane last year, will be a thing of the past.
Presenter: James Kelly
Speakers: Wayne Saunders, Uncle of the dead man; Vaa Alofipo, Samoan Elder
JAMES KELLY: Nine males, aged between 15 and 24 were charged with the murder, which sparked racial tensions between the Aboriginal and Samoan communities, especially when the accused appeared in court.
WAYNE SAUNDERS: Have respect for our people. We have respect for your people
JAMES KELLY: The dead man's uncle, Wayne Saunders, put the Samoans on notice.
WAYNE SAUNDERS: It's come to a killing now and this is going to start something, what, well I'm not quite sure mate but innocent people could be hurt. How does this make us feel, very wild mate, very wild.
JAMES KELLY: While the outcome of the court case is still many months away, Aboriginal and Samoan elders held a traditional healing ceremony late yesterday to try and put an end to the racial tensions.
(Traditional Aboriginal music)
JAMES KELLY: The ceremony included a ritual known as Ifoga, a form of apology.
VAA ALOFIPO: And as you can see here we have come to apologise
JAMES KELLY: Samoan elder Vaa Alofipo.
VAA ALOFIPO: The Ifoga is the lowest sense of apology in our culture and you only do that if someone die.
JAMES KELLY: A talking stick, sacred mat and flags were exchanged.
VAA ALOFIPO: We hope that everyone will acknowledge that we have to live together in harmony. We are Australians and the two communities have to come together.
JAMES KELLY: But Mr Saunders' death is still raw for his former partner Dellas Coolwell who vented her anger, almost derailing the ceremony.
DELLAS COOLWELL: My children are still crying over their dad. They can't bring him back. How they supposed to bring him back?
JAMES KELLY: Do you accept the apology?
DELLAS COOLWELL: No
JAMES KELLY: Despite the outburst, Aboriginal Elder Uncle Noel Summers accepted the apology on behalf of his community and said it was time for new partnerships to be forged.
NOEL SUMMERS: Instead of having ongoing feuds and fights around the Logan area and carrying on, we've kept our people quiet and they've kept their quiet and us being elders, we thought it's up to us to show this community that we are doing something about it by accepting this apology.
JAMES KELLY: Queensland Police have wholeheartedly supported the move.
Noel Summers again.
NOEL SUMMERS: It's a start, we've got to make a start somewhere.
