Paddle outs for Solidarity in Surf - Australians Paddle Out Against Systemic Racism (Part 2)
Bondi Paddle Out // Photo by Toby Nicol @tobystravelshots
Surf communities around Australia have united to stand against systemic racism and the treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in custody . The Solidarity in Surf movement was created by Black Girls Surf, an American Not-For-Profit teaching surfing and empowering young girls and women of the African diaspora. In Australia, the Solidarity in Surf movement not only stands in solidarity with the death of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter movement in America, but confronts the ongoing injustice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. Anglesea, Coolangatta, Bondi, Ulladulla and Gippsland communities came together to learn more about systemic racism, share personal stories and experiences and amplify a unified cry for change.
‘Today we surf together in solidarity, on Yuin Country, for our Yuin Nation people, for people of colour everywhere and to support Black Girls Surf. Today we pledge to use our white privilege to educate ourselves and shine light on the darkness that is systemic racism and illuminate it so that we can use it to change deeply imbedded and ineffective systems. We can do better for our First Nations People. It starts with us!’ - Monica Mudge, Treading Lightly Inc.
Gold Coast paddle out // Photo by @mister_clips
Interview with Jessi Muir
How did these paddle acts impact you? Did you learn something new about yourself and others?
It was such an honour to be apart of the solidarity paddle out in Anglesea. My good friend Sam Suendermann invited me down and asked me to share something before we paddled out. There was over 100 people standing with us and I asked if there were any other Aboriginal people in the crowd and nobody put their hand up and I was like, “oh...it’s just me.” At first I was pretty nervous but I also felt really empowered that so many people were there to support and acknowledge what is happening both in Australia and around the world. For myself, it was really encouraging to know that there are people in my community that care about this. Sometimes it can feel really isolating, as I don’t have many Aboriginal friends close to me, and I can sometimes suppress my desire to connect to my culture because other people don’t get it, or don’t care about it. So this was empowering for me, as I was given the space to share and educate, as well as connect with people. I think that is one of the most important things about all of this, is being able to have wholesome and empowering conversations, because that’s where change starts.
Photo by @WILLEM_DIRK
What is the situation with racism in Australia and how can people educate themselves to be better?
Racism in Australia is as real as ever, and it’s become more apparent during this time. The biggest issues are people blatantly denying it, choosing not to recognise it when it’s happening right in front of them or treating it like it’s a quick fix, “rip off the bandaid,” kind of thing. Racism has infiltrated the history of this land and the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since the day Captain Cook stepped foot on this country. It’s well beyond a quick fix. My advice would be firstly to avoid the news! Mainstream media is a breeder for racism and discrimination. And avoid most of social media...right now, it’s a war zone and it’s exhausting. Get educated through reliable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources. There’s so many books, podcasts, songs and movies/documentaries, that provide an abundance of knowledge to help you to understand what’s really happening in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lives, communities and culture and help you to start to make a change in your own life. The best thing you can do right now is make sure that you’re not apart of the problem. It’s about keeping yourself accountable and making the effort to be informed and educate yourself, instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you. And if this really matters to you, keep showing up. Fighting racism goes beyond today, tomorrow and the rest of this year. There’s a fire burning and we need to keep it going. We need to see real change on every level.
What advice do you have to women surfers?
For me, surfing is about slowing down and being connected to the land. Being in the ocean helps me feel grounded, and often when things in my life feel chaotic, I’ll go surfing. I have surfed my whole life, and it’s only the last few years that I have really recognised how surfing has helped me in so many ways to engage with my mental and emotional health. I used to be such a competitive surfer and wanted to catch every wave, but now I am just so content to be out there, connecting with myself and the earth. I think surfing is supposed to be fun, and one of the best ways to make it fun is to have others to surf with. Building a community of people you surf with will bring you so much joy and confidence in the ocean.
Photo by Luke McNee
Interview with Steve Ulula Parker
Steve Ulula Parker performed the welcome to country and smoking ceremony on the day is a leader in the Australian Indigenous surf community. Steve worked for Surfing Victoria for many years and also helped establish the Statewide Indigenous Surf Program, The Australian Indigenous Surf Titles and the Victorian Indigenous Surfing Association.
How did the paddle out go for you and your community?
It was amazing for our community to come together via our mutual connection to the ocean and a love of surfing to move forward and stamp out racism in all parts of our society, including the surfing community. Surfing is a world wide sport but there is an under representation of Black, Indigenous and People Of Colour in the surfing community in general, including in Gippsland. There are serious longstanding access and equity issues when it comes to the outdoors in nations like Australia, including within the surfing community. White privilege in the outdoors is a serious issue. There are various programs who are working to address this within the surf community in Australia such as the Strong Brother Strong Sister program which is run by my friend Cormach Evans. The Australian surfing community, including ours in Gippsland, has an important role to play in addressing and rectifying this inequality. As Earth Guardians have said “White supremacy is not the shark, it’s the water.”
We ensured cultural sensitivity by ensuring all stories shared were shared with respect, approval and acknowledgment from all the BIPOC families. We also ensured that everyone took signs home with them so as not to leave litter behind on the beach.
We can continue positive change by: working together, listening, educating, sharing and moving forward to create greater change against racism. Black Lives Matter. Indigenous Lives Matter.
Surf Coast Paddle out // Photo by Jarrah Lynch @jarrahlynch.JPG
‘This morning nearly 200 people gathered at Eagles Nest insolidarity wth Black, Indiegnous and People of Colour as part of @blackgirlssurf worldwide action. It was a time to listen, a time to reflect and a gatheringof voices to say no more. No more lives lost to police brutality and racism.’ – Lauren Murphy, Anglesea event