Page 62 - 10th Annual International Charles Town Maroon Conference and Festival Magazine

June 2018 Charles Town Maroon International Conference Magazine

else in Queensland because of its natural beauty, and Australians, and Maori had a lot to say online in
also the dominance of whiteness. responding to my objection, merely for the sake of
opposing an Aboriginal viewpoint, not so much
reflecting any interest in the Arts. Until The Games
How Aboriginal people are made invisible organising frenzy, there was never an Aboriginal
and irrelevant Curator position there, or anywhere else at the Gold
Coast, and now that its over there still aren't any.
My own commitment to responding to The Games
became serious once I had noticed that a young Maori
I had attended an initial planning camp for the
woman (from New Zealand) had been appointed to the
first new Indigenous Art Coordinator position at the Commonwealth Games protests held in November
Gold Coast Arts Centre in the lead up to The Games. 2016, but it wasn't until I was monstered by Police a
few months in the paramilitary lead up to The Games,
I felt moved to organise a petition and to write about
this: when my commitment to protest was affirmed.
'This strategic manoeuvre by White Gatekeepers
was culturally and ethically wrong, to appoint a In September 2017. I was targeted by the Queensland
Maori to speak on behalf of Aboriginal people, and Police on a train, and when I responded by writing
down their ID numbers, I was arrested for Fare
take an identified Aboriginal position, and the
support that it entails (propped up by the gallery - Evasion within minutes, handcuffed, manhandled,
publicly accused of smoking and carrying drugs,
while at the same time they block authentic
Aboriginal artists and curators voices). It is also escorted to a paddy wagon, patted down and driven to
unnecessary because there are qualified, expe- a car park, where I was let go. (Fraser 2017)
rienced and knowledgeable Aboriginal curators
being blocked from this position.' - Jenny Fraser
2017

I contacted the associated politicians and gallery
figureheads. The Gold Coast Mayor and the
Queensland Premier did send an official letter in
response, but could only manage to point to each other
for responsibility. However there was no response at
all from the Management and Board of the Arts
Centre, including their one (non-Yugambeh)
Aboriginal Board member. Yet plenty of every day

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