Rebutting the myths: Miromaa ALTC

Reconciliation Australia Mythbuster

Opening the doors

Working with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander young people

and

Common myths

Who is Aboriginal?

Aboriginal Identity: Who is ‘Aboriginal’?

Aboriginal Poems

Aboriginal poems

Part 1/3 Half-Breed by Cher

Review the lyrics of Cher’s song Half-breed and listen to the song on YouTube (see video below).

• How do you think a “half-breed” feels in society?
• Why do people call her that name?
• List all the parallels you can find between this song and experiences of Australian Aboriginal people.
  
• Think of two ways Aboriginal people can find for their lives in response to the last line of the song.

Part 2/3 Half-Breed by Cher

Half-breed

My father married a pure Cherokee
My mother's people were ashamed of me
The Indians said I was white by law
The White Man always called me "Indian Squaw"

[Chorus:] Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed,
how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed,
she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
We never settled, went from town to town
When you're not welcome you don't hang around
The other children always laughed at me
"Give her a feather, she's a Cherokee"

[Repeat chorus]
We weren't accepted and I felt ashamed
Nineteen I left them, tell me who's to blame
My life since then has been from man to man
But I can't run away from what I am 

Part 3/3 Half-Breed by Cher

How to name Aboriginal People

How to name Aboriginal people?