Sparkling Adventures Pt 10 - David Pleads Guilty - Merge

[Miggy]

Awww Rabbit Proof Fence. Love that movie. The AEO at our school is related to one of those girls. (The real life ones - not the actresses.)

The local Aboriginal land council is suppose to vet all claims to Aboriginality but I'm not sure exactly how this works. I know locally that if you don't know your nation and language group, the community don't take you seriously. If you believe you have Aboriginal family members, the community elders go out of their way to help you identify them and learn about the culture. (Not suggesting this is the same everywhere though. I live in a great community.)

[morri]

as an old wordly European I can claim only German and french heritage, with the french being something like 400 years ago... so essentially German with a tiny bit of french 16 times removed...

[August]

There seems to be a big big fight over the official tasmanian aboriginal group. One group is official and another group is pissed about it?

as an old wordly European I can claim only German and french heritage, with the french being something like 400 years ago... so essentially German with a tiny bit of french 16 times removed...

Bonjour ma cousine!!!

(note, by definition this is proper French because only seven generations ago a single French person contributed to my DNA. Frenchness is genetic)

[FundieFarmer]

My grandparents on both sides were of purely Scottish descent back to whoever came over to the US, so down through my generation everyone's been Scottish in my immediate family line. Mr. FF is also Scottish as far back as he can trace, with just a little bit of British mixed in. The older generations travel back to Scotland every so often, and Mr. FF and I plan to go as soon as we can. For a bunch of people who've claimed residence in the Continental US for a good long while, we still honor our Scottish heritage where we can, but I wouldn't say I'm Scottish if I ran into anyone in the street. Still American here. I think claiming your heritage as part of you comes because of how the country was founded, and the emphasis on the idea of the "great melting pot". With the burgeoning globalized society, I think that's becoming less relevant.

I support learning about a culture and taking part in it where appropriate if you want, but I do think that claiming something as part of your current identity because you loosely had a single ancestor hundreds of years back is a little bit creative.

[martian]

There seems to be a big big fight over the official tasmanian aboriginal group. One group is official and another group is pissed about it?

Bonjour ma cousine!!!

(note, by definition this is proper French because only seven generations ago a single French person contributed to my DNA. Frenchness is genetic)

My husband's family traces back to Wales over a thousand years ago. No actual Welsh people for hundreds and hundreds of years since that I know of, mind you. When I told my English grandmother about this history, she squinted her eyes thoughtfully and said, "Yes, I can really see it! He has that colouring. And the Welsh are very hairy people..."

[Miggy]

I think you've got to look at it from the Aboriginal perspective instead of the European one. My great grandfather was German. He lied about it during the war and it was only discovered in the 80s where he was actually from. This has made me very curious about Germany but does it make me German, no. Any German would laugh at me if I tried to claim it.

However, Aboriginal Australians consider all people with Aboriginal ancestry to be Aboriginal. So, in my children's case, where there is an Aboriginal ancestor, our local Aboriginal community say that my children are Aboriginal. When I look at it and say "Well no, they really aren't?" I get accused of being just another white Australian who doesn't understand Indigenous culture. (This is why I have taken the time to learn. That accusation really hurt!)

I have no sympathy for those claiming Aboriginality purely to get the benefits. I have no problem with those with one dubious connection who choose to be very involved in the community. I guess I have come to see it as you are Aboriginal if you are accepted by and active in the Aboriginal community.

[DaisyD]

So the Welsh are the hairy people I come from? Good to know. I've always said that I come from a hairy people, ever since I found out that hairy knuckles is genetic. I just didn't know which people were particularly hairy. :lol:

[Granwych]

So the Welsh are the hairy people I come from? Good to know. I've always said that I come from a hairy people, ever since I found out that hairy knuckles is genetic. I just didn't know which people were particularly hairy. :lol:

Grampwych is half Portugese, quarter English, eighth Amerindian and eighth Scottish and hairy as hell. Kidwych is not happy about inheriting that aspect of her father's physiology, especially on facial areas--

[Miggy]

Grampwych is half Portugese, quarter English, eighth Amerindian and eighth Scottish and hairy as hell. Kidwych is not happy about inheriting that aspect of her father's physiology, especially on facial areas--

Misread this at first. I was thinking 'but beards are so cool. A man is nothing without a beard.' Then I saw 'her' ... yeah, a beard maybe not so cool.

[DaffyDill]

Many Aus Aboriginal children were removed from their families and raised in orphanages or foster care (referred to as "The Stolen Generations".) Some ran away and returned to their families as children/teens, some returned as adults and some lost their connection completely. There has been a push for people to find and reclaim their heritage.

I still say, I would rather a few dodgy people slip through than we risk cutting out anyone genuine..

Oh, I agree totally. I would hate to see them tighten the regulations because of people like the one I mentioned, and have Aboriginal kids, or Aboriginal people of any age, miss out on Uni, or any assistance they need to get ahead.

[August]

I think you've got to look at it from the Aboriginal perspective instead of the European one. My great grandfather was German. He lied about it during the war and it was only discovered in the 80s where he was actually from. This has made me very curious about Germany but does it make me German, no. Any German would laugh at me if I tried to claim it.

However, Aboriginal Australians consider all people with Aboriginal ancestry to be Aboriginal. So, in my children's case, where there is an Aboriginal ancestor, our local Aboriginal community say that my children are Aboriginal. When I look at it and say "Well no, they really aren't?" I get accused of being just another white Aushtralian who doesn't understand Indigenous culture. (This is why I have taken the time to learn. That accusation really hurt!)

I have no sympathy for those claiming Aboriginality purely to get the benefits. I have no problem with those with one dubious connection who choose to be very involved in the community. I guess I have come to see it as you are Aboriginal if you are accepted by and active in the Aboriginal community.

I've been thinking about it, and if I remove oh-so-authentic-bandwagon-rider from the equation, I can absolutely see that for a people and a culture that were actively exterminated and suppressed it makes perfect sense to be inclusive and expansive (not quite the right word). You'd want to reach out to anyone you can bring into the fold, to promote and extend the history and culture. For middle class white folks like us it would feel terribly like cultural appropriation and I'd be inwardly cringing at myself, but if it meant the difference between a culture dying out and living on, I suppose it's the right thing to do.

But to take on the downside of racism/ oppression when you grew up as part of the priveleged mainstream and even if you were covered in body paint and speaking the language people would assume you were an anthropologist is fucked up. And we know that's what Lauren will do. She won't be "I'm taking my girls to so and so's house to learn about the culture of their ancestors so we can keep it alive despite the best attempts to kill it off, but I totally get that when we walk into a store no one follows us to make sure we don't shoplift". She'll be "Oppression! My people are being held down by the man! My kids are disadvantaged by their race!!"

[morri]

So the Welsh are the hairy people I come from? Good to know. I've always said that I come from a hairy people, ever since I found out that hairy knuckles is genetic. I just didn't know which people were particularly hairy. :lol:

I am not welsh but I still have hairy knuckles and hairy toe.. my daughter too :lol:

[LovelyLuna]

I am not welsh but I still have hairy knuckles and hairy toe.. my daughter too :lol:

I am also of many many generation ago Welsh decent.

I am not particularly hairy but I do have hair on my big toe and my voice teacher used to tell me I had a Celtic vocal register. :lol:

I even have a welsh derived first name, by coincidence, but I still am just an American.

[DarkAnts]

My mothers side of the family has welch history. My great great grandpa immigrated to Utah in the early 1900's. I have not done my dads side of the family yet. Still waiting to see if there are any polygamists in my family.

[DaisyD]

My mothers side of the family has welch history. My great great grandpa immigrated to Utah in the early 1900's. I have not done my dads side of the family yet. Still waiting to see if there are any polygamists in my family.

That's funny. When I read immigration from Wales to Utah the first thought I had was maybe polygamous. There's a Tumblr that does a lot of polygamy genealogy. It's politicsrusprinciple. She might be able to help.

[blessalessi]

I'm going to be looking out for all the hairy Welsh folk, next time I go on a camping trip to Tenby. :lol:

[Maggie Mae]

Every time I open Tapa, and this thread shows up, I see Dread-less non sparkling Lauren's photo. She actually looks kind of sad. And I don't like her hair cut.

I'm okay with her thinking that the death was a neutral event. Whatever gets you through the day. And I guess, technically, everything can be a neutral event. Stuff happens. It happened, lets move on. But it

I really resent the idea that sibling bonds are the strongest bonds that exist or whatever someone said upthread. Many of us make our own bonds with other people. Just because you share DNA or a bedroom doesn't make the bond automatic.

[LovelyLuna]

I really resent the idea that sibling bonds are the strongest bonds that exist or whatever someone said upthread. Many of us make our own bonds with other people. Just because you share DNA or a bedroom doesn't make the bond automatic.

my blood sibling, I would call an occasional acquaintance; I have a best fried thats like a sister to the point where we have no secrets and I would die for her kid.

I create relationships with people based on their actions not their DNA :shrug:

[Blahblah]

my blood sibling, I would call an occasional acquaintance; I have a best fried thats like a sister to the point where we have no secrets and I would die for her kid.

I create relationships with people based on their actions not their DNA :shrug:

I totally understand your point if we are discussing adults Who are making their own choices. I have a brother who I haven't seen for years and we live in the same city. I absolutely understand that sibling bonds are not some magical, irrefutable process.

But.....

These four girls are satellites revolving around the sparkling one and are hostages to whatever she imposes on them. They have no voice of their own. Kids' thought processes about death, the permanency of death, thinking it was somehow their fault etc need to be acknowledged and talked through, not brushed aside. Ditto their thoughts on the baby who was given away. And now they are being told that they are Aboriginal? Is there no certainty, no stability anywhere in their lives? Even their culture and genetic heritage can change at the drop of a hat it seems.

[church_of_dog]

Is she claiming the aboriginal link through her family or through David's? Because if it's through her family, then Daniel Valur in Iceland is aboriginal too, no? How inauthentic for him not to know that and to get to meet "his people"!!!1! :o

[DaffyDill]

Is she claiming the aboriginal link through her family or through David's? Because if it's through her family, then Daniel Valur in Iceland is aboriginal too, no? How inauthentic for him not to know that and to get to meet "his people"!!!1! :o

She says she can trace her ancestry back to an Australian Aboriginal woman from Tasmania. So poor little Daniel may have to miss out, unless his parents are on board with it and bring him Down Under to "find his people". :roll:

I really think our Lauren wants to belong somewhere, anywhere, and this is why she latches on to groups, identities, and even ways of life. She's trying to be "something". To have a tribe, if you will, to belong to. Her own family obviously doesn't fill that need for whatever reason, so she's trying to find something that will; be it Christianity, homeschoolers, Rainbow People, hippies and now she's giving the Aboriginal community a whirl.

She reminds me of people who try on a lot of clothes in shops, but rarely buy anything because nothing is quite right, or the clothes don't feel comfortable. Only she's trying on belief systems and even racial identities in an attempt to find herself or her 'home'. Meanwhile, the girls are left to follow along behind her, trying to make some sense of it all.

[So Many Lies]

I totally understand your point if we are discussing adults Who are making their own choices. I have a brother who I haven't seen for years and we live in the same city. I absolutely understand that sibling bonds are not some magical, irrefutable process.

But.....

These four girls are satellites revolving around the sparkling one and are hostages to whatever she imposes on them. They have no voice of their own. Kids' thought processes about death, the permanency of death, thinking it was somehow their fault etc need to be acknowledged and talked through, not brushed aside. Ditto their thoughts on the baby who was given away. And now they are being told that they are Aboriginal? Is there no certainty, no stability anywhere in their lives? Even their culture and genetic heritage can change at the drop of a hat it seems.

Exactly right.

[LovelyLuna]

the way Lauren wants the girls to feel about their bothers is fucked up, no doubt about it. they should be able to chose how they feel.

[iweartanktops]

Where's the brain bleach? Insomnia is bad tonight and I fell down this rabbit hole. Unfortunately I'll never be able to unsee Sparkling Lauren's Sparkling Ass Hole :*(

[morri]

I think her latest posts look good. looks like theyve got some kind of home .