America, and the entire world, have been in an uproar since George Floyd died as a result of excessive force while being restrained by a police officer in Minneapolis last week. Floyd’s death, which was officially declared a homicide following an autopsy, has sparked riots across America and protests around the world.
Arnhem Land rapper Baker Boy (also known as Danzal Baker) has taken to Instagram to speak out following the death of George Floyd, making comment about the ongoing racism in Australia.
Leading a definitive new generation of Indigenous musicians over the past few years, Baker Boy’s post began by revealing a number of people have called him out for not speaking publicly about what is happening in the world.
“As my Baker Boy persona I choose a path of positivity and light and choose not to speak politically with this platform. I’m also unsure that I have anything new or insightful to say. I don’t feel like it is anyone’s place to push guilt or question the activism of a First Nations person during this traumatising time,” he reveals in the post.
“But I will say; I am a Yolngu Man from North East Arnhem Land. I am angry. I am scared. I feel every negative emotion that there is to feel about what happened to George Floyd. I feel these emotions EVERY DAMN DAY not just right now when it’s big on the news or trending on twitter and Instagram. This is my life and I am scared, I have anxiety about going to unknown places like a different cafe from my usual, not to mention the challenge of touring from the fear of racism, that, yes, is still rampant here in Australia too.
“For all of my balanda (non-indigenous) brothers and sisters I hope what you’re seeing in America right now is opening your eyes to the stolen land that you live on here in Australia, to your privilege, to those ‘jokes’, to those ‘jokes’ that you don’t call out, to your racist uncle or aunt or cousin or friend or coworker and, most devastatingly, opening your eyes to the over 400 deaths in custody of Indigenous Australians without a single officer charged.”
See the full post below.
Earlier this week, Indigenous hip-hop artist Briggs also took to social media to stand in solidarity with the protesters in America, and making comment on Australia and its own history of police brutality.
“I empathise with the protesters in the USA,” he wrote in a post. “I watched the video of that police officer flagrantly killing George Floyd in front of an audience.
“I empathise with the protesters because Australia has its own history of police brutality and indigenous deaths in custody. There have been more than 400 Indigenous deaths in custody, and not a single conviction.
“I empathise with the protesters because, like America, Australia was founded on White supremacy, and built its wealth on the murder, rape and slavery of its Indigenous people,” he continued.
“Australia parades this idea of “The Lucky Country”; but their Luck is our disposession. Their Luck is our Death. Their Luck is our Trauma. Their Luck is our Grief.
“No Justice, No Peace.”
