For Conflict to be resolved people need to understand

themselves and their opponents.

Having studied the context of Encountering Conflict over the

past few weeks, I have been reading the novel, The Lieutenant
written by Kate Grenville. The novel explores conflicts relating
to the unknown and known, personal belief and the masses
beliefs, morals and values as well as the conflict of
communication when two opposite cultures clash. The clear
narrowness of the British men when they colonised New South
Wales in 1788 were represented with their ideals of power and
authority. As the Aboriginals are portrayed to be caring and
peaceful people who were alarmed and stunned when
colonisers appeared and understood nothing of the natives way
and began settling.
In association with the novel, I have also been looking into the
controversial issue of Adam Goodes. It is clearly seen that the
issue has escalated due to the war cry on the 29th of May and
the crowds reactions is clearly appalling. Adam Goodes
performed a war dance which was taught to him by 16 year old
children, and the back lash is horrific, the children would feel
honoured that one of their icons have performed a dance
taught them but everyone is booing him for his action. This also
reignited the controversial action Goodes took 2 years ago
when he pointed unknowingly a 13 year old girl who called him
and ape. The media targeted the 13 year old girl and it was
Adam Goodes who went out to comfort the girl, but now people
who saw Adam Goodes as a comforter are using his pointing
out of the girl as another reason for their hatred. Adam Goodes
has not said much surrounding the issue and when he opens up
about the problems he is facing people like Andrew Bolt tell him
to toughen up. Clearly people who have similar mindsets such
as Mr Bolt dont understand Adam Goodes situation and are
basing their stances on what they hear of typically they dont

like him. But as this issue has risen after a cultural dance can
the hatred be racially motivated. In 1788 when the British
arrived in Australia with the mind set of the land being Terra
nullius their treatment of Aboriginals was cruel and disgusting.
The difference in clothing was clearly a major factor in the
Britishs understanding of Aboriginals, the Aboriginals being
mostly naked portrayed them as savages to the British who
wore full clothing. The misjudgement of the Aboriginals culture
allowed the white people to treat the Aboriginals as they
thought they were, savages. But after many decades this
mistreatment is still continuing in the 21st century. Clearly
people still dont understand what is going on with the
Aboriginals around Australia. I am therefore writing a letter to
the editor which will be published in the Herald Sun to advocate
to the conservative readers about the issues surrounding
Aboriginals and provide understanding and insight of their
situations through Adam Goodes situation which they came to a
quick conclusion without understanding his situation. I will also
utilise rhetorical question in an attempt to make readers feel
how it is to be an Aboriginal and also the effect the media is
having on their current lives. I will also use appeals in order to
make readers think of situations which they have to do things
with the things they have got, like the current Aboriginal
generation. I will also refer to information from the television
series of Frontline, as well as the movie Utopia, to represents
the lives of Aboriginal.