Cultural training provider Mirri Mirri is urging the media, marketing and advertising industry to consult Indigenous communities – or risk getting it wrong.
Indigenous Australians represent just 3% of the population, meaning many companies don’t have direct access to First Nations perspectives and are at greater risk of cultural missteps.
Paul Sinclair, director of Mirri Mirri, said the key is creating opportunities for staff to learn directly from First Nations people.
“What I see too often when it comes to media in Australia is that it is used as a tool to cause polarisation and division,” he told AdNews.
“It’s not the media itself, it’s the people who have access to it and present the stories. We saw that most recently with the Voice referendum, but also with the Mabo decision and the apology to the Stolen Generation.
“I think, historically, some of the mistakes have been ‘speaking about’ not speaking with or ‘speaking to’. One of the mistakes I see is people not engaging with community and giving them a voice.”
Mirri Mirri has teamed with Paramount Australia to launch Leaders of Tomorrow, a mentorship program pairing Indigenous high school girls with female leaders at the network.
Sinclair said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between Aboriginal communities and corporate Australia by introducing students to career pathways in media.
“Aboriginal kids are kinesthetic learners – they love hands-on activities, not looking at a board being lectured to,” he said.
“The kids have to come up with a reality show idea and pitch it to Yeesum (Lo). And we don't care what the ideas are – it’s about getting in front of an executive and building confidence.
“What I see, even in just one day, is the connection that forms between the female staff and the female students – and suddenly, that young girl starts to think, ‘Maybe there’s an opportunity for me here’.”
Sinclair has partnered with organisations on a number of projects, including a training program for NSW public servants.
“We got engaged to capture stories of Stolen Generation survivors and put it into micro-documentaries,” he said.
“This was embedded as part of what’s called trauma-informed response training… and the response to that has been incredible.
Sinclair said the success of Squid Game, which explored the struggles of marginalised groups, was a reminder of what can happen when underrepresented communities are given the platform to tell their own stories.
“When you give this demographic a chance, you get diversity in stories,” he said.
“I challenge any media agency or anyone in the industry to put Aboriginal faces on screen and tell Aboriginal stories.
“It’s a different perspective – and often, a wonderful one. Sometimes, it’s exactly what we need.”
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