Question

In the autobiography titled 'The Left-hander', Oodgeroo said 'None of the white teachers would have understood'. Why does Oodgeroo say this?

Answer 1

Oodgeroo says this because she believes that the white teachers at the missionary school she attended would not have been able to understand or relate to her experiences as an Aboriginal person. She feels that they were disconnected from the realities and struggles faced by Indigenous Australians and therefore would not have been able to fully comprehend the significance of her writing and storytelling from an Aboriginal perspective. Oodgeroo's statement reflects her desire to communicate her experiences and culture to her own people, rather than trying to explain or justify them to a white audience.