What_Inner_Journeys_Does_Sally_Morgan_Undertake_in_Order_to_Finally_Accept_and_Embrace_Her_Aboriginality_

Sally Morgan undertook many inner journeys throughout her life time. The main inner journeys she developed through were education, family relationships, her sense of self and her heritage. It was an emotional journey for Sally and her family in many ways, and she was able to change her familys perspective of what they thought and valued about being Aboriginal. When Sally started attending school, she questioned her mother about her heritage as the other children had wanted to know. “tell them your Indian” her mother told her. Sally told the other students this, but she began to notice a distinct change in the way she was treated around the school. “They were the spick-and-span brigade, and I, the grubby offender” As years past in her schooling, the difference she saw began to get more evident when Daisy shied away from company, saying she was ashamed to be ‘black‘, and the students at school became distant with her. “I was becoming more and more aware that I was different to the other kids at school.” Soon after this, Jill informs Sally that they are not Indian, but Aboriginal, and eventually Sally coaxes the confession from her mother as well. Both seem embarrassed and ashamed by their aboriginal decent, and are emotional to discuss it. This only made Sally hungry to know more about her familys past, but again her family seemed reluctant to speak about anything of the sort. Sally’s father commits suicide, and following this, the family feels fear and unease lifting from their shoulders, and are more comfortable to speak about the past. Sally decides to investigate the things she discovers about the past and record them in a book. She meets Arthur Corunna, Daisy’s brother, and he is proud of who he is, and his heritage. Sally learns many things about the past that Daisy has never wanted to talk about, and Arthur writes his own story, which is to be included in the book. This inspired Sally and Glad to journey to Corunna downs, as Sally wanted to see the people there and the land. “and I want to look at the land. I want to walk on it…I want to be there, and imagine what it was like for the people then” Sally and Glad meet many new relatives at Corunna, and are associated with Aboriginal people and previously unfamiliar relatives, who come together in reunion, to tell Sally stories of what it was like many years ago for her family and people. This leaves Sally feeling appreciative of her background, and with a better understanding of her familys history. “what had began as a tentative search for knowledge had grown into a spiritual and emotional pilgrimage. We had an Aboriginal consciousness now, and we were proud of it” The tips to Corunna seemed to give Glad the encouragement she needed to tell her own story. “people should know what its been like for someone like me.” Glads story was to be another part of the book, and Glads new confidence seems to hearten and reassure Daisy that she has a right to tell her own part of the story. This is very significant in the fact that Daisy as the most stubborn, has finally become satisfied with who she is. This is a very emotional part of the story, because these things have been secluded for so long and laced with so much pain. However, finally discussing her life brings her even closer to her family and herself. Self satisfaction ensues for Sally, because without her, this story would remain untold, and her identity fake. Sally Morgan develops around her inner journeys, and she embraces and accepts her aboriginality, for both herself, and her family.