Sihmansehlaw, nihin ni ah cun kha bantuk kha a hun ziam duahmah cang. Ram mi hmasa hna caah sermi National Indigenous Television (NITV) le a dangdang social media nih khenkhamtu thil pawl kha pah chih khawh an i zuam i biatak tein a dik mi thil le Australia cu a dang liangluangmi nunphung kip khuasaknak a si zia kha mizapi sin ah langhter le theihternak tuah an i zuam.
Atu bantuk thlennak kong thuk deuh in kan kherhlai tikah a dik mi tuanbia, tlukruannak lei ah a kal cuahmah mi chan thar Australia nunphung le nunning a ser siamtu, a hrampi hna kha fiang deuh in kan hmuh khawh. Ram mi hmasa hna an khua hmuhning le ruahnak theihthiam piak hi kan i pehtlaihnak a thuk deuh in hram a sihter le lungthin khat in kar hlan ttih nak ding caah lam sialtu tha bik a si.
Tuanbia kan zoh tthan tikah, media nih ram mi hmasa hna konglam mizapi sinah a hman lo ningin an rak chim i an rak langhter. Hlan chan I thawngzamhca, radio le tv in ram mi hmasa hna konglam a dik lo ningin an rak chim phuan mi nih mizapi ruahnak tampi a rak thlen.
“Ka hngakchiat deuh lio ah ahcun, media chungah mibu pakhat kong kha biatak tein chim le relnak a rak um lo. Asinain, atu ahcun khamtu thil kha kan pah chih khawh cang i kan miphun sinak pi cu kan lawmh khawh cang – ram mi hmasa hna kan aw-aan cu ram kip nih an theih khawh cang i a sunglawi taktak,” tiin Leanne Djilandi Dolby nih a chim.
Thil kha a dik, a hman lo ningin langhter le phozar ttih a nun zia kha Adam Manovic nih a fianter.
A nih hi ram ngeitu miphun nih an i bochan ngai ngai mi le First Nations Media Australia (FNMA) ah hoatu rian a ttuan lio mi a si.
“Hlan chan i thawngzamhca an rak chuahka in siseh, kum 1900 lio i radio chan in media nih mizapi lungthin a hip khawh i, an khua hmuhning a thlen khawh ngaingai. Miphun dang nih Australia ram ngeitu miphun an hmuh hna ning a thlengtu le ruahnak tha lo a rak chuahtertu hi media a rak si,” tiin Manovi nih a chim.
Recent studies kherhlainak an tuahmi nih a langhter ning ah cun ram ngeitu miphun chungin zatuak 9% lawng nih ram chung thawngzamhbu nih an miphun kong an chim mi an zumh ti a si.
Left: Tanja Hirvonen. Centre: Adam Manovic. Right: Leanne Djilandi Dolby ( Credit: SBS)
Dawnkhantu thil cu zeidah a si?
Tthancho lei a panh kan ti ko nain ram ngeitu miphun nih kalpi mi thawngzamhnak , FNMA bantuk caah cun dawnkhantu a um zungzal. Chawva lei in an chambau lawng siloin seh le thilri zongah chambaunak tampi a um caah rian duhning an ttuan kho lo.
Mizapi he pehtlainak ttha a ngei mi thawngzamhnak bu ngan deuh pawl zong nih mizapi sinah thil dik chim le thlah khawh an I zuam len ve ko nain ram ngeitu miphun hna sining le nunphung kha an kheng kho taktak lo, cu pinah ram ngeitu miphu nih lungthin ruahnak an hngal kho dih taktak lo.
An miphun kong cu an mah tein chim relnak nawl an hmuh hlan lo chung cu thlennak pical a um kho lai lo tiin Manovic nih a chim.
Ram ngeitu miphun nih hruaimi media
Ram ngeitu miphun nih hruaimi thawngzamhnak bu, FNMA le NITV ti bantuk hna nih an konglam kha dikfel tein chim le phuan khawhnak nawl an ngeih khawh dingmi a biapi bak mi a si. Australia rampi chungah FNMA nih rianttuantu 500 leng a ngeih hna cun kum fatinte ram ngeitu miphun hna caah media lei rian cawnnak a tuah lengmang.
2007 ah NITV cu dirh le thok a rak si i SBS he hmunkhat ah rian an ttuantti. Aboriginal le Torres Strait Islander miphun hna konglam kha mizapi sin ah dikfel tein thlah le chimphuan khawh a zuam zungzal mi thawngzamhtu bu pakhat a si.
Ram ngeitu miphun konglam he a pehtlaimi thawngzamhnak cu tlawt-tlau lo tein kilven a si khawhnak ding caah upadi ser piak dingin Manovic nih biatak tein a aupi cuahmah.
“Ram ngeitu miphun konglam he a pehtlaimi thawngzamhnak kilven cu a biapi bak mi a si a ruang cu hmailei chan ah kan holh le ca le nunphung hna cu an rak zoh, hmuh khawh than te lai. A loh tlau beh ding cu kan duh lo, kan miphun kan sinak he a pehtlai mi thil a si,” tiin Manovic nih a ti.
Ram ngeitu miphun nih an hruai mi thawngzamhtu bu nih an tuah ttuanmi le tinhmi hi theihthiam a biapi ngaingai. Zeiruangah ti ah cun, an nih cu an an tuanbia kha an mah miphun nih chim phuan khawhnak nawl an hmuh nak ding caah a cawlcang mi an si.
First Nations hub of inner knowledge, traditional culture and lore.
How does media representation affect Indigenous Australians?
Media representation plays a significant role in shaping identity and self-esteem among Indigenous Australians. Historically, harmful portrayals reinforced systemic racism and negative stereotypes.
Jaru and Bunuba woman, clinical psychologist and board member of the Australian Indigenous Psychologist Association Tanja Hirvonen explains how such narratives can be deeply distressing, especially during sensitive periods.
"When the media perpetuates harmful stereotypes or spreads inaccurate content, it reinforces racism and discrimination on a larger scale. For people who are already struggling, seeing these narratives can be deeply distressing."
However, positive media representation offers huge benefits. Research shows that inclusive and authentic portrayals of Indigenous peoples can foster cultural pride, strengthen community connections, and improve life outcomes.
For example, the National Agreement on Closing the Gap highlights the importance of Indigenous representation in media as a way to reduce experiences of racism and improve access to information for informed decision-making.
Positive representation also helps challenge uneducated reporting. When Indigenous voices are included in storytelling—whether through platforms like NITV or social media—it promotes understanding and respect among non-Indigenous Australians. This shift can lead to greater support for reconciliation efforts.
Leanne Dolby, social media creator and biomedical science student, emphasises the empowering effects of seeing yourself represented in media.
"When you don’t see enough representation as an Aboriginal person, you feel isolated. Representation means knowing there are people like me who have the same goals and strength,"Djilandi Dolby explains.
By prioritising authentic storytelling and empowering Indigenous voices, media has the potential to not only heal past wounds but also build a more inclusive future for all Australians.
"Our [Indigenous Australians] strength lies in our cultural resilience. By celebrating our traditions, language, and stories through media, we can counteract the negative impacts of harmful narratives," Tanja Hirvonen says.
Social media has proven to have the power that enables First Nations people to challenge misinformation. Credit: davidf/Getty Images
Australia ram ngeitu miphun le miphun dang I pehtlaihnak kar ah thawngzamhtu bu media hi an biapi taktak. Media nih tha tein kherhlainak an tuah, ram ngeitu miphun hna sining taktak kha mizapi sinah an langhter i, an konglam kha an miphun nih fiang tein chimrelnak an ngeih khawh ahcun khat le khat kar ah theih thiam lonak a tlawm deuh lai.
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