This is probably symptomatic of something

[lizbee]

The problem with writing present-day Tegan fic is that in SJA, RTD has Sarah Jane mention that she's working "for Aboriginal rights". 

And that throws me right up against a brick wall, because I can't think of any Indigenous advocacy roles that wouldn't be filled by ... you know, an actual Indigenous person.  (And setting aside the fact that "Aboriginal rights" isn't really a phrase that you hear very much.)

Therefore I've decided that Sarah Jane mis-spoke, and what she actually meant was that Tegan is a union organiser.  I mean, it's a job where being stubborn and cranky works in your favour!  All those Qantas strikes?  Tegan.  Jetstar's No Weigh Day?  Tegan.  (I ... presume it's the Australian Services Union that covers flight attendants and customer service personnel?  Anyway:  Tegan.)

Comments

[tree_and_leaf]

That makes so much more sense.

[recessional]

Where is Tegan supposed to be doing this? As "Aboriginal rights" is not an uncommon Canadian phrase, at least in the west, and while various FN, Metis and Inuit individuals do tend to lead, non-Aboriginals have significant places, usually as legal, educational, medical, political or other specialists which the community has not as yet provided enough of for itself.

(if I get into the Masters I want eventually I'll be working for Aboriginal rights, specifically regarding education and access to educational resources. So.)

Eta: ok, missed the bit that implies Aus. While I don't know that much about Indigenous stuff in Aus specifically, it might be worth checking (if you're not already well enough informed to know) if a similar collaboration of Aboriginal-nonAboriginal is standard there too.

[jaydeyn]

It's pretty much the same in Australia, yeah. At least in the archaeology, cultural heritage and land rights field (which is what I actually know about) - we have very strong collaborative practices as built into archaeological code of ethics and there's generally good adherence to that (with some whopping great nasty exceptions mind, argh). I know the majority of archaeological, anthropological, Native Title research and research archives people here in Queensland (which might be where Tegan is, given she came from here originally) are non-Indigenous. I'm hoping that'll change across time though, there needs to be more on this side of the fence!

I do kinda love the union idea with Tegan - maybe she was advocating for more representation for Indigenous people in whichever union she's in when she was talking to Sarah Jane last? Maybe greater visibility, especially given that there are some airlines that use Indigenous art as part of their stewarding uniforms and yet...

:)
Jaydeyn

[such_heights]

YES.

[kerravonsen]

I like that idea!
(darn, I don't have a Tegan icon)

[kerravonsen]

It occurs to me that one could still support the "Aboriginal rights" thing by recalling that, according to canon, Tegan speaks at least one Aboriginal language. Albeit, that bit of canon is really shonky, since the chances of Tegan knowing the very same language as a person kidnapped thousands of years ago, AND that the language in question hasn't suffered linguistic drift is... really small. But if we handwave that away, it does give evidence that Tegan was more involved in Aboriginal affairs than your average white person, given that Aboriginal languages were not part of the standard school curriculum at the time Tegan would have been at school. So she must have had an interest and connection even before she met the Doctor, though we don't know what that connection was.

Even so, I really like the Union idea. Perhaps she was doing both, as jaydeyn suggested above? Aboriginal rights within the context of the Australian Services Union. That would explain how Sarah Jane got confused about it.

[philippos42]

To add to this, isn't Tegan supposed to have some small tinge of aboriginal ancestry? Or am I imagining that?

[jesuswasbatman]

The theory I've seen is that the TARDIS's linguistic abilities try to avoid making their action too obvious to people, so she hears the Aboriginal character speaking whatever modern language it is she does, and he hears her in his language.

[el_staplador]

Ahahahahahahaha yes. Of course Tegan is an organiser. In fact, I think I've probably met her.

[andraste]

Given that she also speaks an Aboriginal language (which, as already noted, is a bizarre co-incidence) I actually wonder if Tegan has an Aboriginal ancestor. She wouldn't necessarily need to identify as Indigenous herself, but an Aboriginal grandmother on her dad's side might begin to explain some things.

[rebeccablackfriday.myopenid.com]

I thought that Tegan's paternal ancestors were from the former Yugoslavia?

[andraste]

Jovanka is indeed a Serbian name, but as far as I know there's no information available (in the TV show or spin-off material) about her father's side of the family other than that.

[fred_mouse]

I need to read this. Are you planning on writing it? *puppy face*