Awkward assumptions.

Yesterday I discovered a peer had been told that I had indigenous heritage.

It’s not the first time this has happened.
At high school someone else thought the same.
And the odd person along the way has asked.
I had a beautiful moment with an Indig fella on Gertrude street once. He thought I was. We had the same noses. So we squished them together.

I’m not offended. Maybe even a little jealous not to have the warmth, community and culture indigenous.
But it’s not mine.
And its a kind of reverse-assumption to what is the usual issue – of being ” not really aboriginal”. 

To set the record straight. I have no indig blood running through my veins.
My ancestry is Dutch (via South Africa), Irish, English & French.
A complete mongrel.

There are assumptions that others make about me.
And they always feel a little odd.
Like my relationship status.
Or I have kids.
Or sly comments about South Africa not knowing my background.
That I went to a public school.
That I’m happy, when I’m not.

This list is so darn first world.
But I’m writing it because I know we all make assumptions.
And have assumptions made about us.

Realising this.
Maybe we should all write a list.