I remember last time I was asked, where I was from, it was a peculiar situation given I had known the person for a little while. I used to talk to the person over the phone, she was a someone I worked with. We had never met face to face. When we spoke it was for work, and I believe she had a vision of me in her head, and I guess I did of her too.
When we finally met, I think she was taken back. I told her I was from Papua New Guinea, yet, she was surprised to see that I would be a person of colour. She was a professional woman (Australian Non-PoC, mid 50s). Her very backhanded compliment was, "Oh you look Papua New Guinean, and your English is very good". It was a moment of Colonial Master and Native. As a third culture child, these moments, reinforced the necessity of representation of POC around Australia and the Pacific Islands. We need to update the colonial narrative through accurate media representations of PoC. Representation helps alleviate the ignorant rhetoric that suppresses the identity of PoC and renders without a voice or a platform.
I'm a Highlands woman from Papua New Guinea and my ancestors would be proud.