Indigenous Australians and their identities are a reflection of Australian history. The Aboriginals culture, connection with nature and traditions shape Australian society and shape a great love and respect for the land. Doris Pilkington’s Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence (1996) is a non-fiction biographic text. With the use of emotive language and primary sources, Doris Pilkington explains about the Indigenous Australian’s identities pre colonisation, during colonisation, and post colonisation.
Indigenous lifestyle before colonisation played a dominant role in influencing Australia’s history. In the non-fiction text Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, Pilkington gives readers an insight into how much the land was respected and treasured by the Aboriginal …show more content…
“The Nyungar people who once walked tall and proud, now hung their heads in sorrow. They had become dispossessed…” the use of this empowering statement shows readers how the Indigenous Australians are no longer free to roam the land and carry out their traditional practices. The author, explains throughout the non-fiction text the power difference between the whites and the blacks “All those who arrived with Captain Stirling, and others who settled before 1830, had the right to choose an area of land wherever they fancied.” Since the white people where powerful, they continued driving the Aboriginals into ‘foreign’ parts of the land, therefore, changing the Indigenous Australian’s identities and influencing historical changes throughout Australia.
Due to the Aboriginals lack of power against the whites, laws were made to benefit the European population, therefore, treating the Aboriginals unfairly and depriving them of freedom. As Pilkington mentions in Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence many Aboriginal customs were no longer practised due to the power and laws of the Europeans. “No longer would the corroborrees be …show more content…
In this ‘era’ Pilkington, again, shows readers the change in the Indigenous Australian’s identities. As she explains in the non-fiction text, the Aboriginals began working for Europeans, they were forced to abandon old traditions and follow new traditions/customs. For example, the Aboriginals are forced to put on clothes. “They tell us we gotta cover everything up, the wudgebulla don´t like to see neked fullah.” By covering up their clothes the Aboriginals have abandoned one of their beliefs. By abandoning their customs the Aboriginls are influencing change in their identities. Due to the change in their beliefs/identities, the Aboriginals identity change has caused another change in history (now Aboriginal people wear clothing every day).
The concept of power is introduced again, in the biographical text. This is introduced when the Europeans began removing “half – caste” children from their families so they can attend school in a settlement. “Would be better off if they were removed from Jigalong.” By doing this the Aboriginals identities have been diminished to their lowest level. Deemed to be not worthy of being able to care and rear for their own children if possessing white
Indigenous lifestyle before colonisation played a dominant role in influencing Australia’s history. In the non-fiction text Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, Pilkington gives readers an insight into how much the land was respected and treasured by the Aboriginal …show more content…
“The Nyungar people who once walked tall and proud, now hung their heads in sorrow. They had become dispossessed…” the use of this empowering statement shows readers how the Indigenous Australians are no longer free to roam the land and carry out their traditional practices. The author, explains throughout the non-fiction text the power difference between the whites and the blacks “All those who arrived with Captain Stirling, and others who settled before 1830, had the right to choose an area of land wherever they fancied.” Since the white people where powerful, they continued driving the Aboriginals into ‘foreign’ parts of the land, therefore, changing the Indigenous Australian’s identities and influencing historical changes throughout Australia.
Due to the Aboriginals lack of power against the whites, laws were made to benefit the European population, therefore, treating the Aboriginals unfairly and depriving them of freedom. As Pilkington mentions in Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence many Aboriginal customs were no longer practised due to the power and laws of the Europeans. “No longer would the corroborrees be …show more content…
In this ‘era’ Pilkington, again, shows readers the change in the Indigenous Australian’s identities. As she explains in the non-fiction text, the Aboriginals began working for Europeans, they were forced to abandon old traditions and follow new traditions/customs. For example, the Aboriginals are forced to put on clothes. “They tell us we gotta cover everything up, the wudgebulla don´t like to see neked fullah.” By covering up their clothes the Aboriginals have abandoned one of their beliefs. By abandoning their customs the Aboriginls are influencing change in their identities. Due to the change in their beliefs/identities, the Aboriginals identity change has caused another change in history (now Aboriginal people wear clothing every day).
The concept of power is introduced again, in the biographical text. This is introduced when the Europeans began removing “half – caste” children from their families so they can attend school in a settlement. “Would be better off if they were removed from Jigalong.” By doing this the Aboriginals identities have been diminished to their lowest level. Deemed to be not worthy of being able to care and rear for their own children if possessing white