Australian Aborigines

Witnessing has many different meaning associated with it. The definition that will be used in this essay is “the study of a group of people for the purpose of understanding their way of being, culture, and history.” The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) invites people to witness aboriginal culture so that they may learn about the indigenous way of life. While visiting MOA one may find themselves viewing exhibits that range from spiritual artifacts to drums played by tribes in Papa New Guinea.…

In the collection of essays presented in Civilizing the Wilderness, A. A. den Otter examines the contrasting perspectives on the definition of “civilization” and “wilderness”, in relations to Canada, throughout history. “Civilization as a term dates back to the mid-eighteenth century” (Otter 2012, xiii) and “most writers perceived the concepts of civilization and wilderness as opposing poles” (Otter 2012, xii) and as such defines each other. “There is no perception to wilderness that does not…

Indigenous Youth and their oppression in a modern white Australia We may be living in a time where social and cultural equality is becoming an important issue and topic in many countries. However here in Australia Indigenous Australians are still being oppressed and marginalised by a dominant white culture. Aboriginal youth have been born into this dominance but arguably suffer from the stereotypes the most in today’s society. The films Yolngu Boy and Black Chicks Talking highlight these…

Lastly, as a result of confronting the issues surrounding voting rights, I would like to discuss Aboriginal electoral participation in Canada to represent the impact these organizations confrontations have had on Indigenous communities. It is no surprise that voter turnout among Aboriginal Canadians is lower than among non-Aboriginal Canadians. Upon researching surveys conducted with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal electors following the last four Canadian federal elections there are reasons for…

The language we use is the best indicator of who we are, individually, socially and culturally. Language is a key element in the expression of all forms of identity, according to Linguist David Crystal “more than anything else language shows we belong, providing the most natural badge or symbol of public and private identity”. Identity is heavily influenced by social factors and can be reflected in the lexical choice and semantic distinctions that people use. In addition, the degree of…

Bagirrburra “Ingham-belonging to” The focus of this essay is a song namely “Bagirrburra” created in modern times by Ashley Saltner and Jai Cummings in collaboration with Troy Wyles, an elder of Warrgamay clan. Warrgamay people have lived in areas surrounding Ingham and the Herbert River for centuries (Bottoms 2013, p. 192). The State Library of Queensland (2015) states “Warrgamay is spoken in North Queensland, particularly in the Cardwell region, as well as the Herbert River Catchment”. The…

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” Marcel Proust. Through this quote discovery could defined as manifold notion, which comprises exploring something for the first time or rediscovering something that has been faded, forgotten or concealed. People may experience different types of discovery which could be sudden and unexpected. However it may affect them physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. This response will focus…

Information was limited for the Australian public and as Keating commented, history had been “white blind-folded”. The damage caused by “muddying the waters of issues raised in Redfern” (Manne, R. u.k) has set back the Australians who were and still are committed to reconciliation. This, I speak of from experience. I was brought up during the time of the Howard government. Everything…

Imagine a world, where one cannot even travel two kilometers away from home without fearing racist confrontation. Although this may sound like a dystopia, this is reality for the Indigenous Women of Canada. Sadly, these women are forced live in constant fear, knowing that any goodbye could potentially be their last. Indigenous women have been the subject of various kidnappings and murders for a very long time now, and the government has done next to nothing to improve the situation. People are…

Lindy, yet this same boundary was simultaneously guarded and crossed by the monster of the Northern Territory state. For Lindy, the legal processes of Chamberlain v R, holds similarities to that of a hero’s trial, although to the audience of the Australian media and the public, she is anything but the…