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The Forum > Article Comments > The threat to Aboriginal culture: assimilation or worse > Comments

The threat to Aboriginal culture: assimilation or worse : Comments

By Gavin Mooney, published 10/3/2005

Gavin Mooney argues that assimilation will destroy Aboriginal culture and identity.

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I dont think Gavin intended to limit the issues that form the larger picture of oldest continuing culture in the world the aboriginal culture and perhaps did not have the benefit I have had of walking in the 'daily' footpaths of these people while I worked with the Flying Doctors in central Australia.

They see their daily existence very differently. They act with their 'soul' meaning they have a real awareness of their departed family who are to them by their side in their daily life and they see the land (world) as a living entity and the true 'mother' who sustains their life from her bosoms through out their life.

I have spent time pondering over this and what made me sway from our culture focus of 'success is the financial well being' a little towards benefit of theirs was the question 'What do you take with you when you die?'

Hard question but I know from my life experience that the moments I remember the most involved other living beings interacting, negative or positive. No money, work goals, expected duties...

Maybe they have learnt something from their evolution of culture that swamps ours to insignificance and we could learn some basic fundamental truths that would benefit us personally leading to growing mutual respect.

Sam
Posted by Sam said, Friday, 11 March 2005 8:18:05 AM
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when considering issues relating to aboriginal people dont forget to remember the impact of past benign yet destructive government policies and practices.

with regard to bozzies comments about asking the chinese, italians, greeks et al how they've managed to retain their cultural heritage and be successful in australian communities. unlike aboriginal people they were not beaten nor discouraged to discontinue these practices under the guise of protectionism, and further they were not deprived of the opportunity to fully participate in an economic way and thus establish an asset base because they received full payment for work done. the issue of stolen wages is a contributing factor to the socio-economic status of aboriginal people who were deprived the opportunity of equality.

past benign policy and practices were equivalent to a hurdle placed in front of 'equality'.
Posted by kalalli, Friday, 11 March 2005 10:10:26 AM
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"Aboriginal society needs to evolve and adjust to the reality of the world around them. This does not mean the extinction of their culture and identity, just reinvented accordingly"

Here is a quote from an article about the history of the Lun Bawang Tribe of Borneo

"The Lun Bawang were a Dayak people group who lived on both sides of the Sarawak/Kalimantan border. It was common for this people group to be drunk before dawn 100 days out of the year. Disease, crop failure and drunkenness were gradually reducing the Lun Bawang population, which is what Governor Charles Brooke desired. He wanted this people group to die off so their land could be given to other tribes"

Sound familiar ? just like our aboriginals. Then.. we read the words which made the difference .. "But God...."

Today, due to the impact of the gospel, this people has been totally transformed. Today they are lawyers, members of parliment, doctors, architects, and their population is thriving. The practice of slavery was abandoned, slaves were set free and given their own land.

Having said that, one cannot assume that all aboriginal people will embrace Christ. There is still a solution for their social and cultural dilemna but it will not be the same solution for each group.

Due to the differences in tribal history and background, a strong anthropological approach should be taken, looking for the keys to the sense of despair most seem to experience. No amount of 'social policy/access to services/treating them the same' will EVER overcome this one thing, only an understanding of the situation and dealing with it as it really "is" will.
This might mean that we who now hold (il)legal title to land once theirs,should re-think some of our precious values about private ownership.
Posted by BOAZ_David, Friday, 11 March 2005 10:13:00 AM
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regarding religion some aboriginal people shy away from it due to past experience on christian missions where abuse and cultural decimation occurred in many places across australia.

having said that there is a growing trend by many aboriginal people to embrace christianity nowadays. they see the past christian mission efforts as ignorant and restrictive practices that are not carried on today - thankfully.

many aboriginal christians nowadays embrace both god and culture and walk strongly forward - good luck to them and those who dont hold the same beliefs.
Posted by kalalli, Friday, 11 March 2005 12:04:13 PM
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I'm tempted to assail some of the ill-informed, outrageous assertions in some of the posts ...However, I have resisted the temptation to make another comment on the Article.

South African apartheid was framed after Paul Hasluck's Welfare Ordinance in the Northern Territory. The work Black or Aboriginal was not used in the description of a 'Ward' in the Ordinance ..
A ward was, "a person who is unable, without assistance to adequately manage their own affairs"

The Legislative Council proceeded to compile a register of all Aborigines in the Northern Territory where they were identified by tribal name, common name,Clan, sex and moiety. This register, commonly referred to as "The Stud Book" then became part of the Regulations under the Ordinance.

Persons who were identified in that register, had their lives controlled by the Welfare Department.

The Permit system which exists today does not equate with apartheid.
A person wishing to visit a Community on Aboriginal Land is required to seek permission, stating the purpose of the visit as a courtesy.

I have never been denied permission when I have applied to enter Aboriginal Communities .
However, during the days of Welfare Department control, I was never granted a permit.
The Permit system is designed to provide privacy to Aboriginal people no different from the privacy you would expect on your property , A person who would enter your home without your consent is no more than an intruder.
Posted by maracas, Friday, 11 March 2005 12:29:14 PM
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It is surprising and depressing the level of mental processing, empathy and sociological understanding evident in the vast amount of respondents to Gavin Mooney's article. I find especially ironic the way people repeatedly say 'I wonder what aboriginal [sic] people would think about it' and that it is seems to be the 'territory of concerned white people'. As Gavin Mooney explained, and as I assert is the case with myself, what 'concerned white people' do is ask. It sounds simple but it has rarely prefixed policy assertions by white colonial people obsessed with their own cultural perspective, lets call them 'unconcerned white people'. The use of the lower case 'a' in Aboriginal people also indicates a lack of respect, which belies their self-professed interest in Australia's Indigenous people. There are also plenty of examples of indigenous people trying to get their voices heard but only find friends in the media if they support the free market line fundamental to corporate media.

Also the concepts that 'past disadvantage results in present day disadvantage' and that 'treating people equally when equality doesn't exist only further entrenches inequality' are clearly to difficult for most people lacking insight or empathy to comprehend. Thanks Gavin for your article.
Posted by Paulish, Friday, 11 March 2005 2:44:10 PM
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