Oliver ,
I know plenty of Aboriginal people that happily live in two worlds and perform well in both .

They understand and speak two "languages".

On your the visit to the dentist ,I believe it's not the blacks ,it's us whites that need the visit .....to remove that rotten racist tooth that has been poisoning our attitudes to Indigenous people for over 100 years .

Oliver, we differ at the core issue. You say the Aborigine are an enclave trapped from entering the broader community of Australia by reason of history and cultural design, especially the interdependence in clan or tribal societies. I say that the Aborigine are not by design or natural mentality enclave or isolationistic but rather are through the use of state and national policy and an aggressive dominating cultural influence been kept from any social acceptance and integration, and especially with the use of reserves to maintain that separation and distinct society monitored and enforced by the Government of Australia. I really do think that if you want to make peace with a people and heal old wounds it's best to stop doing the same old behavior, especially if that behavior is full on management of their existence.

Aquarivs,

Contrarily, I agree with much that you say, but feel one can highlight one side of the balance sheet. Instead, I feel we need to change and be actively involved.

We might differ on clan societies whether clan-based societies tend to be exclusive or not: You the latter, me the former.

In the '50s, Margaret Mead described Irish farming “primitive”, because the Landed of the Emerald Isle, didn’t leave sections of land to fallow. Perhaps, not exactly PC, but she was making an anthropological remark not having a dig [ahem] at the farmers. To be more productive alternatives need/needed* to be shown to the farmers and explained by an external party and the farmers need/needed to adapt: The farmers’ environment would become more productive through adaptation. Albeit, the farmers would have the right to retain past practices for sociological reasons; but, the result would be to stay poorer than had they embraced the alternative.

* Don’t know current situation.

kartiya jim,

“I know plenty of Aboriginal people that happily live in two worlds and perform well in both” -kj

Not enough folk have made the adjustment, though. We need to do better. It is racism and clan exclusivity that need to be addressed.

An exercise if you will, please: Name three things “each” party must do to achieve rapprochement, then unification.

Sir Vivor,

A society needs to adopt cultural systems that fit the ecological environment. The Australian environment is ecologically hostile to exclusive clans. Likewise, were the typical corporate high flyer transported to the Simpson Dessert, the skill-set would not fit the new circumstance.

If white babies were born into a tribe in a tribal era, then it would wise for the white parents to teach the child ecologically appropriate survival skills. For much of the 60,000 years that Australia has been occupied by humans, whites in earlier civilizations have done exactly that, else other whites would not be here

Jolanda, what is the point of providing better schools for the Aboriginal kids when their dopey parents don't take the time to make sure that they attend the schools which are currently provided.

To other commentators, what is the point of providing good housing when soon after they move in, the houses are being torn apart.

VK3AUU. I am not Aboriginal, I come from a good middle class area and I have a great husband and 4 wonderful children and I have had trouble getting my children to school. Some years it has been a nightmare. I can understand the difficulties presented to these fellow mothers. It is hard enough when life is good to get your children to school some days, imagine how hard it would be if things were bad.

Imagine if your child had to live in disadvantaged surroundings and attend a disadvantaged school. A school that is achieving outcomes so low that they are not counted with the others and pretty much render most of them illiterate. Imagine if your child felt they were often treated with disdain at school. Imagine if your child hated it.

School is not a place where all children feel respected, accepted and safe, as individuals, and many children do not respond well.

It isn’t easy for a parent to force a child to go to school day after day when the child doesn’t feel validated, protected, accepted and safe. I know it made my children sick and they took alot of time off school.

It is sad that some children would probably feel more accepted, protected, happier and safe in the streets than in our schools.

Oliver ,
On your "rapprochement" for Black and White and Other Australians ,I think that WE SHALL AGREE TO :

1. A United Nations sponsored TREATY that gives real benefits for Aboriginal People,the settlement of LAND OWNERSHIP and with it an end to the unfairness of their present social condition.

2.The Compulsory comprehensive learning of Australian English and the nearest local FULL WORKING Aboriginal Language .

3.The Federal Government to make Australia Day and Invasion Day TWO public holidays.

4.And as sport is so important for most of us, I believe in the unifying effect of a unique Australian Aboriginal "HAKA" to be sung along with,or as an alternative to our present National Anthem at International Sporting Competitions;for a start in competitions with the All BLACKS and our other Pacific Neighbours.

IT would be a small but very significant step in the acceptance of our shared history and a song we could sing with pride,one day .

We have "unfinished Business" with our Aboriginal Brothers and Sisters that needs SERIOUS and URGENT ATTENTION now .