Yuyutsu,

That is close to the most ignorant comment I've ever heard. Of course, it was common even in the earliest days for Aboriginal people - what you might call 'full-blood', but were known as 'Aboriginal natives' in those days, to take the name of a white farmer or pastoralist who they worked for. Blokes who weren't even related sometimes took the same surname from the farmer they worked for: this is confusing even now because people think they are related when they may not be, and therefore are quite able to marry, for example.

In most southern communities, the great majority of people would have what you call English names. It doesn't necessarily indicate non-Aboriginal ancestry at all. Even if it does, so what ?

Stephen Hagan's suggestion of a national register is long, long overdue. Back after Mabo, and the Native Title Act, I knocked up an article suggesting that people might have to register across Australia in accordance with their 'national' or clan groups if they could find them out, in order to be identified as entitled to make Native Title claims.

In case any Indigenous people are reading, and interested, get in touch with the SA Museum Indigenous Collections Unit on (08) 8207 7375: back in 1938-1941, Norman Tindale visited every community in Australia, photographed whoever he could, took down their family trees, etc. There would be a mountain, certainly a room-full of information there. This Collection is now in the SA Museum: so ask - and don't let them fob you off, keep ringing and asking - how you can apply to see your grandparents' family tree and other details. A goldmine ! I can't do it because I'm not Indigenous, so no relations there. Good luck ! Keep Trying !

Joe

Dear Joe,

History is history, but if a contemporary person of aboriginal ancestry, regardless how s/he was called at birth, continues to go by an English name, especially as their first name, that implies that they prefer the English/Western culture and shows contempt for their aboriginal heritage. They are no longer aboriginal because they defected and took sides with their conquerors. If they regret that decision, then the first thing they need to do is to relinquish their English name and choose a traditional one instead.

Hi Joe,

One area of common ground we share is that any individual assistance should be needs based, and not racially based, as it applies to society in general. That is not to say umbrella organisations or some particular indigenous groups should not receive assistance to future good social objectives.
The welfare hand out still has to be in place to support those who are unsupported, but should not be the primary focus of assistance. In the past government made the mistake, and it was easy for them to do, of handing out welfare without any goal of self improvement for indigenous people.

cont

cont,

I know what you are saying about names, my partners surname is that of an English government official from the 1840's. not actually a relation, there is some confusion as an American whaler had the same surname, and he was involved with Maori women, maybe the official was getting a bit on the side as well. Some in the family spell it as in English, others use a te reo version She has two first names, an English name, given by her school teachers at age five, and her real Maori name. Anything Maori, language, names etc was not acceptable in schools in the early 1950's, a smack on the legs from school teachers (including Maori teachers) for speaking Maori which was a no no. My partner could legally have four different names. And to confuse even more he first name in Maori is two words. When she came home from school the first day upset that the teacher had given her a new name, and pinned it on her chest, and told her to wear her new name everyday. All her mother said in Maori to her was "(Maori Name) we will call you (English name) from now on, that is the way of things, and your English name is a very nice name, now go get the firewood." There is always an up side "T" sometimes swapped her school lunch of takakau bread and jam, with one pf the few white children for a corn beef sandwich, a real wheeler and dealer in those days.
Bread making is still common today. takakau bread, fry bread, yeast bread, as is boil up, raw fish, smoked fish and hangi (special occasions only).

Yuyutsu,

Ah, the bloke at the back of the stand, yelling out advice to the umpie - that's you, is it ? I wondered who could be such an idiot.

Hi Paul,

Yes, welfare is necessary until people get on their feet, Black or White. I was just discussing this very point with a friend, that in the early days (at least in SA) able-bodied people were expected to take advantage of the law protecting their rights to hunt and fish and gather, and were provided with fishing gear, boats, etc to make it easier, so that they would not depend on rations - welfare - all their lives. Somehow, that sensible principle got lost, around mid-20th-century.

Yeah, I've a couple of lovely Maori nieces and each of them have a two- or three-word first name - that's Ngapuhi for you, always got to be bigger. I'm not sure if one's name - English, Aboriginal or Maori - makes all that much difference to one's identity: as you say, people often have many more than one name, especially women for some reason. I have a brother-in-law who is called by five different names, depending on which sibling or relation, or stranger, is talking to him. And all equally valid, of course, that's who he is.

Often Aboriginal people have a nickname and it can take a while to discover their 'real' name, perhaps even some of their close friends don't know it. I had a wonderful brother-in-law who was called Jack, but his 'real' name was Robert - of course, some siblings called him Rob Roy, or Bob. Or Jackeroo :) Lovely, lovely bloke, taken far too young.

In the early days,

[TBC]

The most important thing to go into the treaty is a worded passage that this is the end no more extra anything, no more apologies, no more land grabs.