Ttbn, people honestly identify as Indigenous: very often, the only relations they've ever known are similarly Indigenous. No, they may not be 'full-blood' but especially in the South, people have forged an adapted identity, since the early days, which they call 'Aboriginal' or 'Indigenous'. Nobody thought of them as anything else. That's how it is. That may be changing since the War, with so much inter-marriage. Get used to it.

Joe

Dearest Foxy,

In the early days, say 1973 up to the turn of the century, many courses were 'adapted' and written especially for Indigenous people - encapsulated Indigenous people, one could say. But the great majority have always enrolled in standard, mainstream courses - teachers, nurses, lawyers, dentists, doctors, conservation managers, etc. After all, there is 'Teaching', not necessarily 'Indigenous Teaching'; and 'Nursing', not 'Indigenous Nursing'; 'Medicine' rather than 'Indigenous Medicine' which involves magic, ritual, spells, etc., which most Indigenous people wanting to be doctors would rather avoid.

In colonial empires, 'adapted education' was a big deal - racist, limited and encapsulating. In Africa, the great majority of Africans tried to have nothing to do with such racist initiatives. Missions also fought like hell against them, since they knew that they blocked people from genuine skills. The 'leaders' in Indigenous education here have yet to learn those dreadful lessons. And the great majority of Indigenous students are streets ahead of their 'leaders' in their political maturity, and want nothing to do with such 'adapted' courses.

Love,

Joe

It's so good to hear that Indigenous Students are doing so
well in mainstream courses
Foxy,
We've heard that for some decades now, where are all these well-doing employed now ?

Dear Joe,

Thank You for replying to my questions and for
clearing things up for me. It makes sense that
mainstream courses are pursued that students
find relevant and that they're interested in.

Individual,

The jobs that our Indigenous people have reached
vary greatly - and they go way back.
They have contributed so much to the nation.
Here are just a few from various
professions. You may recognise some of them:

Noel Pearson, Neville Bonner, Linda Burney, Kath Walker,
Pat O'Shane, Ernie Dingo, Samantha Harris, Tanya Orman,
David Unaipon, Cathy Freeman, Bronwyn Bancroft, Adam
Goodes, Lowitja O'Donoghue, Lionel Rose, Anita Heiss,
Mick Dodson, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Lionel Rose,
Albert Namatjira, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Archie Roach,
David Gulpilil, Eddie Mabo, Vincent Lingiari,Kevin Gilbert,
Jack Davis, Sally Morgan, and many others.

There's much more on the web.

Individual,

You asked about jobs and the Indigenous...

I forgot to add that the Australian Indigenous Doctor's
Association has reported that 204 medical doctors are now
registered to practice (up from 90 in 2004). And there are
currently 310 Indigenous students studying medicine (as of
October 28, 2014). Probably more today.

Hi Individual & Foxy,

I imagine that communities need people with all manner of skills - accountants, surveyors, agriculturalists and agronomists, foresters, soil scientists, hydraulic engineers, mineralogists, marine scientists, etc., etc. i.e. a multitude of people with mainstream skills. That's if communities are genuine in wanting to do something with the enormous resources at their disposal, rather than wanting to stay on welfare for life. IF.

But the vast majority of mainstream Indigenous graduates have grown up and studied in the cities, and they will most likely stay and work in the cities. That's where the Indigenous population shift is moving to.

Vale Bonita Mabo. :(