Aborigines in Australia Essays - 2829 Words

Aborigines in Australia Foreword: The aborigines in Australia have been the subject of controversy and attention towards the end of the 20th century because of their maltreatment in the hands of their British colonizers and continued persecution in a land they rightfully own. Their rich culture, which dates back to the Ice and Stone Age, is near extinction because of the oppression they suffered through time. In spite of the odds, however, the remaining children of this near extinct but proud race are fighting valiantly to survive and preserve their proof of existence in a world dominated by educated and civilized people. This essay analyzes the plight of this minority group in three†¦show more content†¦Comprising of some 500 tribes, their culture are linked by totemism, or affinity to an animal, plant or cosmical phenomena, with several tribes belonging to one totem but may have varied languages (Reidlinger, 1996). Hence, social order and relations were based on the specific social rules and laws of the totem in which they belong. In terms of religion, the Aborigines believed that all forms of life came from Creation Ancestors, referring to both animal and human kind, and that their spirits linger and dwell on mountains, rocks, and whoever disrespects the land will be turned to rock. Thus, they place reverence on the land because any damages made on it endangers the living and the sacred spirits occupying it. This fact also explains their dependence on what nature can provide rather than disrupting the natural course of nature. There were about 750,000 aborigines living in harmony until the arrival of Captain Philip in 1788 in Australia on instructions of King George III, along with some 700 prisoners. Their destination was Botany Bay, the identified site for the new convict colony of Great Britain as replacement for the American colony site they maintained when America was still under Britain. While the fleet was ordered by their government to maintain civility and conciliatory measures with natives, if ever thereShow MoreRelatedMarcia Langtons Study of the Aborigines of Australia2049 Words   |  9 Pagesan anthropologist from Australia of Australian Aborigines descent, spoke at the Berndt’s lecture in 2011. Her article, Anthropology, Politics and the Changing World of Aboriginal Australians, focuses primarily on the works of an anthropologist couple Robert and Catherine Berndt. They had completed many ethnographic studies in various areas around Australia. Langton states that their work has be en crucial in order to have a complete understanding of the Australian Aborigines’ society. The indigenousRead More No Sugar by Jack Davis: Exposes the Mistreatment of Australian Aborigines During the 1930s1372 Words   |  6 PagesToday, in the 20th Century, it is a commonly known fact in Australia, and throughout the rest of the world, that Aborigines were mistreated from since western culture first settled, and for many years after that. It is the main purpose of stage dramas to bring issues, such as the one mentioned above, and ideas about these issues to life through dramatic performances and the use of a number of various techniques. No Sugar, a revisionist text written by Jack Davis in 1985, is one of these stage dramasRead More Aboriginal History and Culture Essay716 Words   |  3 PagesAboriginal History and Culture Aborigines are believed to have lived in Australia for between 60,000 and 40,000 years, their early ancestors coming from South-East Asia. Precise population details for the period before European colonisation are unavailable, but it is estimated that there were between 300,000 and 1,000,000 Aborigines in Australia when European settlers first arrived in 1788. These natives formed approximately 500 tribes, each associated with its own language and stretch ofRead MoreThe Australian Aboriginals are the Native People of Australia745 Words   |  3 PagesAustralian past? The Australian Aboriginals are natives of Australia and have lived there for many years. The Aborigine people have roamed Australia, the free-flowing land, for years, developing many customs and aspects to an interesting culture: language, body painting, beliefs, laws, music, hunting and art. The Australian Aboriginals are the native people of Australia. They roamed the land for 40,000 years. The Indigenous Aborigines lived as nomads, hunter-gatherers, and â€Å"with a strong dependenceRead MoreThe Aborigines Protection Amending Act of 1915748 Words   |  3 PagesThe Aborigines Protection Amending Act of 1915 B) Argue against the Protection Act I have chosen to argue question B, because I am against The Protection Act. The protection act was passed in 1897, where the chief protector, who was in charges and their guarding, he was allowed to remove children from their families. In 1971 the Aboriginal Protection Act stopped. The act gave the power to remove any child without any court order nor parental consent. The act provided full control, and thereforeRead MoreThe Culture Of Aboriginal Australians1561 Words   |  7 PagesAboriginal Australians In Australia before the late eighteenth century, the native Aboriginal people’s unique culture flourished, fostering a great sense of pride within its inhabitants. The Aborigines were able to familiarize themselves with their geographical surroundings, which in turn helped them to obtain food, while simultaneously upholding their many traditional spiritual and ancestral beliefs. Many native songs, dances, and collections of art were referenced by the Aborigines in their â€Å"Dreamtime†Read MoreThe Aborigines Used Red Ochre For The Rock Carvingsxvi1321 Words   |  6 PagesThe Aborigines used a variety of art to share stories including rock carvings, body painting and ground designs which date back to more than 30,000 years ago. The Aborigines used red ochre for the rock carvingsxvi. A special place where you can see Aboriginal rock carvings is Dampier Archipelago in Western Australia where the rock carvings are thought to number in the millions. There are three main types of Aboriginal art. The first being engraved geometric figures. The second being silhouettes ofRead MoreEssay about Divine Wind - Racism546 Words   |  3 PagesDivine Wind describes an Australia that is tarnished by racism, hatred and distrust, and yet the novel ends on an optimistic note. Do you agree? The novel is set during a World War. The tension and separation of races during a war seemed evident in Australia. As a multicultural country including Japanese and Aborigine population, conflicting attitudes towards these races had to be imminent. I entirely agree with the above statement due to the unequal treatment of the aborigines, tension between theRead MoreThe Australian Invasion895 Words   |  4 PagesThe European invasion of Australia in 1780 impacted upon the lives of all the Aboriginal people that lived in and around the invaded areas. When Captain Cook landed in Australia, he declared it as Terra Nullius, and this alone gives a significant insight as to the mentality of the British and their willingness to acknowledge the Aboriginal people and the importance that the land played in their daily lives. As the invaders brought with them their laws, ideals, diseases, livestock and people, theRead MoreNatural History Of Quigley Down Under1110 Words   |  5 Pagesand anima l side of this definition, this film tells of a human civilization: the Aborigines. Quigley Down Under demonstrates Frontier ethic and the detrimental effects it has on not only animals but also people. Quigley Down Under is a 1990 Western film that was directed by Simon Wincer and produced by Stanley O’Toole. The film opens with the marksman and cowboy Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck) arriving in western Australia after seeing a newspaper advertisement looking for a proficient long distance shooter