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Aboriginal history and culture
Aboriginal history and culture
Aboriginal history and culture
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Geoffrey Blainey is one of the most prominent historian in Australian. He was once described by Professor Graeme Davison, the Head of Historical Studies in Monash University as the most prolific, wide-ranging, and controversial of Australia's living historians (Davison, Hirst & Macintyre 2001, p. 74). Born in Melbourne on 11th March 1930, Blainey was graduated from the University of Melbourne, the same university where he was held the Dean of the Faculty of Art during his controversial speech in 1984 which resulted Blainey being the subject to threats of violence and eventually resigned from the position. He has published close to 40 books between 1954 to 2015 and his works on shaping the major themes of Australian history are hailed by Allsop …show more content…
Allsop (2010) reports that Blainey’s first book does not contain footnotes, which is regarded as path-breaking and he soon developed a widely imitated method of relegating his references to the back of the volume and keying them to the text without forbidding numerical superscripts or unnecessary formalities. However, that is only a trivia of his characteristics where he always challenges conventional views. Throughout his career, his is well-known for his engagement in Australian History Wars and views on Asian immigration. In this essay, we will examine his involvement and contribution in Australian history and economics which he famously stirred …show more content…
Blainey believed that much of the Australian have been focusing on the unfair treatment, massacre and the death of Aboriginal people, which he referred as the 'black armband view’ in one of his speech in 1993 (Barns 2003). Blainey (1993) explains that the term ‘black armband view’ is a metaphor of mourning and grieving, especially towards killing, exploitation and stealing of lands by the British. In contrast, people who believe that everything came after convict era was good is taunted as ‘Three Cheers’ view and others referred it a ‘white blindfold’ where people were blind by white supremacy (Convict Creations 2000). Blainey (1993) criticizes Left wing historian Manning Clark for spreading glooming view and claimed that it was unnecessary for being too sympathetic to Australia's indigenous population. Ironically, it was Blainey who first launched the book about Aboriginal’s history in Triumph of the Nomads in the 1970s which during that time, he was criticised by Sydney Morning Herald for being sympathetic to the indigenous people. Also, Clark could not agree with many of Blainey’s views and described it as an attempt to silence him (Allsop
Growing up, Bennett was surrounded by confronting images of Indigenous Australians causing harm or acting violent towards people, therefore, this is how Gordon Bennett viewed and was taught to believe that this is what Aboriginals were like. Bennett was not told about his mixed heritage until his teenage years, finding out that he was half Anglo-Celtic and half Aboriginal. Gordon Bennett’s artwork ‘Self-portrait (but I always wanted to be one of the good guys) (1990) questions the stereotypes that white Australians give to the rightful owners of Australia. Bennett’s artwork confronts the racism and discrimination suffered by Indigenous Australians by translating Colin McCahon’s work ‘Victory over Death’ (1970). Bennett uses the phrase “I AM” which is accompanied by the phrase, ‘I am light, I am dark’ this phrase means that Bennett has not taken a “side” to the argument and is proud of his mixed heritage. The use of white and black show the segregation that these stereotypes create, with white being the more dominant colour it shows how many people are “against” the Indigenous Australians. Through the visual features and the context of identity it is shown that Bennett has successfully appropriated the work of
Eddie Mabo is widely known for his plight to regain land rights for both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In 1982, along with four other Meriam people from Murray Island, he initiated legal proceedings in the Queensland Supreme Court claiming customary ownership of their lands on Murray Island. This original claim was rejected by the Supreme Court, but rather than backing down Mabo chose to present his case to the High Court of Australia. The basis of his case explores how “’Australia’ is morally illegitimate to the extent that it is founded on European denial of the continent’s prior ownership by indigenous people…” (Rowse, 1994)
The contributions and achievements of Indigenous role models continue to make substantial impacts upon our history in areas such as the arts, sport, education, science and more increasingly; the world of Politics. Modern Australia is recognising and celebrating the achievements of Aboriginal people more than ever before, where the social landscape is changing (albeit slowly) as a result. The gradual change of peoples ingrained preconceptions, unfounded ideas and prejudiced notions are being challenged and ultimately transformed.
The main theme of A Prayer for Owen Meany is religious faith -- specifically, the relationship between faith and doubt in a world in which there is no obvious evidence for the existence of God. John writes on the first page of the book that Owen Meany is the reason that he is a Christian, and ensuing story is presented as an explanation of the reason why. Though the plot of the novel is quite complicated, the explanation for Owen's effect on Johnny's faith is extremely simple; Owen's life is a miracle -- he has supernatural visions and dreams, he believes that he acts as God's instrument, and he has divine foresight of his own death -- and offers miraculous and almost undeniable evidence of God's existence. The basic thematic shape of the novel is that of a tension being lifted, rather than a tension being resolved; Johnny struggles throughout the book to resolve his religious faith with his skepticism and doubt, but at the novel's end he is not required to make a choice between the two extremes: Owen's miraculous death obviates the need to make a choice, because it offers evidence that banishes doubt. Yet Johnny remains troubled, because Owen's sacrificial death (he dies to save the lives of a group of Vietnamese children) seems painfully unfair. Johnny is left with the problem of accepting God's will. In the end, he invests more faith in Owen himself than he invests in God -- he receives two visitations from Owen beyond the grave -- and he concludes the novel by making Owen something of a Prince of Peace, asking God to allow Owen's resurrection and return to Earth.
Maestro by Peter Goldsworthy provides an insight into 1960s/70s Australia and helps reinforce common conceptions about Australian culture. One common conception Goldsworthy reinforces in this text is Australia’s increasing acceptance of multiculturalism. Maestro, set in the 1960s to 1970s, shows Australians growing more accepting and tolerant of other cultures. This shift in perspective was occurring near the end of the White Australia/Assimilation Policy, which was phased out in the late 1970s/early 1980s. An example of this shifted perspective in Maestro is Paul’s father’s opinion about living in Darwin:
Bollard, R. (2013). In the shadow of Gallipoli the hidden history of Australia in World War I. [EBL]. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com.au/
Poet, journalist, essayist, and novelist Richard Wright developed from an uneducated Southerner to one of the most cosmopolitan, politically active writers in American literature. In many of Richard Wright's works, he exemplifies his own life and proves to “white” America that African American literature should be taken seriously. Before Wright, “white” America failed to acknowledge the role African American writing played in shaping American culture. It was shocking in itself that an African American could write at all. Thus, Richard Wright is well known as the father of African American literature mainly because of his ability to challenge the literary stereotypes given to African Americans.
In this opinion piece, the writer, Dick Smith emotional expresses and exerts the “truth” of Australia Day, suggesting it should be named First Fleet Day contrastingly. Throughout the article Smith strongly expresses his stance on the issue, and attempts to persuade the reader by noting how the day of celebration traditionally makes Aboriginals feel. Smith’s tone is ever changing during the duration of the piece, changing to a more emotive and respectful tone when talking about the Aboriginals and what they have done to “nurture and sustain” our country. As Smith changes arguments as does his tone, when establishing his clear and coherent view point, his tone is very forthright and blunt. Readers of this piece are positioned to both understand
Gard, S. (2000). A history of Australia. The Colony of New South Wales. South Yarra: MacMillan Education Australia Pty Ltd.
Australian indigenous culture is the world’s oldest surviving culture, dating back sixty-thousand years. Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders have been represented in a myriad of ways through various channels such as poetry, articles, and images, in both fiction and non-fiction. Over the years, they have been portrayed as inferior, oppressed, isolated, principled and admirable. Three such texts that portray them in these ways are poems Circles and Squares and Grade One Primary by Ali Cobby Eckermann, James Packer slams booing; joins three cheers for footballer and the accompanying visual text and Heywire article Family is the most important thing to an islander by Richard Barba. Even though the texts are different as ….. is/are …., while
Within Australia, beginning from approximately the time of European settlement to late 1969, the Aboriginal population of Australia experienced the detrimental effects of the stolen generation. A majority of the abducted children were ’half-castes’, in which they had one white parent and the other of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. Following the government policies, the European police and government continued the assimilation of Aboriginal children into ‘white’ society. Oblivious to the destruction and devastation they were causing, the British had believed that they were doing this for “their [Aborigines] own good”, that they were “protecting” them as their families and culture were deemed unfit to raise them. These beliefs caused ...
This differing form of peace, not one born from war but from history, is nonetheless as potent a form. Pearson’s polemic speech demands the intellectual respect from his audience through establishing an academic authority by the constant referencing of politicians and scholars to construct, support and maintain his argument. His goal is unambiguous throughout; “how Australian’s should respond to the past” and his quest for “a unifying search for common ground” is clear. This forthright approach to the issue pinpoints Pearson’s objectives and appeals to logos through its simple and straightforward approach. Once this is establish a logical and cohesive structure to present a sustained argument throughout the speech is utilised to allow for a continuation of the intellectual appeal. This structure is often simple, as uncomplicated as “firstly… secondly…” or slightly more complex in Pearson’s use of hypophora in “how do we as Indigenous people respond to the legacy of colonialism and that brutal, troubled, culture by which we are disposed?” it is this rhetoric device which resonates with his academic audience and allows them to connect with the speech’s ideas. The obstacles to Pearson’s evident goal are outlined in “Guilt Industry. Black Armband. Political Correctness. These are lines that resonate. They work on the evening news grabs… the radio airwaves... we end up with this brain damaged dialogue… passing for public debate” highlighted in short, sharp sentences which presents his dialectic succinctly. This engages his intellectual audience through its direct nature and inspires them to believe in Pearson’s goal and take action for his
Many events during Charles Perkins life contributed to his values and beliefs encouraging him to embark on the fight for Aboriginal rights and thus helping to shape Australian society. Growing up he suffered racial vilification and was treated as a second-class citizen. Charles show...
The history of Australia has been altered through multiculturalism. As Carter explains, “Histories of different ethnic groups – the Chinese, Germans, Scandinavians and so forth – have appeared with increasing regularity in recent decades” (348). Australia no longer has the same relationship to a British heritage (Carter 347). More information uncovers the interracial mixing of Indigenous and Asian, European and non-European, etc. Multiculturalism, furthermore, is allowing Australia to break away from its racist and isolationist history (Carter 348). While this is positive, multiculturalism may be a form of ‘nationalist triumphalism. Ien Ang
For more than 60000 years, Aboriginal people have been lived with in the land called “Australia” with out invasion from outside world. However, from 1788 when European first came and settled on the land of Aboriginal as their new habitation which change the Aboriginal people life in many ways. The purpose of this report is to research and discuss about changing of Aboriginal people life after the arrival of the first fleet of European in 1788. This report will discuss the changing of the Aboriginal life from 1788 to 1901, which includes dispossession and protectionism. It will also highlight the struggle for right and freedom of Aboriginal people from 1901 to the present including Assimilation, Integration and Self-determination. In addition, it will identify role and achievement of Chatty Freeman and who influence Aboriginal’s culture to the forefront of society.