Modern Aboriginal Issues

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Modern Aboriginal Issues

The first Europeans to settle Australia treated the Aboriginals in a brutal, unfair manor. They downgraded Aboriginals to a lower status as human beings. They tried to force the Aboriginals to conform to the western way of life for more than 200 years. It is only fairly recently that the Aboriginals have finally been able to gain back some of their indigenous rights and traditions.

Yet they are still deficient in many areas. The land that their ancestors held has not all been returned to them, they struggle to meet the requirements of western education systems, and they have a very limited access to health care. In spite of these problems, many aboriginals are working to better themselves and their community. It will just take time for the western and Aboriginal cultures to merge into the one final Australian society

Introduction

The Aboriginal people have undergone much change and turmoil in the 220 years since the British first started a colony. They have seen their land and their freedom stripped away. The Aboriginal people are slowly regaining ground after two centuries of unfair political and social treatment. How far have Aboriginal people come, and how far do they have to go, before they will truly be equal citizens?

To answer this question, one must first look at how they were forced to the bottom of the ladder. Next, some of the recent changes that have occurred in government policy and social acceptance will be looked at. Finally, education and health care as faced by the Aboriginals in their lives daily will be discussed.

History

The problems facing Aboriginals today are many an...

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