January 26th 1930 was the 150th anniversary of the First Fleet in Australia. For the whites it was a day to celebrate but for the Indigenous people of Australia it was a day to mourn. It was a day to mourn the loss of their country, their freedom and self-determination. This day was the first time Aboriginal activist groups from different states had fully cooperated, “it was, therefore, the first national Aboriginal civil rights gathering and represents the most clearly identifiable beginning of the contemporary Aboriginal political movement” (L). For the non-indigenous Australians, the protest seemed to be out of the blue, little did they know the political activity that climaxed on the Day of Mourning in Sydney had been building up for some …show more content…
By organising the Day of Mourning to coincide with the sesquicentenary it attested an effective way to draw attention to the injustices the Indigenous population were facing due to the European settlement. The Prime Minister at the time Joseph Lyons congregated with the organisers of the protest, but nothing practical resulted(L). After the Day of Mourning there was a growing feeling that it should become a regular occurrence. From 1940 until 1955, the Day of Mourning was held annually the Sunday before Australia Day, it was known as Aborigines Day. (J) Major Aboriginal organisations, state and federal governments and church groups were all in support of the formation of National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC). In 1975 it was decided that NADOC should cover a whole week of the year. Today NADOC has expanded to recognise Torres Strait Islanders and has now become National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC). NAIDOC week is a time to celebrate and recognise the culture, achievements and contributions of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait …show more content…
In these towns aboriginals were frequently barred from clubs, swimming pools, cafes and were refused service in shops. The aim was to point out and help lessen the socially discriminatory barriers which existed between the Aboriginal and the white populations. They also aimed to support the aboriginal people to resist the discrimination. The students formed a body called the Students Action for Aboriginals (SAFA), this was done to plan the trip and ensure there would be media coverage so other students could see the discrimination for themselves. Charles Perkins, an Arrente man, was elected as president of the SAFA. The students were shocked when confronted with the living conditions which Aboriginal people endured. The students demonstrated against racial discrimination practised at Walgett Returned Services League, the Moree Baths (Figure 1), the Kempsey Baths and the Boraville picture theatre (F). They ensured that every that reports of the discrimination were broadcasted on television for the rest of the population to view. The footage exposed prevailing racism, and shocked city viewers, which added pressure on the government. “The news coverage punctured Australian smugness, borne of ignorance, that racism did not exist in Australia” (F). The coverage exposed the racial discrimination happening in Australia to the world. One positive
December 11th is not a date many Australians want to remember. But why? Because Australians don't condone racism or because they don't accept it is a great part of their society and history?
This led to planning of a fact-facing trip to Western New South Wales towns so students could see for themselves the conditions of life for Aboriginal People. The students had formed into a body called Student Action for Aborigines (SAFA) in 1964 to plan this trip and ensure media coverage. This group including Charles Perkins, one of the two only Aboriginal students at the University at the time. He was a third year arts students and he was then elected as president of SAFA. The students ensured their protests were covered by the media, bringing the issue of racial discrimination to national and international press attention, and stirring public debate about the disadvantages and racism facing Aboriginal people across Australia at the time. At a time when racism was seen by many Australians as issues experienced by other countries such as South Africa or the southern states of the USA, University of Sydney Students decided to awaken the community to the reality of Australia’s racism and conditions of life for Aboriginal people in country New South
Over the years Australia has had many different problems with racism and racism affecting peoples’ lives. Many racial groups have been affected, most significantly the Aboriginals. The end of world war two in 1945 marked a huge change in types of racism. Australia went from the ‘superior’ white Australians dominating over immigrants and aboriginals. To a relatively multicultural and accepting society that is present today.
The protest began with a “silent protest from the Town Hall to the Australian Hall” (AIATSIS, n.d.), attended by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. However, this march was delayed significantly due to the Australia day celebrations
Key events in Aboriginal Australian history stem from the time Australia was first discovered in 1788. For instance, when Federation came into existence in 1901, there was a prevailing belief held by non Aboriginal Australians that the Aborigines were a dying race (Nichol, 2005:259) which resulted in the Indigenous people being excluded from the constitution except for two mentions – Section 127 excluded Aborigines from the census and Section 51, part 26, which gave power over Aborigines to the States rather than to the Federal Government. Aboriginal people were officially excluded from the vote, public service, the Armed Forces and pensions. The White Australia mentality/policy Australia as “White” and unfortunately this policy was not abolished until 1972. REFERENCE
Struggles by Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people for recognition of their rights and interests have been long and arduous (Choo & Hollobach: 2003:5). The ‘watershed’ decision made by the High Court of Australia in 1992 (Mabo v Queensland) paved the way for Indigenous Australians to obtain what was ‘stolen’ from them in 1788 when the British ‘invaded’ (ATSIC:1988). The focus o...
In the nineteenth century, the “History wars” became the fight between the most prominent historians revolving around the deception of frontier conflict between the labor and coalition. The debate aroused from the different interpretations of the violence that took place during the European colonization and to what degree. It became a crisis in history, emerging from the dispossession of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) that resulted in exclusion of their traditions and culture. The ATSI were the first people of Australia that brought along a different culture, language, kinship structures and a different way of life (Face the Facts, 2012). Post European colonization was a time where the ATSI people experienced disadvantage in the land they called home. With the paramount role as future educators, it demands proficient knowledge on the Australian history and one of the most influential moments in our history started from the first European settlers.
In 1961, the US Freedom Rides was quite a significant event that is still remembered by many Americans and African-Americans today. It was the time when racial discrimination and segregation had existed and has had an immense effect and impact on African-Americans. Yet, it had ended after a lot of hard work protesting, campaigning in different areas of America and thanks to some key events that had also helped along with these including the Birmingham Campaign and Martin Luther King Jr’s activism. This event of the United States however is a lot similar to events that had occurred in Australia at the time and is considered to be an inspiration to Aboriginal activism and protest in Australia. The event that took place for the Aboriginal activism
Aboriginal soldiers returned to their country where they had no citizenship rights, controlled by the government policies which prevented them from living in towns, socialising with other Australians and voting. This is evident in phrases such as, “He returned to the outback, no mates did he find. If he had a beer he was jailed and then fined,” and, “Confused and alone he wandered around, Looking for work though none could be found. The Anzac marches he badly neglected, Would show to his comrades how he was rejected.” This informs the reader about how the Aboriginal soldiers did not receive the same benefits as the European soldiers did, even though they made the same sacrifices during the
The rights and freedoms achieved in Australia in the 20th and 21st century can be described as discriminating, dehumanising and unfair against the Indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australians have achieved rights and freedoms in their country since the invasion of the English Monarch in 1788 through the exploration and development of laws, referendums and processes. Firstly, this essay will discuss the effects of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on the Indigenous Australians through dehumanising and discriminating against them. Secondly, this essay will discuss how Indigenous Australians gained citizenship and voting
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 ...
Since the time of federation the Aboriginal people have been fighting for their rights through protests, strikes and the notorious ‘day of mourning’. However, over the last century the Australian federal government has generated policies which manage and restrained that of the Aboriginal people’s rights, citizenships and general protection. The Australian government policy that has had the most significant impact on indigenous Australians is the assimilation policy. The reasons behind this include the influences that the stolen generation has had on the indigenous Australians, their relegated rights and their entitlement to vote and the impact that the policy has had on the indigenous people of Australia.
This includes National Aboriginal Month and National Aboriginal Day (June 21), which recognize Aboriginal Arts, Culture and contributions such as how the Aboriginals aided the allies in WW1. Moreover, Aboriginals had also been given the right to vote in 1960 via the government of John Diefenbaker. Additionally, in 1982, the Constitution Act specifically recognized the rights of the native people. However, Aboriginal people have still not recovered from the events which happened in the past and some are still treated with
This presentation is about Charles Perkins, an Australian Aboriginal Activist. This presentation will outline who he is, why he promoted change, his roles, the outcomes of his actions and the people who benefited from his actions. This presentation focuses on Charles Perkins actions gaining rights and freedoms for Australian Aboriginals, mainly focusing on the freedom ride. Australian Aboriginal activist, Charles Perkins, had a significant impact and effect on the rights and freedoms of Indigenous Australians mainly in NSW but also Australian wide from 1963 to 1972 through organising the freedom riders and participating in other organisations and activities for Australian Aboriginals. Charles Perkins has done many things to help in the fight for rights and freedom for Australian Aboriginals. One of the main things he did was organise and lead the freedom ride in 1965. There were various reasons as to why Charles Perkins promoted change, but that fact that he experienced the discrimination and poor treatment of Aboriginals first hand definitely made his motives stronger. He had many roles in the fight for rights and freedom for Aboriginals, but one of his main positions was co-organising and leading the freedom ride in 1965. The main outcomes of his actions, was he helped gain rights and freedom for the Indigenous Australians.
Summary of Text: ‘The Redfern Address’ is a speech that was given to a crowd made up of mainly indigenous Australians at the official opening of the United Nations International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples in Redfern Park, New South Wales. This text deals with many of the challenges that have been faced by Indigenous Australians over time, while prompting the audience to ask themselves, ‘How would I feel?’ Throughout the text, Keating challenges the views of history over time, outlines some of the outrageous crimes committed against the Indigenous community, and praises the indigenous people on their contribution to our nation, despite the way they have been treated.