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Aboriginal Studies

Home > Aboriginal Studies > Heritage & Identity > Heritage and identity

Heritage and Identity

Welcome Contemporary Aspects Legislation & policies Non-Aboriginal responses	Contemporary aspects of Aboriginal heritage and identity OUTCOMES H2.2 examines contemporary expressions of Aboriginal culture, heritage and identity H2.3 discusses and analyses consequences of colonisation on contempoary Aboriginal cultural, political, social and economic life H3.2 evaluates the impact of key government policies legislation and judicial processes on the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal peoples and communities   Resistance, political struggle and activism/protest The 1960s in Australia saw a lot of change;  but most Aboriginal people in the early twenty-first century might argue that the changes have not achieved enough nor come quickly enough, to alleviate the position of Aboriginal people within Australian society today. The demand for justice and equality by Australia's Indigenous people has been a long hard struggle. Many non-Indigenous people have also lent their support by either protesting alongside Aboriginal people or have contributed much to Australian society by their writing. People such as Judith Wright winner of Australia's most prestigious literary awards for poetry, and Oodgeroo Noonuccal known for her literary achievements, awarded an MBS for community work, are just two well known people. Oodgeroo who was a prominent campaigner during the 1967 Referendum and Judith Wright were best friends. Gough Whitlam in 1975, poured sand into Vincent Lingiari's hands to demonstrate the handing back of his land. Harold Thomas designed the Aboriginal Flag, after responding to Aboriginal leaders and activists who believed Aboriginal people needed to be united and have a sense of identity. The 1960s saw an incredible change with people such as Charles Perkins who was involved in the Freedom Rides in 1965, Chick Dixon, Joe McGinness, Faith Bandler, Pastor Dough Nicholls  and Pat O'Shane, who with many others, worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Indigenous people throughout Australia. These people may well believe there is still a lot to be done if Reconciliation between all Australians is to be achieved. To understand how and why Aboriginal peoples needed to protest and highlight  their treatment since the time of colonisation to the present, its important to know how and why this movement began to grow. The protest movement saw a change in the twentieth century from open warfare,  to more organised methods of protests. Aboriginal people have achieved incredible change, and acknowledgment from many Australians of past and present wrongs. The overwhelming response to the May, 2000 Reconciliation  walk  across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, is an example of this. This walk highlighted how Australian people feel about the unjust treatment Aboriginal people have received in the past. As a result of many protests Aboriginal peoples in the late twentieth century have brought about much change as they have fought injustice and inequality. The methods of protest are many from bark petitions, strikes, and sit-ins which demanded attention from the media, and highlighted to Australians the world plight of Australia's indigenous population. In the early Twenty-first century, the Mirrar people, from Kakadu in the Northern Territory are till fighting the Jabiluka and Ranger Uranium mine proposal.  The following timeline indicates how dedicated Aboriginal people are to the cause of bringing change to their lives.   Timeline 1962 After many years of struggle, Aboriginal people in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia are given the same rights as other Aboriginal people throughout Australia. 1963 Yirrkala reserve reduced from 35,000 to 300 hectares. Bark petition of the Yolgnu people written in Gamatj language. This petition stated that there were sacred sites which Nabalco would destroy if mining was to go ahead.   1965 Freedom Rides through New South Wales with Charles Perkins and Reverend Ted Noffs to highlight the discrimination practised in north western New South Wales and to end the segregation in picture theatres and public baths. 1966 Wave Hill strike about the exploitation of Gurindji people. Vincent Lingiari stated "the issue on which we are protesting is neither purely economic nor political  but moral; on August, 1966 the Gurindji tribe decided to cease to live like dogs". By camping on their traditional land at Wattie Creek the Gurindji were defying the law. This strike developed into a land claim at Daguragu. Gough Whitlam symbolically handed back their land in 1975 when he poured the dirt into Vincent Lingiari's hand. This action is regarded as the beginning of the land right movement. 1967 In the 1967 Referendum Aboriginal people were included in the Australian Census and the Commonwealth Government was given power to make laws regarding Aboriginal people. Oodgeroo of the Noonuccal peoples, played a major role in the achieving the Yes vote for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples. Ninety-three percent of Australians voted yes for Aboriginal people in this Referendum. 1967 The Exemption Certificate or dog licence as Aboriginal people called it was done away with. 1971 Harold Thomas created the Aboriginal flag, which appeared as a symbol of Aboriginal resistance to dominance by white Australian governments.  1972 The Tent Embassy was constructed on the lawn of Parliament  House. This was the result of Justice Blackburn's decision on the Yirrkala's claim of ownership of their traditional lands and the frustration about land rights, self determination and sovereignty. 1975 Gough Whitlam symbolically hands back land when he poured the dirt into Vincent Lingiari's hand. This action is regarded as the beginning of the land rights movement.  Racial Discrimination Act. Neville Bonner is the first Aboriginal federal member of parliament. In 1975 the Senate passed unanimously a motion that indigenous people of Australia were in possession of this entire nation prior to 1788. 1976 The Aboriginal Land Rights Bill was passed by Federal Parliament to implement some recommendations of the Woodward Commission which examined land rights in the Northern Territory. Aboriginal people could now claim reserves and Crown Land where traditional attachment could be proven. 1977 Wiradjiri prosecute Australia and British Governments for unlawful dispossession.   1978 The Aboriginal Land Rights Act was proclaimed. Aboriginal people regained ownership of some of their traditional land in the Northern Territory. The first meeting of the newly established Northern Land Council and Central Land Council were held. Pat O'Shane became the first Aboriginal person to graduate in law to become a barrister. 1982 Protest at Commonwealth Games, Queensland by the Murris people 1988 Uluru (Ayres Rock) and Katatjuta (Mount Olgas) repossessed by traditional owners. 1988 March for justice, freedom and hope in Sydney on 26th January. 1989 ATSIC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission established. 1991 The Reconciliation Act was passed unanimously by Federal Parliament. The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation began. 1992 Eddie Mabo and the Meriam people win their struggle in the High Court for recognition of Native Title in Common Law. The Mabo decision was important for all Australia because legally terra nullius was overturned. The Redfern Statement delivered by Prime Minister Paul Keeting. 1993 The Native Tittle Bill passed and Eddie Mabo named Australian of the Year. 1996 The Wik and Thayore peoples fight for their rights to be able to stay on their lands, which were leased to Pastoralists. The Wik decision allowed co-existence with pastoral leases. 1997 Dr Wollard, acknowledged the fact that poverty and disease were the result of invasion and dispossession. 1998 Two thousand five hundred people from across Australia formed a blockade at Jabiluka mine, in support of the Mirrar people. The Mirrar owners, believe that mining will have detrimental effects on their society. 2000 The Reconciliation walk in May, across the Harbour Bridge in Sydney was a great success. Hundreds of people walked in support for Reconciliation between Indigenous and non Indigenous peoples. Eye witnesses claimed that people were involved even when they were on crutches and in wheel chairs. This day was a great success as train drivers blew their whistles, planes wrote the word Sorry in the sky and there was a great demonstration of reconciliation between Australians.