Whilst Aboriginal Australian culture is stated as dating back 60,000 years, it is seen as having made, and continues to make, significant contributions to contemporary Australian life through the efforts of government and individuals and their respective achievements. Whilst there are many contexts in which contributions have been made, three of particular note are historical events, sport and the arts.

Historical Events

Whilst there have been many events that have taken place regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s history, there are a number that are very significant to the Australian population’s psyche. Achievements by certain people may engender a sense of pride, leading to acceptance of some people and a closer bonding with Aboriginal people generally. Examples of historical events leading to acceptance and a closer bonding with the Australian population are the 1967 and 2023 Referendums.

 

 

1967 and 2023 Referenda

On Saturday 27 May 1967, Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the Constitution to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people and include them in the Census of Population and Housing conducted by the ABS, commencing with the Census that was to take place in 1971. The question that was put to the voters was:

Do you approve the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'An Act to alter the Constitution so as to omit certain words relating to the people of the Aboriginal race in any state and so that Aboriginals are to be counted in reckoning the population'?

The proposed law (Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967) sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power to make laws with respect to Aboriginal people wherever they lived in Australia. It also sought to make it possible to fully include Aboriginal people in the national five-yearly census. The amendment deleted part of section 51 (xxvi) of the Constitution and repealed section 127.

The result of the Referendum was that it received a massive 90.77% “Yes” vote and passed in all six states. The result opened the way for much greater Commonwealth Government involvement in Aboriginal affairs and the Referendum result has changed the social and political relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations, to enable opportunities for more effective ways to advance Reconciliation.

The significance of the 1967 Referendum has been somewhat obscured by a number of myths. These include the misconceptions that the Referendum granted Aboriginal people citizenship, the right to vote, wage equality and access to social security, among other things. In terms of its practical significance, perhaps the main achievement of the Referendum was to raise the expectations of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people regarding Aboriginal rights and welfare.

On 14 October 2023, Australians voted in a Referendum based on the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which articulated a vision for a better future. It was to change the Constitution to recognize the First Peoples of Australia by establishing a body called the ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice’ and was the first Referendum of the 21^st century. It was clearly rejected by the electorate and resulted in a comprehensive loss for the Indigenous Australians who supported the Voice to Parliament.

The rejection of the Voice was painful for those who saw it as an invitation to a more inclusive future, one that acknowledged the past and asked for very little in return. The term “activists” was used to diminish the people behind the Voice, but in reality, they were part of a process set up by the government itself. These Indigenous leaders persevered despite facing abuse and racism, advocating for a more equitable representation and recognition.

 

The Arts

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have figured prominently in three facets of the arts:

·       Visual Arts

·       Literary Arts

·       Performing Arts

Practitioners in the Visual Arts many be creating work in painting, sculpting, drawing, filmmaking, ceramics and photography. Perhaps painting may be the most popular by weight of numbers due to such factors as relatively easy access to resources and materials, as well as being at a lower cost. Albert Namatjira may be considered as the most well-known Aboriginal artist, although his artwork was not of the traditional form.

His primary work focused on Central Australian landscapes and were eagerly sought by collectors in Australia as well as overseas. He identified very strongly with his country and in 1957 became the first Aboriginal person to be granted conditional Australian citizenship. Despite being awarded citizenship he was still denied certain rights such as being able to purchase land. He was involved with police regarding an alcohol offence, was imprisoned, and not too long after passed away.

Oodgeroo Noonuccal, formerly known as Kath Walker, was a Queensland poet who was also the mother of Dennis Walker who in the 1970s was prominent in the fight for Aboriginal Land Rights.

Uncle Les Marne, a centenarian and Bigambul man is a storyteller and poet regarded as one of Australia’s great storytellers. The Australian Society of Authors bestowed a Lifetime Membership on Uncle Wes in acknowledgement of his contribution to Australian Poetry and the success of “Through Old Eyes Poems by Uncle Wes Marne”.

Aboriginal Australians have made giant strides in the performing arts sphere with individual actors becoming household names. David Gulpilil, Justine Saunders, Aaron Pederson, Christine Anu and Deborah Mailman have gained stardom in their chosen medium and are embraced across Australia and, in some cases, acknowledged internationally.

 

Sport

Just as many have gained stardom in the performing arts, some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes have huge fan bases in a number of sports, such as in the football codes, as well as in track and field events, cricket and boxing.

Sport plays a major role in the life of millions of Australians, whether it’s as an athlete in their own right or as a spectator. As well as having physical and mental benefits, sports include social benefits such as creating a sense of belonging and to a degree, a sense of being that is necessary to provide support for others.

Successful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes include Lionel Rose, a former world champion in boxing; Adam Goodes, a Sydney Swans AFL champion; Cathy Feeman, Olympic 440 metres gold medalist; Jason Gillespie, Australian cricketer; and Patrick Mills, a superstar in the major league of American basketball.

 

Pause for thought In your opinion, how are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and/or individuals being embraced by the community in which you live?