3. Definitions of Community

The term ‘community’ was initially an imposed idea for the purpose of control over and management of the Aboriginal populations. As part of the history of colonisation, people were dislocated into reserves and missions. This included disruption to people’s social, political and religious life[1] and the relocation of distinct groups from different areas. Early constructions of ‘community’ did not recognise language and social and spiritual differences between groups.

Today, Aboriginal community groups vary considerably in their economic, social and geographic circumstances. The National Aboriginal Education Committee (NAEC) developed a model of Aboriginal societies that included four broad categories of the community: traditionally oriented, rural non-traditional, urban and urban-dispersed communities. The following definition remains relevant today:

In the main, Aboriginal society is structured around the community. There exist very strong kinship ties within each of the communities and within each of the categories. These kinship ties overlap the various categories thus forming very strong relationships among all Aboriginal people of this country.


[1] Expressed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as cultural and spiritual life.