Introduction
Indigenous Australians, sometime called Torres Strait Islander people, have been known as the descendant from the initial group was in Australia continent before British found out this land. Aiming to underline the understanding about this community, this paper will address how they contribute to Australian society, particularly in culture. This part will be followed by the discussion Aboriginal education. The final section will underline how they are impacted by government policy.
I. Aboriginal people’s contribution to Australian society.
1. General about Australian Aboriginal and their culture
Australia Aboriginal refer to one of Indigenous people – a distinct group in Australia. It is believed that Australia is the unique continent, which this group remained an only adaptation – gathering and hunting into temporary time. It is scholarly argued that Aboriginal people owns an early culture which may have a significant impact to Australian society. By 1788 when European settled in Australia, Aboriginal people was the only group occupied the whole continent. Australia is well known for the diversity in climatic, from tropical rainforest to wet temperature, or even arid desert. Aboriginal was well adapted to climatic and ecological conditions. There are more than 200 various Aboriginal languages have been found. Most of Aboriginal are multilingual or bilingual. Nowadays, there is increasing research to get more understanding about their culture with a society perception. Traditional scholarship argued that Aboriginal people were heavily and directly dependent on natural environment due to their norms – gathering and hunting.
Culture refers to the relationship amongst land, history and people. This concept has been acknowledged to remain and continuously pass down for various generations. Culture is embraced by families, society, living place and languages. In Aboriginal cultures, black skin is an extra and important matter. Aboriginal peoples are known to present and live in entire Australia continent before European discovered this continent. Consequently, their culture has a significant impact to Australian culture. The impact can be divided into various sectors.
1.1. Languages
As mention, there are more than 200 various Aboriginal languages have been found. Most of Aboriginal are multilingual or bilingual. Consequently, The National Statement for Languages Education in Australian Schools in 2005 insists that there is an education demand for concentrating to improve inter-cultural knowledge. This matter is partly covered by language integration. The Statement also argue that Australia Aboriginal languages play a significant part in national heritage. For those learning Aboriginal, this is the fundamental to identify and improve self-esteem. The understanding about Aboriginal languages will offer a chance to develop cultural reconciliation.
There are approximately 120-150 Indigenous languages, which are still in use daily nowadays, however, Aboriginal vocabulary is not confines to these various language. There are numerous Australian vernaculars are provided from Aboriginal languages. Some of the most popular words are name for animal and flora such as koala, kangaroo and billabong. Some other landmarks are also named with Aboriginal words: Canberra and Bondi etc.
It is significant to insist that Australian a multilingual society. From the settlement of England into Australian continence, English has become the main languages. It is undeniable that learning English provide the access to worldwide. However, it is critical to recognized that the there are numerous Indigenous languages have been used in this continence for thousand years. Due to the shortage in recognition, these languages were not receive the equal consideration in the past.
The key point of paying more recognition and attention to Indigenous languages is to identify a strategy to improve standard Australian English. This improvement will lead to the sustainable in socio-economic matter, involving society wellbeing. Australian English is not identical to other English. The difference in accent, colloquial and phrasing proves Australian identity sense in the culture (Yurranydjil Dhurrkay, Galiwin’ku, North East Arnhem Land, 2005).
1.2. Sport
It is believed that sport has the function to foster women’ lifestyle, empowerment, sexuality, poverty reduction, youth development and conflict resolution. Sport is also arguably create an ease solution for Indigenous matters in Australia. Sport is expected to participate in improving education and health outcomes, to foster community building, sustain entrepreneurship and citizenship. There are two major outcome caused by the participation of Indigenous people in Australian society. Initially, sport offer various outcome for social matters. Secondly, Indigenous people are believed as natural athletes. Amongst Australia, Torrens Strait Islander and Aboriginal people are likely most noticeable in area of sport, especially in football area. Some famous names are Cyril Rioli and Lance Franklin who are considered as Australian Rules. Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston are well-known rugby league players. Their participation in Australia Sport has partially formed a foundation for society development. (John Robert Evans, Rachel Wilson, Bronwen Dalton, Steve Georgakis, 2015).
1.3. Music
Music is considered as a critical part of Indigenous Australians culture. There are many famous artists originated from Aboriginal people such as Christine Anu, Archie Roach and Jimmy Little etc.
Alan Marett and Alice Moyce (to name a few of many), have greatly contribute the spread and foster understanding about Aboriginal music. One of first Australian music composer, Isaac Nathan, produced a document, which proved the participation of Aboriginal melodies in Australian music. The integration of Aboriginal music facilitated by birdsong and natural rhythm – which considerably form twentieth century music.
1.4. Art & Literature
Ancient rock paintings were found and estimated to date against 10.000 years age. It is believed that these artworks conveyed Aboriginal daily stories. Nowadays, Indigenous art is an esteemed character of all Australian art. There are myriad Aboriginal writers contributing to national social literature. Oodgeroo Noonuccal is the earliest Australian Aboriginal poet. In 1964, he published “We are Going” – a book of verse which fighted for land right. Another Aboriginal writers are Alexis Wright and Kim Scott who played a significantly role in bringing their tradition to modern literature.
II. Evaluate Indigenous knowledge and education practice by discussing what Aboriginal educators draw attention to when discussing Aboriginal education
In 2000s, Australian government took action to commence various measure to attain the equality in education for Aboriginal people in this continent. There are two significant phases were underlined and exercised to achieve this equality. While the primary phase focuses on national commitment establishment on new policy to improve Indigenous education. The secondary phase insists that Indigenous education will facilitate methods to create an outcome for Australian education as whole.
Numerous recent researches indicates that education directly impacts health sections. The research also insists that there is positive connection between educational achievement and healthcare sectors. There are increasing studies on the correlation between health transitions for education. These researches showed that there is a positive signal for child mortality if there is existence of parental education, especially maternal knowledge (Caldwell, 2013). However, Caldwell argued that modern education could lead to. His researched also considered the uncertainty on the connection on child survival and parental education. It is also worth considering if the increasing in healthcare awareness is directly resulted by parental education (Kane and Ruzicka, 1996). The development of healthcare with modern medicine and treatment is also explain for increasing rate of child survival. In the past, the rate of childhood mortality among Indigenous communitywas 300 percent higher than it is in non- Indigenous family. Morbidity rate was also much higher due to the shortage in lifestyle, which is relevant to healthcare matter.
The significance of education was literately acknowledged, particularly its role in employment. It is worth considering the employment rate of Aboriginal student if they finish year 10 or 11. 40% of them has been employed after their studying completion. The shortage of education in Indigenous community results in the critical disadvantage in relative to non- Indigenous. There are possibly myriad reasons for this disadvantage but education is the foremost crucial. A low employment rate amongst Indigenous explains for poor health condition, poverty and limit access to education for them and their children. Education are the main contributing factor of employment. Amongst Indigenous community, female and male with educational degree own an employment chance of 74% and 85% in respective. This rate amongst who finished Year 12 is 50% and 62% respectively. However, it is believed that Aboriginal education is not all about create more employment opportunities, but to ensure a fair and equal developing condition for Australia as a whole. This approach can be considered as national building.
III. Analyse the impact of institutionalization and Aboriginal people that is brought about by government policy.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander are a small group of Australian population; however, there is a high rate of them in adult and juvenile detention. This rings the bell for political and governmental awareness. Recently, there is the proof that Aboriginal female crime is increasing. 25 years after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody commenced the investigation on the increasing death of Aboriginal during the time they are incarcerated. While some cased, it is long incarcerated time, however, it is worth considering case of being in prison overnight. There are also evidence that Aboriginal people nowadays over occupied in Australian courts and prisons. A considerable fund has been spent by State and Federal to investigate the cause of this prevalence. Although there has been too much effort, number of Indigenous people who are sued to prison has not reduced. More seriously, increasing number of them died in prison. Chris Cunneen (2001) commenced a research to understand the interaction between Aboriginal people and police. He also studied police culture, history, and how police respond to Aboriginal crime. He concluded that the relationship amongst police and Aboriginal people mainly explains the change in the circumstance of over – representation in criminal system. This conclusion lead to a debate on human rights.
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission introduced a report in 1997, which is “Bringing them Home: Report on the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families”. The report indicated the occurrence of forcedly remove Aboriginal children from their families (Lynch, 2001). The report also underlined the consequence caused by this removal into the Aboriginal community. The removal caused various negative impact on different perspectives: depression, distress, poor health condition, increasing rate of smoking. These issues also have correlation to the rate of unemployment and poor education. This separation also trans-impact to next generation, leading to the negative consequence for families and community. The removal caused by government or welfare. There are 8 percent of removed people at age of 15 insisted that they have suffered the negative experience by being removed from their natural family. The policy of “Bring Them Home” is an effort of Australia Government to recover the Human Rights for Aboriginal people (Lynch, 2001).
In conclusion, there are increasingly supportive policies to open the equality for Aboriginal in Australia in diversity areas: Education, Healthcare, Police and Crime etc. In the pass, due the shortage of recognition for Aboriginal community, they had confronted the challenge to retain their community and their culture. Nowadays, they are received the supportive to have equal human right. Australia has now insisted on the sustainable development for Aboriginal people. Various policies have been passed to ensure they are in favor of education, employment, healthcare and their unique culture. Some of those policies can be named such as Aboriginal Education and Training Policy, Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples etc. Land Councils provide them voice on matters influences their lands, seas and community. All these policy acknowledge they plays a vital role in the national development.
Conclusion
Although Aboriginal people is the legend community, which has contributed to Australia’s development, they were under acknowledged and recognized in the past. Nowadays, Australia government has publish and declared myriad policies to support their growth in various areas. The more growth of this community, the more sustainable development of the nation.
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