Australian Aborigines
Nov 17th, 2014, 12:06 AM
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"I, the Aborigine" by Douglas Lockwood is relatively old but very good. It is available online. It is about a traditional aborigine as told to Douglas who was a reporter and writer.
Just be warned that there is a lot of politics surrounding aborigines and the various versions and interpretations of history. Whatever you read - read with care. Don't take any one version as "gospel". As in most history the truth is in the middle somewhere, if truth actually exists.
What do you want to know? Do you want the anthropology of primitive people and their traditional way of life (eg I the aborigine" or the politics of the "stolen generation" and land rights (eg rabbit proof fence")?
If you only want traditional life, then a book or two should suffice. The desert Aborigines and the coastal aborigines are somewhat different. But really there are hundreds of tribes and clans and nations. It is like asking for a summary of the American Indian or the African Tribes. Like the Indians and African the Aborigine tribes fought and hated each other.
If you really want to know about the politics then you will need to read quite a lot. Good luck!
Just be warned that there is a lot of politics surrounding aborigines and the various versions and interpretations of history. Whatever you read - read with care. Don't take any one version as "gospel". As in most history the truth is in the middle somewhere, if truth actually exists.
What do you want to know? Do you want the anthropology of primitive people and their traditional way of life (eg I the aborigine" or the politics of the "stolen generation" and land rights (eg rabbit proof fence")?
If you only want traditional life, then a book or two should suffice. The desert Aborigines and the coastal aborigines are somewhat different. But really there are hundreds of tribes and clans and nations. It is like asking for a summary of the American Indian or the African Tribes. Like the Indians and African the Aborigine tribes fought and hated each other.
If you really want to know about the politics then you will need to read quite a lot. Good luck!
Nov 17th, 2014, 07:07 AM
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Peter: Thank you for that suggestion, which sounds about like what I want to read as my contribution to a book club discussion whose topic next month is Australia. (I know that purpose may come off as frivolous.) You have already told me a lot more than I knew about Aborigines. ZZ
Nov 17th, 2014, 05:20 PM
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As it is for a book club and not research as such, either of the above books is fine. Rabbit proof fence is one sided, but that is fine when you know it is.
Book club is not frivolous. It would have been nice to know first. Reading for a trip or assignment is different to reading for a book club or just for fun.
Just remember that 75% of Aborigines live in the major cites as does 85% of the total Australian population. So the majority have access to all the services provided to the majority of Australians. So what is seen as "racist" and "oppression" is simply a cultural choice* made worse by poor education and poverty. No different to the "white trash", generational poverty or low socio economic group (whatever name you choose), but people like to think so.
The majority of Aborigines get along just fine, the vocal minority that think the world owes them, is what gets the coverage - just like the "whit trash" generational poverty or low socio economic group.
When we start treating people equally based on need rather than colour or history the world will be a better place.
*Cultural choice. There is a group in society (White and Black) that do not put a high value on work and education and consequently suffer the consequences. This is particularly true for Aborigines and Pacific Islanders (eg Fiji) as their culture was that the earth provided, not much "work" was needed and families shared everything. This does not work in a capitalist society. For some, this shift is impossible or at least very difficult.
It is a vicious circle for both whites and blacks in the poverty roundabout. Because they, don't, can't or won't work we can't let them starve so we give welfare which means they don't have to work!
The image problem is worse for Blacks - whites merge better. Think of this. A hard working tax paying citizen saves up for a holiday and goes to central Australia to see the "Real Australia". What does he see of the Aborigines? No one working except for a few in tourism or perhaps a few on stations. But he does see a lot of beggars, drunks and people just sitting about in the street. (whites tend to sit around at home and therefore are not as noticeable)
These are the minority of Aborigines - true, but they are the majority of what tourists get to see. So the hard working tax payer thinks "why are my hard earned tax dollars going to pay these lazy people. I'd be better off on the dole." (my cousin ran a successful business in town but could have got more money being on the dole! Something is not right there)
Sorry to digress, but if you are talking about "Australia" some background will help. We have the same problems as everyone else, and like everyone else can't seem to find a solution.
Enjoy your reading.
Book club is not frivolous. It would have been nice to know first. Reading for a trip or assignment is different to reading for a book club or just for fun.
Just remember that 75% of Aborigines live in the major cites as does 85% of the total Australian population. So the majority have access to all the services provided to the majority of Australians. So what is seen as "racist" and "oppression" is simply a cultural choice* made worse by poor education and poverty. No different to the "white trash", generational poverty or low socio economic group (whatever name you choose), but people like to think so.
The majority of Aborigines get along just fine, the vocal minority that think the world owes them, is what gets the coverage - just like the "whit trash" generational poverty or low socio economic group.
When we start treating people equally based on need rather than colour or history the world will be a better place.
*Cultural choice. There is a group in society (White and Black) that do not put a high value on work and education and consequently suffer the consequences. This is particularly true for Aborigines and Pacific Islanders (eg Fiji) as their culture was that the earth provided, not much "work" was needed and families shared everything. This does not work in a capitalist society. For some, this shift is impossible or at least very difficult.
It is a vicious circle for both whites and blacks in the poverty roundabout. Because they, don't, can't or won't work we can't let them starve so we give welfare which means they don't have to work!
The image problem is worse for Blacks - whites merge better. Think of this. A hard working tax paying citizen saves up for a holiday and goes to central Australia to see the "Real Australia". What does he see of the Aborigines? No one working except for a few in tourism or perhaps a few on stations. But he does see a lot of beggars, drunks and people just sitting about in the street. (whites tend to sit around at home and therefore are not as noticeable)
These are the minority of Aborigines - true, but they are the majority of what tourists get to see. So the hard working tax payer thinks "why are my hard earned tax dollars going to pay these lazy people. I'd be better off on the dole." (my cousin ran a successful business in town but could have got more money being on the dole! Something is not right there)
Sorry to digress, but if you are talking about "Australia" some background will help. We have the same problems as everyone else, and like everyone else can't seem to find a solution.
Enjoy your reading.
Nov 24th, 2014, 01:11 PM
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Much as PeterSale said. On our trip to central Australia, we had an Aborigine guide at Uluru, with an interpreter. Enjoyed her stories very much.
But in Alice Springs, we saw a group of natives laying on a grassy median. Our tour guide told us they were relatives of patients in a nearby hospital. They came to offer support to their family members, but have not the resources to afford a place to stay. Very sad.
But in Alice Springs, we saw a group of natives laying on a grassy median. Our tour guide told us they were relatives of patients in a nearby hospital. They came to offer support to their family members, but have not the resources to afford a place to stay. Very sad.
