POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE - Aboriginal Flashcards
Define Activism
Policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change
Define Civil disobedience
Refusal to comply with certain laws considered unjust, as a peaceful form of protest
Define Dissent
Holding or expression of opinions at variance with those commonly held
Define petition
A formal written request, typically one signed by people, appealing to authority in respect of a particular case
Define protest
A statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something
Define Social Movement
consists of a number of people organised and coordinated to bring about social change
List factors that contributed to change
- the hostility between the USSR and China influenced the nation’s strategic alignment and policies
- advancements in space travel, transformed communications and gave Australians greater access to global events, ideas, and entertainment
- With Greater access to education, including tertiary, young people started to question the values and attitudes of their parents
Forms of Protests
- Marches
- Petitions
- Protests
- Public Speeches
Examples of Protests
- ‘The Invasion Day’ protest - 26th Jan
- ‘Black Lives Matter’ protest - June 2020
- ‘Anti-vaccination’ protest
- Climate Change Protests
‘Hippie values’: What are they?
- rejected materialism, greed, and war
- liberated through free love, and the use of drugs including LSD and marijuana
Rights enjoyed by Aborigines on settlements and reserves in five states and in the NT
Voting Rights: All except for WA and QLD
Marry Freely: All except for WA, NT, and QLD
Alcohol Allowed: NONE
Received Award Wages: No for all, except for NSW that said YES
Discrimination suffered by Aboriginal people in the 1950’s and 60’s
- forced to live in separate areas, and were often denied health and welfare benefits.
- Some Aboriginal children were still denied entry to schools in rural areas
- Clubs often barred entry to Aborigines. Even Aboriginal servicemen who had fought in the war couldn’t drink in some RSL clubs except on ANZAC day
Where did Aboriginies work in?
- low paid jobs
- unskilled occupation work
- seasonal work
- state of housing reflected the low wages and status of Aborigines
CAUSES for decline in population
- The introduction of new diseases
- Settler acquisition of indigenous lands
- Direct & Violent conflict with colonists
- They introduced guns, disease, & violence
‘Terra Nullius’ meaning
land belonging to no one
Examples of Massacres
Mt Cottrell, Werribee - 16th July 1836
Motive: Reprisal for killing civilians
- 55 Aborigines Died
- 2 colonists died
What was Darwin’s ‘theory of evolution’?
The belief that black races were inferior
Ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remained economically and politically disadvantaged after the Federation.
- Not entitled to vote in federal elections
- They didn’t receive basic wage and were not eligible for aged and invalid pensions
- Had travel restrictions
- Excluded from military training
Outcomes for Indigenous people in Australia
- They fell victim to exploitation, violence and disease
- They progressively lost their traditional lands
- They had to survive on handouts as they became dependent
What was the Aboriginal Protection Act?
The 1915 amendments gave the power to remove any child at any time for any reason. It was for the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their parents
What happened in the policy of protectionism?
- Aboriginal people were removed from their traditional lands and placed on reservations and missions
- state government had full control over their lives
What were missions?
Missions were in the control of churches and missionaries with little or no government involvement, to support the assimilation policy and segregation.
What were reserves and stations?
Reserves and stations were generally run by the government. Aboriginal reserves were overseen by government ‘protectors’, who controlled many aspects of the lives of Aboriginal people.
Purpose of Reserves and Missions?
To segregate aborigines from white society and to assimilate aborigines (usually children) into white Australian society
What the point of Assimilation policy - 1930’s
- an attempt to make Aboriginal Australians accept the way of life of white Australians.
- Aboriginal people were encouraged to give up their traditional way of life and move to the towns and cities to find work.
Did assimilation give Aboriginies the same rights?
Assimilation did not give Aborigines the same rights as white Australians and they continued to encounter serious discrimination and racism.
Impacts of assimilation policies on Aboriginal people
- difficult to work due to racism
- difficult to gain access to shops, entertainment venues and public spaces
- difficult to gain access to housing and health assistance
When was the assimilation policy?
1937
What happened to the Stolen Generations?
- Aboriginal Children were forcibly removed from their families and places into state care or placed with white families
- belief that their Aboriginality could be overcome by ‘white’ attributes that will shine through
Arguments to support the removal of children
- Assimilation will ensure that Aboriginal children will survive in the 20th children & become productive members of AUS society
- Need to be removed at a young age to make assimilation possible and successful. 13 is too old.
- Mothers eventually forget about their children
Arguments that oppose the removal of children
- Traumatising for families - initial removal of children
- Aboriginal children are being cared for by their current parents
- Destroys the family unit
Definition of assimilation
integrating blacks into white society
What was the Aboriginal Protection Act?
The 1915 amendments gave the power to remove any child at any time for any reason. It was for the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their parents, as a part of assimilation.
Why were Aboriginal Protection Boards established?
- they were established in the colonies around Australia to ‘manage’ Aboriginal populations
- remove any children
- Commonwealth took no responsibility
Role of Chief Protectors
They were appointed to watch over the Aboriginal people in each state and oversee what many thought to be a ‘dying race’
What happened in 1962?
The Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1962 - granted all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the option to enrol and vote in federal elections
