Religion and Belief systems in Australia post-1945

Question 1

understanding the dreaming?

Answer 1

A spiritual aspect of Aboriginal religion encapsulating spiritual and physical dimensions.
- Kinship
- Totems
- Ceremonial life
- land

Question 2

obligations to the land?

Answer 2

Inextricable connection to the land
1. Medium for spirituality
2. Rituals
3. Land is a meeting pot

Question 3

Dispossession?

Answer 3

1. Separation from land, land loss = loss of identity

Question 4

Early features of the impact of Imperialism and colonialism

Answer 4

1788 - Terra Nullius with arrival of European settlers

1800s-1850s - Systemic ethnic, culture cleansing and genocide of Aboriginal people

Question 5

Separation from kinship groups features - policy

Answer 5

1938, ‘policy of protection’: destroying kinship, gender roles, culture and language, ceremony and tradition.

1901, ‘policy of assimilation’: policy of ethnic and cultural cleansing of indigenous populations, removing groups and individuals from their families, destroying kinship ties..

1800s-1900s, Stolen generations - Forced separation of indigenous children from families systematically, part of an ethnic cleansing campaign within Australian government.

Question 6

Features of the Mabo decision - 1992

Answer 6

1. High court of Australia to indigenous property rights recognised by the court as handed in Mabo decision 1992.
2. Ruling had rejected idea of ‘terra nullius’ forcibly established european colonial settlement.
3. overturning terra nullius gave birth to native title, ruling high court in favour of mabo and the merriam people of murray islands.

Question 7

Features of native title - 1993

Answer 7

1. pariliament passed act in 1993, stating traditional rights and aboriginal interests but how they couldn’t reign over private property.
2. Passed by keating government, legislation allowed strategy to native title grants.

Question 8

Wikk - 1996

Answer 8

1. continuation of fight for native title which began with mabo, witnessesing people arguing pastoral leases granted over their area didn’t extinguish their rights to land
2. 1996, high court handed down the judgment, native title could co-exist under claim by wik people, in any conflict, pastrolists rights would prevail.

Question 9

Native title amendment act, 1998, ten point plan

Answer 9

1. Abolished right of native title caimants on negotiation with government for land
2. Legislation which was to transfer to power to upgrade leasehold title to freehold title.

Question 10

Changing patterns in religious adherence

Answer 10

1. Religious decline in Australia
   - Christianity most dominant declining
   - Judaism and buddhism no decrease but have stagnated in growth
   - religious growth through immigration over past 25 years with islam, hinduism and new age religions

Question 11

nature of immigration in Australia?

Answer 11

1. Post WWII (1945) migration from britain brought flow of christianity, migration from europe brought 30,000 Jewish people.
2. White policy Australia (1960-73)
3. 1975 - Asian migration increased influnece of conflict such as vietnam conflict
4. Denominational switching, rise of new age religions and secularism.

Question 12

Ecumenism?

Answer 12

Movement for dialogue amongst christian variants

Question 13

Ecumenical movements

Answer 13

1. National Council Churhces Australia (NCCA)

• NCCA - Australian churches refugee task force.

2. New South Wales Ecumenical council (NSWEC)
   - domestic violence process
   - commission on middle east

Question 14

Interfaith dialogue?

Answer 14

Discussion amongst differing religious cultures to bring understanding and peace amongst each other.

Question 15

Interfaith - Australian Councils of Christians and Jewish people (1991)

Answer 15

• Aims create dialogue and understanding amongst christian and judaism
  -founded in 1991.

Question 16

Reconciliation in relation to Aboriginal spiritualities

Answer 16

A long and difficult process requiring recognition of past wrong-doings involved in destruction or aboriginal spiritualities