A. A controversial legacy.

1. There Are Two Sides To Every Story

Memory is by definition biased. One's narrative of a national history is shaped depending on their identity, the culture they belong to, their familial and ancestral heritage... In the case of Australia, James Cook’s arrival on Australian shores is a contentious topic. Aborigines believe that the government have always looked down on their beliefs and cultural past. As a result, a major part of them is now bearing a grudge against the government, whose apologies in 2008 were not enough to repair the misdeeds of the past.

2. (Re)Claiming Our Land

A growing part of subversive Australians demonstrates their defiance by vandalising statues of Captain Cook. Cook’s arrival caused the suffering of Indigenous peoples. They died from European diseases. They were set on an inferior footing to settlers. Archeologists say Aboriginal people have been living in Australia for more than 50,000 years. 

However, it doesn’t justify this unlawful act. They should have found another way to contest. The police regard them as vandals.

3. Tackling A National Trauma | The Case of the Stolen Generations

The "Stolen Generations" is the gut-wrenching name given to Aboriginal children who were abducted from their relatives by the Australian government. Then, massive government-mandated kidnappings were seen throughout the country. The main purpose was to assimilate Indigenous children into mainstream culture, something Aboriginal offsprings now regard as the staple of a cultural genocide. Indeed, children who were uprooted from their family were contrained to erase their traditions and culture. 

In her artwork above, Vesna ROZMAN captures the national trauma it has brought about. It is high time the misdeeds of the past were rectified. It must be a source of shame for the Australian government, which only apologized in 2008 for past mistreatment and injustices. In 2006, the Australian government issued a $26.6-million bill to address the national trauma of the Stolens Generations which "inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss".

Nontheless, a major part of Aborigines, whose forebears were part of the Stolen Generations, are still awaiting for answers and repairs.

In a song, entitled Took The Children Away, Archie Poach claimed : "You took the children away / The children away / Breaking their mother's heart / Tearing us all apart / Took them away".

B. The Combat is Underway!

1. The First Nations Voice in Parliament

A referendum was held in October 2023, asking Australians whether the Constitution should be altered to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples a voice in Parliament. The referendum was initiated after the Uluru Statement From The Heart was made by Indigenous people. This proposed alteration was highly divisive, even within Indigenous communities. The debates quickly got fiery, and polarized.

However, the referendum ended with a bitter failure. The result is not what Anthony Albanese had hoped for, but he accepted the result with grace and humility. It goes without saying that the result has underscored the lack of unity and inclusion in the country.  

2. An Unbridgeable Gap.

Taking into account the six documents at your disposal, show how they demonstrate Aborigines' plight in current-day Australia. You shall pay particular attention to their inferior status nowadays, the actions undertaken to voice their anger, and the limits they are confronted with.

Long story short, Australia is a former British colony whose history amounts to supremacist policies, white-owned governments, and the rejection of Natives, just like in the USA. It is crystal clear that such a gloomy past has caused imbalances economically, socially and culturally speaking. But, a growing part of Aborigines have striven for better representation, and inclusion within mainstream Australia. Within the framework of “Representations”, and more precisely the axis “Represent the world and represent oneself”, this 6-document dossier addresses all the angles of the fight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have undertaken so far. It is made up of three articles, a photograph of a demonstration, another photograph of Captain Cook Statue toppled and a poem by Jack Davis. 

To what extent have Aboriginal people empowered themselves for recognition and equality in Australia ? 

A. Aboriginal people’s status.

The staggering number of Indigenous Australians slain in custody, precisely 562 since 1991, (1) underscores their inferior status nowadays. In the BBC article, Raylene Nixon is mourning the loss of her 27-year-old son who was throttled by a police officer without true reason. One is told that Aborigines are “over-policed” and account for one-third of the inmates (1). They are seen as felons, scroungers and criminals. All in all, they are faced with ever-lasting racism, as explained by Nixon: “the only thing they know is the colour of your skin” (1), but also bigotry, derogatory slurs, contempt… It has negative consequences in employment, professional prospects, housing, education and so on… (4). As a matter of fact, Aborigines’ status originates from the colonial past. From James Cook’s arrival (6) to the Stolen Generations, they were consistently kept off of their lands, clustered and slaughtered by white colonists. Jack Davis’ poem is a near-perfect summary of the colonial past: “we were kin to one another / (...) then / (...) you took my children / (...) Now you primly say you’re justified” (3). Indeed, for some, Australia Day, a celebration of the arrival of settlers, is a legitimization [lɪˌdʒɪtəməˈzeɪʃən] of the atrocities of the past (2). 

Consequently, the unbearable legacy looms large, and has caused Aborigines to suppress their true self. However, a wind of change has blown since Aboriginal flag was created, so that their identity could be mirrored and epitomised in the streets (2)

B. A wind of change.

Demonstrations against the infamous “Invasion Day” have swept over the country in the last decades. It’s high time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were heard and combated against Australia’s narrow-mindedness. For instance, in the first photograph at hand, a girl has taken to the streets, she is yelling, and waving an Aboriginal flag. Additionally, the placard reads “no pride in genocide”, which is significant word (2). Such an outrage has set in motion several initiatives to resdress imbalances.

• In the BBC article: “services aiming at lowering Indigenous incarceration rates” (1). 

• The National Reconciliation Week is an effective means to crack down on the unfair discrimination Aborigines are going through by fostering “truth-telling, understanding, action and respect” (5). 

• Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation (AAC) bottled water (4).

At the end of the day, for Jack Davis, is “the real Australian story” (3).

C. Effectiveness and limits.

The major limit in this case is extremism (6). Now and then, hooligans ransack statues and other monuments throughout the country. Is it effective, or just hatred-stirring? Additionally, no one can turn a blind eye on the persisting differences in the country. A large part of heart-broken citizens are sceptical, and feels like no change can be brought about (1). This may be why “no-one gets justice” and “the system sucks” in the country (1). Actually, questions are still up in the air: Australia Day is a thorny part of debate, and remains unsolved so far (2). Local actions are not effective nationwide (4). When it comes to the National Reconciliation Day, it is tough to partake in the celebration collectively (5). At the end of the day, there’s little chance of theirs being recognised yet.

In a nutshell, the fight is not over. Only a small step has been made, but the giant leap is still elusive. The more people are involved in the battle, the greater impact it can have on the government.

Retrouvez ci-dessous des ressources supplémentaires sur le sujet