Describe the various Aboriginal protest movements through the twentieth century and evaluate their success
Prior to and during the mid-twentieth century, Indigenous Australians were politically disadvantaged and subjected to inhumane treatment such as the Stolen Generation, and having little to no political, civil and labour rights. However, as Indigenous Australians began to participate in movements which advocate for their rights and freedom, inequality diminished. Aboriginal protest movements such as the 1938 Day of Mourning, Charles Perkins’ ‘Freedom Rides’, and Eddie Mabos’ Land Rights Case, were notable as they had a significant impact in changing rights and freedoms in Australia.
The 26th of January, otherwise known as Australia Day,
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or Invasion Day, is a day of joy and celebration for some, but for Indigenous Australians it is a day of mourning and loss. Protest movements prior to the mid 20th century were unsuccessful until Jack Patten, in collaboration with William Ferguson and William Cooper, organised a conference where 100 Aboriginal men, women and children were in attendance on the 26th of January 1938, the 150th anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet, at the Australian Hall in Sydney.
Jack Patten made this powerful declaration on the day, “...HEREBY MAKE PROTEST against the callous treatment of our people by the whitemen during the past 150 years, AND WE APPEAL to the Australian nation of today to make new laws for the education and care of Aborigines, we ask for a new policy which will raise our people TO FULL CITIZEN STATUS and EQUALITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY” which inspired other Indigenous Australians to protest for their rights, marking the beginning of modern Indigenous Australian protest movements. This conference was the first national meeting of Aboriginal Australians. It highlighted and objected against the discrimination and prejudice that was part of the daily life of Aboriginals and mourn the loss of their identity and freedom and the death of their kin. The event aimed to extend full citizen rights to …show more content…
Aboriginals and attain backing for their proposal to disable the Protection Boards, which regulated the lives of indigenous australians and played a significant role in the stolen generations. The organisers secured media coverage for the event which led to Prime Minister Joseph Lyons agreeing to meet with delegates, days later. The Day of Mourning became an annual event, and progressed into Naidoc week. This protest movement was extremely successful as it resulted in the reforms of the Protection Boards, other significant aboriginal protests and eventually the 1967 Referendum which resulted in Indigenous Australians being equal citizens of Australia, thus accomplishing the aim of this protest. Charles Perkins, the first Aboriginal Australian to graduate from tertiary education, was the president of the Sydney University’s Student Action For Aborigines Organisation (SAFA).
The freedom rides in America inspired Charles Perkins and 35 Sydney University students in 1965 to travel 3200 kilometres to country towns in western New South Wales including Walgett, Gulargambone,Kempsey, Moree, and Bowraville. The aim of the freedom rides was to protest the segregation of Aboriginals from public venues such as swimming pools, clubs, cafes and picture theatres while raising awareness of the discrimination and mistreatment which indigenous Australians were subjected to. The group accomplished this through a survey of living conditions, and having media coverage at the protests. One of the most notable protests was successful in lifting a ban in Moree which prohibited aboriginal children from using the swimming facilities. The freedom rides served as a catalyst for the 1967 referendum and its 90% ‘YES’ vote, the largest affirmative vote for a constitutional change, was largely due to the freedom rides that made Australians aware of the conditions and discrimination which was part of the daily life of aboriginals. The constitutional change meant that Aboriginal Australians were included in the census, were subjected to the same laws as the rest of the nation, and were recognised as equal Australian Citizens. Furthermore, the freedom rides were the first time an aboriginal was in
a political and social leadership role. Charles Perkins and the freedom rides were immensely successful in changing rights of indigenous Australians. Edward (Eddie) Koiki Mabo, a land rights activist from the island of Mer in the Torres Straits, was a fundamental plaintiff in a land rights case in the High court of Australia. Eddie Mabo and a group of Meriam men brought action against the State of Queensland and the Commonwealth of Australia claiming ‘native title’ to the Murray Islands in 1982 after realising that the Island of Mer was at a risk of being developed. The case challenged two aspects of Australian legislation; the first being that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders had no concept of land ownership before british colonisation therefore Australia was ‘Terra Nullius’ or ‘ land belong to no one’ and the other being that the Meriam people had no traditional ownership of the lands or surrounding seas, even though the Meriam people had inhabited the land since ‘time immemorial’, as sovereignty handed over ownership of all land to the Crown. On the 27th of February 1986, the case was sent to the Supreme Court of Queensland to discuss the facts of the claim, however, this hearing was halted when Eddie Mabo and the Meriam people challenged the validity of the Queensland Coast Islands Declaratory Act 1985 in the High Court. Queensland Coast Islands Declaratory Act 1985 was passed by the Queensland government with the intent of abolishing the claimed land rights of the people of Meriam. The act was found invalid by the high court of Australia as it contradicted the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 , the case became known as Mabo v Queensland (No. 1). In Mabo v. Queensland (No. 2) on the 3rd of June 1992, 10 years after the proceedings began, six out of the seven judges of the High Court upheld the claim for land ownership and ruled that the lands of Australia were not terra nullius, and Meriam people were 'entitled as against the whole world to possession, occupation, use and enjoyment of (most of) the lands of the Murray Islands'. Unfortunately , Eddie Mabo died 5 months prior to the decision. This monumental protest movement played a significant role in the land right of Indigenous Australians as it overturned the doctrine terra nullius and led to the Native Title Act 1993 which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to their traditional rights to land and compensation. The success of Aboriginal protest movements during the twentieth century such as the 1938 Day of Mourning, Charles Perkins’ ‘Freedom Rides’, and Eddie Mabos’ Land Rights Case is indisputable. Each peaceful protest movement accomplished their intentions of raising awareness for Aboriginal rights and paving a better future for the next generation of Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. These protest movements led to legislation which improved the lives of many Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.
The 1961 US Freedom Rides were an immense driving force within the African American community seeing as the participants— mere students who were part of an activist group called the Congress of Racial Equality (CoRE)— refused to give up on protesting for what they believed in even when being violently attacked by those who strongly opposed them. It is obvious that their perspiration and determination to achieve their goals would inspire many and, due to the ever increasing inequality and dehumanising behaviours directed towards Australian Aborigines during the same time period, inspiration was exactly what was needed to begin protests and activisms much like those conducted within America. Throughout the time period that followed the US Freedom rides, Australian Aborigines partook in their own activisms which included a Freedom ride that is believed to have been inspired by those that took place within America.
The National Apology of 2008 is the latest addition to the key aspects of Australia’s reconciliation towards the Indigenous owners of our land. A part of this movement towards reconciliation is the recognition of Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders rights to their land. Upon arrival in Australia, Australia was deemed by the British as terra nullius, land belonging to no one. This subsequently meant that Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were never recognised as the traditional owners. Eddie Mabo has made a highly significant contribution to the rights and freedoms of Indigenous Australians as he was the forefather of a long-lasting court case in 1982 fighting for the land rights of the Torres Strait Islanders. Eddie Mabo’s introduction of the Native Title Act has provided Indigenous Australians with the opportunity to state claim to their land, legally recognising the Indigenous and the Torres Strait Islanders as the traditional owners.
This presentation is about Charles Perkins, an Australian Aboriginal Activist. This presentation will outline who he is, why he promoted change, his roles, the outcomes of his actions and the people who benefited from his actions. This presentation focuses on Charles Perkins actions gaining rights and freedoms for Australian Aboriginals, mainly focusing on the freedom ride. Australian Aboriginal activist, Charles Perkins, had a significant impact and effect on the rights and freedoms of Indigenous Australians mainly in NSW but also Australian wide from 1963 to 1972 through organising the freedom riders and participating in other organisations and activities for Australian Aboriginals. Charles Perkins has done many things to help in the fight for rights and freedom for Australian Aboriginals. One of the main things he did was organise and lead the freedom ride in 1965. There were various reasons as to why Charles Perkins p...
The protest began with a “silent protest from the Town Hall to the Australian Hall” (AIATSIS, n.d.), attended by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. However, this march was delayed significantly due to the Australia day celebrations
Indigenous People. In evaluating the Legal System’s response to Indigenous People and it’s achieving of justice, an outline of the history of Indigenous Australians - before and during settlement - as well as their status in Australian society today must be made. The dispossession of their land and culture has deprived Indigenous People of economic revenue that the land would have provided if not colonised, as well as their ... ... middle of paper ... ...
The Freedom ride of Australia occurred on February 12th 1965, led by Charlie Perkins. 29 members of the student action for aborigines group departed the university of sydney by bus bound for regional towns across New South Wales. Students wanted to shine spotlight on racism and the poor state of Aboriginal health, education and housing. The Australian freedom ride was able to achieve all their pivotal outcomes, mostly due
Of the 8 successful, the 1967 referendum which proposed the removal of the words in section 51 (xxvi) ‘… other than the aboriginal people in any State’ (National Archives of Australia ND), and the deletion of section 127, both, which were discriminative in their nature toward the Aboriginal race, recorded a 90.77% nationwide vote in favour of change (National Archives of Australia, 2014). As a result, the Constitution was altered; highlighting what was believed to be significant positive political change within Indigenous affairs at the time (National Archives of Australia, 2014). Approaching 50 years on, discussion has resurfa...
Throughout the world, in history and in present day, injustice has affected all of us. Whether it is racial, sexist, discriminatory, being left disadvantaged or worse, injustice surrounds us. Australia is a country that has been plagued by injustice since the day our British ancestors first set foot on Australian soil and claimed the land as theirs. We’ve killed off many of the Indigenous Aboriginal people, and also took Aboriginal children away from their families; this is known as the stolen generation. On the day Australia became a federation in 1901, the first Prime Minister of Australia, Edmund Barton, created the White Australia Policy. This only let people of white skin colour migrate to the country. Even though Australia was the first country to let women vote, women didn’t stand in Parliament until 1943 as many of us didn’t support female candidates, this was 40 years after they passed the law in Australian Parliament for women to stand in elections. After the events of World War Two, we have made an effort to make a stop to these issues here in Australia.
Throughout the history of Canada the indigenous population of the country have been voiceless. They have been both suppressed and oppressed by the Federal and various Provincial governments within Canada. Many organizations tried to provide a voice for the native population but failed in their attempt. These organizations eventually merged together to become what is now known as The Assembly of First Nations. The Assembly of First Nations gives voice to the issues and problems facing the different components of the aboriginal community in Canada.
...rial covered in the unit Aboriginal People that I have been studying at the University of Notre Dame Fremantle, Aboriginal people have had a long history of being subjected to dispossession and discriminatory acts that has been keep quite for too long. By standing together we are far more likely to achieve long lasting positive outcomes and a better future for all Australians.
The Australian Freedom Riders consisted of thirty students that attended the University of Sydney. These students had heard about the American Freedom Riders and it sparked inspiration amongst them to make a difference within the Australian community. The whole idea of their trip was to help get rid of the socially discriminatory barriers which was standing up between indigenous and non-indigenous people, they had planned on bringing attention to the bad state of aboriginal heath, education and housing and finally they also wanted to encourage the aboriginals to stand up for themselves against discrimination. Charles Perkins a man born in Alice Springs and a third year arts student at the University of Sydney said ‘The whole freedom riders idea was not for white people on my mind, it’s for aboriginal people to realise second class isn't good enough, you don't always have to be first class but don't always be second class’ . The trip was planned...
In 1961, the US Freedom Rides was quite a significant event that is still remembered by many Americans and African-Americans today. It was the time when racial discrimination and segregation had existed and has had an immense effect and impact on African-Americans. Yet, it had ended after a lot of hard work protesting, campaigning in different areas of America and thanks to some key events that had also helped along with these including the Birmingham Campaign and Martin Luther King Jr’s activism. This event of the United States however is a lot similar to events that had occurred in Australia at the time and is considered to be an inspiration to Aboriginal activism and protest in Australia. The event that took place for the Aboriginal activism
Indigenous Australian land rights have sparked controversy between Non Indigenous and Indigenous Australians throughout history. The struggle to determine who the rightful owners of the land are is still largely controversial throughout Australia today. Indigenous Australian land rights however, go deeper than simply owning the land as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have established an innate spiritual connection making them one with the land. The emphasis of this essay is to determine how Indigenous Australian land rights have impacted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, highlighting land rights regarding the Mabo v. the State of Queensland case and the importance behind today’s teachers understanding and including Indigenous
Since the time of federation the Aboriginal people have been fighting for their rights through protests, strikes and the notorious ‘day of mourning’. However, over the last century the Australian federal government has generated policies which manage and restrained that of the Aboriginal people’s rights, citizenships and general protection. The Australian government policy that has had the most significant impact on indigenous Australians is the assimilation policy. The reasons behind this include the influences that the stolen generation has had on the indigenous Australians, their relegated rights and their entitlement to vote and the impact that the policy has had on the indigenous people of Australia.
Cultural competence is a skill essential to acquire for healthcare providers, especially nurses. Cooperating effectively and understanding individuals with different backgrounds and traditions enhances the quality of health care provided by hospitals and other medical facilities. One of the many cultures that nurses and other health care providers encounter is the American Indian or Native American culture. There are hundreds of different American Indian Tribes, but their beliefs and values only differ slightly. The culture itself embodies nature. To American Indians, “The Earth is considered to be a living organism- the body of a higher individual, with a will and desire to be well. The Earth is periodically healthy and less healthy, just as human beings are” (Spector, 2009, p. 208). This is why their way of healing and symbolic items are holistic and from nature.