Indigenous Australia For Dummies

A comprehensive, relevant, and accessible look at all aspects of Indigenous Australian history and culture

What is The Dreaming? How many different Indigenous tribes and languages once existed in Australia? What is the purpose of a corroboree? What effect do the events of the past have on Indigenous peoples today??*Indigenous Australia For Dummies, 2nd Edition *answers these questions and countless others about the oldest race on Earth. It explores Indigenous life in Australia before 1770, the impact of white settlement, the ongoing struggle by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to secure their human rights and equal treatment under the law, and much more.

Celebrating the contributions of Indigenous people to contemporary Australian culture, the book explores Indigenous art, music, dance, literature, film, sport, and spirituality. It discusses the concept of modern Indigenous identity and examines the ongoing challenges facing Indigenous communities today, from health and housing to employment and education, land rights, and self-determination.

• Explores significant political moments-such as Paul Keating's Redfern Speech, Kevin Rudd's apology, and more
• Profiles celebrated people and organisations in a variety of fields, from Cathy Freeman to Albert Namatjira to the Bangarra Dance Theatre and the National Aboriginal Radio Service
• Challenges common stereotypes about Indigenous people and discusses current debates, such as land rights and inequalities in health and education
  Now in its second edition, Indigenous Australia For Dummies will enlighten readers of all backgrounds about the history, struggles and triumphs of the diverse, proud, and fascinating peoples that make up Australia's Indigenous communities. With a foreword by Stan Grant, it's a must-read account of Australia's first people.

Professor Larissa Behrendt is a Eualeyai and Kamillaroi woman. She is Distinguished Professor of the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology, Sydney. Larissa was named as 2009 NAIDOC Person of the Year and 2011 New South Wales Australian of the Year. She was awarded an Order of Australia in 2020 for her work in Indigenous education, law and the arts.

Autorentext
Professor Larissa Behrendt is a Eualeyai and Kamillaroi woman. She is Distinguished Professor of the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology, Sydney. Larissa was named as 2009 NAIDOC Person of the Year and 2011 New South Wales Australian of the Year. She was awarded an Order of Australia in 2020 for her work in Indigenous education, law and the arts.

Klappentext

• Celebrate 65,000+ years of Indigenous knowledge
• Grasp the issues facing modern Indigenous communities

• Recognise important milestones in Indigenous rights Explore the rich culture and history of Australia's first peoples What is The Dreaming? How many Indigenous languages are there? What are the protocols when addressing Indigenous Australians? Explore inside for answers to all of your questions about the world's oldest living culture and trace their long pre-1770 history through to the impact of white settlement and the ongoing struggle for human rights and self-determination. Along the way, immerse yourself in the Indigenous art, music, dance, sport, spirituality and more, that has madeand continues to makedeep and essential contributions to Australia's past, present and future. Inside...

• Experience 65,000+ years of culture, adaption and survival
• Understand the true impact of colonisation
• Learn about key political issues, struggles and solutions
• Discover the truth behind myths and stereotypes of Indigenous Australians
• Appreciate cultural knowledge through the arts, movies, sport and more

Inhalt
Foreword xvii

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 2

Where to Go from Here 3

Part 1: An Ancient People: Then and Now 5

Chapter 1: Understanding Indigenous Australia 7

Indigenous Cultures: Then and Now 8

Ancient traditions 8

Diversity, diversity and more diversity 9

Contemporary painting, singing and dancing 9

Old and new ways of storytelling 10

And they can kick a ball! 10

There Goes the Neighbourhood 10

The takeover begins 11

The colony spreads 11

Loss of land 11

And children taken too 12

Fighting Back 12

The right to be equal 12

Changing the playing field 13

'We want our land back' 13

Reconciliation, practical reconciliation and intervention 14

'Sorry' and then what? 14

New Problems for an Old Culture 14

Breaking the cycle of poverty 15

Challenging the rules and regulations 15

Setting up Indigenous enterprises 16

Doing It for Ourselves 16

Chapter 2: Rich Past, Strong Traditions 17

The First Australians 18

65,000 Years of Tradition 19

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations Today 21

Defining who is an Indigenous person 21

Counting the Indigenous population in Australia 23

Locating where Indigenous people live today 25

A Note about the Torres Strait Islands 27

Saying G'Day 28

'Aboriginal', 'Torres Strait Islander', 'First Nations' or 'Indigenous'? 28

'Aboriginal' or 'Aborigine'? 29

Us mob: Koori, Goori or Murri; Noongar or Nunga? 29

Opening an Event: Welcome to Country 30

Welcome or acknowledgement? 30

What do I say? 31

Whose land am I on? 32

Defining the Identity of an Aboriginal Person or a Torres Strait Islander 33

Stereotypes of Indigenous people 34

But some of us have blond hair and blue eyes! 36

Chapter 3: A Land of Cultural Diversity 37

Exploring the Indigenous Relationship to Land 38

Oral title deeds 39

Accessing another's country 39

Celebrating Cultural Diversity 39

Clans and nations 40

More than 500 different nations 40

Freshwater people and saltwater people 41

Kinship and Totemic Systems 42

Moieties and skin names 42

Totems 44

Talking Languages 45

Who speaks what now? 45

Vulnerability of languages 46

Coming Together 48

Trade routes 48

Songlines 49

Maintaining Links to Traditional Country 49

Aboriginal land councils 50

Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation 51

National parks 51

Chapter 4: Traditional Cultural Values and Practices 53

Going Back to the Dreamtime 54

How was the world made? 55

The southern sky 55

An oral tradition of storytelling 56

Indigenous Worldviews 57

Sharing based on reciprocity 57

Respecting the wisdom of Elders 58

Separating women's business from men's business 58

Respect for the environment 59

Living with Nature 60

Hunting and gathering 61

Bush food 61

Bush medicine 63

Tools 64

Looking to the Skies 67

The Dark Emu 67

Controlling the Environment 67

Fire 68

Harvesting 68

Fish traps 69

Middens 69

Shelter 69

Contemporary Cultural Values 70

Caring for Country 71

Part 2: Invasion 73 **Chapter 5: Firs...