Cultural Sources Shaping Perceptions of Indigenous Communities
I believe that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia are communities guided by cultural and social aspects. Their culture and social setting enhance group cohesion, shared responsibility in the community, and identity. Moreover, this culture provides a sense of belonging and connection to family and each other.
Therefore, I believe that their culture and social setting were used as protective features in difficult situations. This perspective is shaped by the tools, information, ideas, tips, and encouragement used to understand and strengthen the relationship between non-Indigenous people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Most of the information and ideas were obtained from literature and mass media, which focused on Aboriginal people. Through this literature and media, I gathered compelling information about the family structures, culture, historical and social contexts facing these people, and the modern families of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Literature, mostly books, presented numerous cases and family relationship profiles, which inspired me to read on so as to know more about the organization and lives of Aboriginal people. Books helped in making informed choices and shaping my perspective on the issue.
Some organizations, resources, and publications offered support by guiding my analysis and final perception of Aboriginal people. For instance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organizations such as the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organization (NACCHO) and Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) provided online publications with information concerning child-rearing and the family in general. Moreover, government websites and other organizations provided extensive insight into the social and cultural aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities (The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2017).
Series broadcast on television and accompanying websites presented additional information on the history, culture, and life of these communities. Moreover, my perspectives on the culture, history, and society of Indigenous people were informed by Indigenous Australian websites featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, society, and history. I also found more information from a film series that used animation to represent Dreaming stories, which shed more light on the society’s way of living. Besides, an interactive online multimedia series was helpful in informing me about the exchange of cultural experiences and the creativity of young Indigenous people (ABC, n.d.). Hence, this information formed a basis for a practical and feasible perception concerning Aboriginal people.
Impact of Personal History on the Perception
My great-grandfather lived in Japan a long time ago, and later, he migrated to our current hometown. I lived with him and my extended family for a long time before joining college, and I was able to learn a few things that I consider to be part of the culture of the family. My grandfather valued his family very much, to the extent that he would not allow anybody to relocate to an unknown location. He wanted us to live in the small town and desired us to have a sense of identity in the family. There were events set every year to celebrate life, and he required everybody to attend. At these events, he would tell us stories about the origin of our family by drawing family trees and elaborating on them. He wanted the family name to be continued, and he would name the children of my uncles and aunts after his mother, father, and other members of the community. This experience while growing up played a significant role in the formation of my perception concerning Indigenous people, as I could relate to their situation at a family level.
Similarities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Communities
According to SNAICC, the main differences between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are the languages spoken and the original geographical locations where they lived before colonization. Therefore, their cultural norms, beliefs, values, and styles of communication are diverse, complex, and distinct from one region in Australia to another. However, common threads among these communities living in different parts of Australia include their history and their current situations. Basically, the people belonging to these communities value a sense of community despite their geographical locations in Australia. Moreover, people from both communities value and respect their elders. They believe that elders have knowledge, trust, and understanding of their people’s cultures and are expected to give advice, share wisdom, and provide support to community members, especially young people.
What is more, the communities had beliefs and value systems that played an important role in providing a sense of identity to the people. Therefore, these communities emphasized the relationship of an individual to the community and the integration of material and spiritual well-being. Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities placed a high value on the environment, and they formed relationships with the weather, water, land, skies, animals, plants, and spirits. Furthermore, Aboriginal languages remain very diverse, strong, and enduring. Presently, in rural parts of Australia, English is used as a second, third, or even fourth language (Hampton & Toombs, n.d.). In conclusion, they have Dreaming cultures that provide information about their cultures and origins. The most important aspect is Aboriginal culture, which emphasizes social relationships and shared obligations. Every person has a different role in the community, and they are also obligated to share what they have with the rest of the members (SNAICC, n.d.).
References
ABC. (n.d.). Media Cultural Protocols for Reporting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Communities in the Media Ethics and Codes of Conduct – Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). Retrieved from www.abc.net.au/indigenous/education/ethics_codes.htm
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. (2017) Guidelines for Ethical Research in Indigenous Studies, The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra, p. 2.
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