The Tagai is the spiritual belief system that connects people to the order of the world, stating that everything has its place. First Nations Australians often have a complex system of family ties, roles and responsibilities which are the core of their cultures.
They also define the obligations and responsibilities for children and their families, and how each family member is meant to support others in the kinship system.
Elders bridge the past and the present by passing on their understanding, skills, knowledge and stories to the generations who follow them. This means that caring for children is the responsibility of broader kinship networks and not just a child's biological parents.
In Australia's very recent past, families and communities were separated because of the impacts of colonisation and the imposition of European social, political, economic and cultural structures. This caused long-term, traumatic problems for the passing down of cultural knowledge and the maintenance of social and cultural ties. Customary adoption occurs when childless family members adopt a child so that they are given an opportunity to raise their own child.
It also strengthens bonds between families and means that boys and girls can be distributed evenly between families or can provide care for an older relative. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art is among the oldest forms of art in the world. Like the different languages unique to different cultures, First Nations art has a different meaning for different groups. Colours and styles differ from one nation to another, as do the messages in the stories.
Symbols are used widely as a way to present a message, and the artwork becomes a way to continue telling stories and passing them on from generation to generation. Some of these art forms — dot paintings and dance for example — have also become well known throughout the world. They have become a major area of cultural pride as well as employment and income for First Nations people.
Despite their rich history, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders face many challenges today. They experience widespread inequality, discrimination and cultural disconnection as a result of complex policies and systems in Australia that have limited their voices from being heard in decision-making processes that impact on their lives.
The most recent Closing the Gap report shows that, despite some progress, more initiatives focusing on holistic approaches are needed to drive further change. It refers to the bringing together of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-First Nations Australians and working to overcome the division, misunderstanding and inequality between them.
A Reconciliation Plan RAP is the strategy developed by a group or organisation which works to reduce the gap in inequality and discrimination affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. It provides the steps for non-First Nations staff to learn about, engage with and better understand First Nations people, cultures and histories.
World Vision believes that in an unreconciled Australia, we cannot adequately address racism and inequality, deal with inter-generational trauma or create a culture of dignity and respect. Without true reconciliation, young hearts and minds cannot reach their potential.
The Council developed a declaration towards reconciliation, a Roadmap for Reconciliation which contains four national strategies and a final report, titled Reconciliation: Australia's Challenge , which sets out a comprehensive program of activities to address the 'unfinished business' of reconciliation.
The Council's proposals relate to four areas: achieving economic independence, overcoming Indigenous disadvantage, recognising Indigenous rights and sustaining the reconciliation process. Reconciliation Australia was established by the Council in December to carry forward the reconciliation movement.
Those rights can range from a relationship similar to full ownership of the land through to the right to go onto the land for ceremonies or to hunt, fish or gather foods and bush medicines. To have their native title rights recognised, the Indigenous group has to prove they still have a connection with their country according to their traditional laws. Australian law gives all other land titles priority over native title.
In many cases the creation of an interest in land under western law has the effect of extinguishing any native title rights that might have existed.
However, in some cases Indigenous and non-Indigenous interests in land can co-exist - for example, Indigenous people might be able to visit their country freely even though it is on a cattle station. Even in these cases, wherever there is a conflict between the two sets of interests, the non-Indigenous interest will prevail. Native title cannot be recognised on land which is fully owned by someone else.
It can only be recognised in areas like:. As at 15 April , the total number of native title determinations decisions made on a claim in Australia numbered Of these, 39 were determinations that native title exists. Click here for more information about native title decisions. Native title is not the same as land rights. Land rights are granted through legislation whereas native title is the recognition of rights based on the traditional laws and customs that existed before white occupation.
Unlike land rights, native title rights are not granted by government so cannot be withheld or withdrawn by Parliament or the Crown, although they can be extinguished by an Act of government. A land rights grant may cover traditional land, an Aboriginal reserve, an Aboriginal mission or cemetery, Crown land or a national park. Native title only covers land on which a traditional relationship continues to exist.
Click here for more information about land rights laws. Source: Pollack, D. Land for Aboriginal communities or enterprises may also be purchased with money from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account formerly Land Fund created in The Land Account was the second part of the Federal Government's response to the High Court's Mabo decision the first part of the response being the introduction of native title legislation , in recognition of the fact that the majority of Indigenous people had been dispossessed and would be unable to regain ownership and control of their land through the native title processes.
The Land Account was established to help address this issue by providing cultural, social, environmental and economic benefits for Indigenous people.
Around two-thirds of this amount has been retained in the Account and invested, with the remainder available to the Indigenous Land Corporation to fund its ongoing activities. Government allocations to the Land Account have ceased. It is expected that the work of the Indigenous Land Corporation will be funded from the investment income earned by the Land Account. This decision rejected the doctrine of terra nullius.
It recognised for the first time that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have maintained a continuing connection with their country, according to their traditions and customs, may have their rights to land under traditional law recognised in Australian law.
Click here to read the Mabo Case No. In , the Native Title Act was passed to recognise and protect surviving native title rights throughout Australia and set up a process for settling claims and conflicts about native title. The Act:. In the Wik case, the High Court held that pastoral leases in Queensland do not necessarily cancel out native title rights and interests and that they could co-exist with the rights of pastoralists.
The amendments:. The Croker Island case recognised that native title could exist on sea country but that any native title rights that were recognised must not exclude the rights of any other person. In the Ward case, the High Court found that native title is made up of a bundle of rights and that these rights can be extinguished either in part or as a whole.
One way native title rights are extinguished is by the grant of inconsistent non-Indigenous interests in the same area of land. For example, the creation of a pastoral lease in Western Australia extinguishes the right of the traditional owners to exclusive possession of that land.
However, it does not extinguish the rights of the traditional owners to enter the land in order to hunt or fish or perform ceremonies, because these rights can co-exist with the rights of the pastoralist. In the case of freehold, native title is completely extinguished. The High Court found that in order to have native title recognised, the claimant group must show that it, or its members have practised their traditional laws and customs continuously since European settlement.
Hospital statistics relating to Indigenous people , Occasional Paper, Self-assessed health status of Indigenous Australians , Occasional Paper, Indigenous mothers and their babies - health statistics, , National Perinatal Statistics Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Henry Reynolds, The other side of the frontier: an interpretation of the Aboriginal response to the invasion and settlement of Australia , James Cook University, Townsville, Henry Reynolds, Why weren't we told?
A personal search for the truth about our history , Viking, Ringwood Victoria, Roadmap for Reconciliation , Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Mabo No.
Pollack, D. Note that the report will be released in November The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has explained the basis for recognising this relationship as follows: 'Indigenous or aboriginal people are so-called because they were living on their lands before settlers came from elsewhere; they are the descendants - according to one definition - of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived, the new arrivals later becoming dominant through conquest, occupation, settlement or other means I ndigenous people have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics which are clearly distinct from those of the other segments of the national populations.
The difference in John Deeble's and Access Economics' figure is because the latter is based on a greater estimate of Indigenous health needs. Northern Territory - Being 'aboriginal or half-caste' if the Chief Protector believed it was necessary or desirable. Queensland - For 'aboriginal' children, and 'half-cast' children living with Aboriginal parent s , if the Minister ordered it.
These laws did not apply to Torres Strait Islanders. South Australia - Legitimate children that is, children whose parents were lawfully married could only be removed if they were over 14 or had an education certificate. Illegitimate children could be removed at any time if the Chief Protector and State Children's Council believed they were neglected.
Victoria - If the Governor of the State was satisfied the child was neglected or left unprotected. From , for the better care, custody and education of the child. Western Australia - Police, protectors and justices of the peace could remove any 'half-caste' child to a mission.
Extended to all 'natives' under 21 in Where were the children placed? How many children were removed? What were the consequences of the removals?
Table Established the Aboriginal Lands Trust of South Australia made up of Aboriginal members and provided for the transfer of former Aboriginal reserves to the control and management of Aboriginal communities. Jump to navigation Skip to main content. Close Contact Government Publications. Departments and Agencies Cross Government Bodies. International Relations How Government Works.
Close Media Releases. Social Media Public consultations. Close Facts and Figures. Special dates and events. Our country. Home About Australia Our country Our people. Our people. Australian people Indigenous peoples and cultures The first colony Free settlers Becoming Australians Population today Australian people Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse societies in the world today. Indigenous peoples and cultures Before the arrival of British colonisers in , Australia was inhabited by the Indigenous peoples - Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, sometimes referred to as the First Australians.
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