Aboriginality: who feels it, knows it

02 June 2011 | 0:00 - By

Ramahn Allam on the right to an Aboriginal identity.

Ramahn_edited_606042616

This week Allan Clarke brings us a story on the argument over Aboriginal identity that’s been sparked by a recent court case and is taking place as we speak.

But the whole argument surrounding who is and who is not Aboriginal enough, light-skinned, dark-skinned, full-blood, half-caste, quarter-caste, octoroon, was created by white folk.

Why are non-Aboriginal people so confronted with Aboriginal people identifying as Aboriginal when they don’t fit the stereotypical view of what they think it means?

Does that make sense? I’ll explain a little further what I’m getting at. We have to look at who created this debate. Prior to any contact with non-Aboriginal people, there was no concept of race or blackness, or whiteness. People were just people.

The origins of race and whiteness began with the imperialist and colonialist expansion, particularly through the 16th to 19th centuries, and became necessary through contact with black and brown peoples. Whiteness cannot be taken literally as a matter of skin pigmentation as it is a political category and a matter of political power. Just as race was at first a biological category made social, it too can’t be understood in purist or literal terms, but its influence on contemporary thinking remains tenacious and deeply embedded in much human social and political activity.

 ‘White’ didn’t enter the colonial lexicon until well after the term ‘black’. According to The Oxford English Dictionary’s first reference to the compound noun 'white man', referred to “A man belonging to a race having naturally light-coloured skin or complexion” and dates only from 1695.

American writer Chuck Stone famously said: “The psychology of whiteness has endowed western civilisation with a comfortable rationale for some of its most savage impulses. It is the psychology of whiteness which has permitted western civilization in its arrogance that it should organise the entire world in its own image.”

So, I, as do many people who identify as Aboriginal, but don’t fit the mould that the powers that be have created over time, and feel comfortable with, have the right to decide who I am.

Bob Marley also famously said: “Who feels it knows it.”

Allan speaks with a range of Aboriginal people and gets their views on identity. Must see.

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08 Jun 2011 14:05 AEST

pp

From: west aust

US -THEM

ABORIDIGINAL means just that. If you have any other race in your blood you are part-aboridginal or part indigineous. Be proud of your part-aboridiginal heritage but realize that without the other part YOU WOULD NOT EVEN EXIST; so embrace you mixed heritage and lets stop this us-them , INDIGINOUS/ NON-INDIGINEOUS drivel .

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06 Jun 2011 20:02 AEST

Mack

From: Sydney

Aboriginality

The concept of "Aboriginality" has changed greatly over the years. Let's suppose a person is mostly of say Chinese heritage/ancestory (such as myself). Further suppose that their great great grandfather was Aborginal. So okay, they have Aboriginal ancestory, but why is that they seem to focus only on this?

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06 Jun 2011 14:14 AEST

D Forbes

From: Adelaide

Aint about aboriginality its about self indulgence and how much you earn

What the hell are you Mob on about wake up not only do you have to put up white aussie racism it also comes from within your very own kind working class blacks trying to be honorary whites judging other blacks money hungry attitudes nepotism families employing family members check out Gawler indigenous health team mother son and sister w self indulgent attitudes like i have a job meaning i am superior to those who dont no wonder indigenous health is where it is time for honesty and reality

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06 Jun 2011 14:03 AEST

Bob

From: NSW

blog comment

Aboriginality comes from your connections with your ancestral lands and your people. Culture,heritage,language. If you claim to be Aboriginal without this then you are only identifying yourself with an English word. Even if you have Aboriginal ancestry, saying your Aboriginal to gain social justice generated opportunities and not having your connections to your land and people is contemptible to put it mildly.Reconnect with your people and land of your ancestors or your just another white fella.

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06 Jun 2011 13:45 AEST

cath

From: Wijabul Country

Aboriginality Who feels it knows it

I have been accepted everywhere I have been by the people as an indigenous woman but I have taken a long time to acknowledge my own aboriginality feeling I was belittling the ongoing survival of my darker skinned brothers and sisters. I am descended from the people who used to live around the Ballarat area in Victoria and I am very fortunate to have still the spirit of my ancestors in my bones. Now I know failing to acknowledge my heritage is tantamount to accepting genocide WE HAVE SURVIVED!

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03 Jun 2011 19:25 AEST

Dale

From: Busselton

Heritage

I am Australian of English & Irish ancestory, this is 'my heritage'. Colour or shades of colour should never determine who we are. There are still people,sadly who disagree. Great quote "Each of us are unique just like everybody else"

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03 Jun 2011 18:31 AEST

Colleen

From: Rockingham, WA

Skin Colour

I was adopted at 7 months and growing up always felt aboriginal, even though I have white skin. I made contact with my natural mother several years ago, but it wasn't till 5 years ago that she told me that through her father I have aboriginal blood. What I find really difficult is that my kids don't want to know and tell me to get over it as I am too white to be aboriginal.

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03 Jun 2011 17:48 AEST

Gabrielle Lowe

From: Sunshine Coast

Racist attitude?

I am a mature aged student in a cert 111 in Indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands Primary Health Care w Toowoomba Tafe. I have found that over the months of me doing my course, brick walls due to the colour of my skin. Why do I now feel I need to lie to get into an Industry I wish to serve?. Speaking with Elders I heard the quote "It doesn't matter how compassionate orqualified you are or what your qualified in in an interview with me my head will say "Not you, your not Black"

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03 Jun 2011 17:19 AEST

Yorta Yorta Kate

From: Coochiemudlo Islan

Aboriginalty

I am a white skinned descendant of both Euorpean and Indigenous Australian people. My Nan was a mikly tea skin colour, her brother darker skinned. I am blue eyed and mousy hair coloured. Because of my not looking like that is my heritage I am shy of learning more because I feel like I do not fit. I am proud of that heritage and would love to learn more of her and my shared culture and the unknown extended family. I do though proudly tell people what I do know of my Nan and her life.

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03 Jun 2011 17:12 AEST

Darryl R

From: Brisbane

Aboriginality, what colour is it

Hi your program is really deadly. I am a fair skinned Proud Bundjalung person who is concerned about the way that people look at fair skinned Aboriginal people when they identify. At the end of the day we all have heritage whether it was from convict stock, free settlers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. We should all be proud of who we are and stand together for the sake of out younger generation. All I can say to those out there with this problem is get over it and move on

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