[HPforGrownups] Re: ethnicity (OT and Long)

[Snuffles MacGoo]

No: HPFGUIDX 7035

Hmm, I don't know that I agree with you Simon, I mean, yes they do ask in the 
census if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (other wise known as 
ATSI), and yes, numbers are rising every 4 years (more than can be accounted 
for with population growth), and yes many ATSI people who live in cities are 
fair (there is something to do with the a recessive gene so that a very little 
'white blood', (ekk!) say one grandparent, can make a person look very white, 
but I don't know a lot about it). Aboriginal children, when they are born, look 
white, the pigmentation comes in later. And depending on what part of Australia 
you are in, will depend on what the indigenous people will look like. (think 
about the visual differences between Cathy Freeman, Nova Peris-Kneebone and Jai 
? for example) There is a great story, "My place" by Sally Morgan, an 
aboriginal woman whose family had passed as Indian for several generations. So 
not all aboriginal people look like Truganni (spelling!)

We have a long and well honored tradition of rape and sexual abuse in country 
(and city) areas against ATSI women - leading to the birth of 'half-casts', 
'quadroons' etc .... In addition from about 120 years ago until about 20, 30 
years ago children who were 'pale skinned' were removed from their families in 
certain states simply for 'being aboriginal'. These children were placed in the 
white community with the intention of them being 'assimilated'. Hence the 
argument about 'full-blood' is really loaded.

If anyone is really interested in this area of Australian history the 
government report "bring them back home" by the Ronald Wilson (I think) is a 
good place to start.

I grew up in a very wealthy area and saw no aboriginal people (except on the 
tele) until I moved as an adult. When I was younger I thought very few ATSI 
people must be left. Now I live in a poorer area and see more ATSI people, also 
I am more attenuated to what different types of ATSI people look like.

Long OT response to a very by the way comment. As you can tell this is, and 
will be, for some time a very hot social issue in Australia.

storm

-----Original Message-----
From:	Simon Biber [SMTP:simon at basilisk2.cjb.net]
Sent:	Saturday, December 16, 2000 2:52 PM
To:	HPforGrownups at egroups.com
Subject:	[HPforGrownups] Re: ethnicity (OT)

In the Australian census they do ask if you are an Aborigine or Torres
Strait islander. Most of the Aboriginal population here are not black, but
have a small amount of the blood in them. There are very few full-blood
families left (if not none). Even so, they make up an extremely small
section of the community compared with the African-Americans in the US.

Simon.

> I agree that Lee's a toss-up.  It's fun thinking up a background for
> him... right now, about seven different nationalities figure in his
> family.  He may be one of those people who you'd have to ask about
> his ethnicity.  He could very well be blond with blue or grey eyes...
> but I grew up with plenty of very fair multiracial blondes and
> redheads who identify as black.  I'm pretty sure this phenomenon is
> particular to America, though.  In other countries, they wouldn't
> have categorized census forms and such nonsense to fill out.




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