ethnicity (still very OT)

[Simon Biber]

No: HPFGUIDX 7037

I don't disagree with what you say, and I really don't profess to have much
knowledge on the subject.

I just wonder sometimes about how we handle the issues involved with the
ATSI population. For example I don't agree with how previous governments set
aside huge areas of remote Australia to be "Aboriginal areas", which we need
a permit to enter.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Snuffles MacGoo" <msmacgoo at one.net.au>
To: <HPforGrownups at egroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2000 6:04 PM
Subject: RE: [HPforGrownups] Re: ethnicity (OT and Long)


> 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