representation of indigenous australians in canberra
Part A – Evaluation of current representations of Aboriginal people in Canberra
Overall, we found that Indigenous Australians were represented in Canberra to some extent. In the places we toured – the National Museum, Museum of Democracy and Old Parliament House, New Parliament House, the Film and Sound Archives, Reconciliation Place and the Australian War Memorial – some featured extensive information on them, whilst others only briefly mentioned it. As a whole, we believe Canberra only represented a small portion of Aboriginal Australians effectively and factually. The marginal representation that was available was also given, however, only through factual statements and recounts rather than through a personal stand point.
For example, the visit to the Australian War Memorial gave us no indication of Aboriginal representation in Canberra and focused more on the white Australian’s (those that arrived after the European settlement) contribution to the history of the country.
The National Museum appeared to represent Indigenous Australians most effectively though the inclusion of a gallery delegated entirely to First Australians. This gallery included pictures, videos and displays of indigenous Australians and acknowledged their resistance to colonisation and their survival through adaptation and diversity united by identity. It featured the culture, history and traditions of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, as well as more recent issues such as land rights, native title and the stolen generation. It was ensured that the exhibit did not touch on more sacred areas regarding Indigenous Australian history, such as exclusive traditions and spiritual items
In front of the Old Parliament House sits a group of tents, known as the Aboriginal Embassy. It is one of the few first-hand representations of Indigenous Australians in their own country still standing and symbolises the growing political identity of the Aboriginals following the European settlement. It holds a great significance as it was erected by a group of activists on Australia Day 1972 to humiliate the McMahon Coalition.
Reconciliation Place was the location at which we found the most useful representations of Indigenous Australians in Canberra. The monument has a focus on information about events and issues regarding cultural and political aspects of reconciliation in Australia including the 1967 Referendum and the Mabo decision. It also featured informative videos and Aboriginal artworks which carry inscriptions and images which are significant to reconciliation in Australia.
The film and sound archive had limited representation of Aboriginal people. We were presented with a number of films which focussed on assimilation in Australia and exhibits which contained traditional and modern Aboriginal music which gave us a different view of Aboriginal culture.
In summation, through conducting observations in Canberra, the locations we visited, as a collective, provided a moderate to frequent amount of Aboriginal representation. However, through those representations, Indigenous Australians were only depicted through a generalised light and personal experiences were unable to be accurately perceived. Instead, most representations displayed the Aboriginal history in a factual and formal manner.
Overall, we found that Indigenous Australians were represented in Canberra to some extent. In the places we toured – the National Museum, Museum of Democracy and Old Parliament House, New Parliament House, the Film and Sound Archives, Reconciliation Place and the Australian War Memorial – some featured extensive information on them, whilst others only briefly mentioned it. As a whole, we believe Canberra only represented a small portion of Aboriginal Australians effectively and factually. The marginal representation that was available was also given, however, only through factual statements and recounts rather than through a personal stand point.
For example, the visit to the Australian War Memorial gave us no indication of Aboriginal representation in Canberra and focused more on the white Australian’s (those that arrived after the European settlement) contribution to the history of the country.
The National Museum appeared to represent Indigenous Australians most effectively though the inclusion of a gallery delegated entirely to First Australians. This gallery included pictures, videos and displays of indigenous Australians and acknowledged their resistance to colonisation and their survival through adaptation and diversity united by identity. It featured the culture, history and traditions of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, as well as more recent issues such as land rights, native title and the stolen generation. It was ensured that the exhibit did not touch on more sacred areas regarding Indigenous Australian history, such as exclusive traditions and spiritual items
In front of the Old Parliament House sits a group of tents, known as the Aboriginal Embassy. It is one of the few first-hand representations of Indigenous Australians in their own country still standing and symbolises the growing political identity of the Aboriginals following the European settlement. It holds a great significance as it was erected by a group of activists on Australia Day 1972 to humiliate the McMahon Coalition.
Reconciliation Place was the location at which we found the most useful representations of Indigenous Australians in Canberra. The monument has a focus on information about events and issues regarding cultural and political aspects of reconciliation in Australia including the 1967 Referendum and the Mabo decision. It also featured informative videos and Aboriginal artworks which carry inscriptions and images which are significant to reconciliation in Australia.
The film and sound archive had limited representation of Aboriginal people. We were presented with a number of films which focussed on assimilation in Australia and exhibits which contained traditional and modern Aboriginal music which gave us a different view of Aboriginal culture.
In summation, through conducting observations in Canberra, the locations we visited, as a collective, provided a moderate to frequent amount of Aboriginal representation. However, through those representations, Indigenous Australians were only depicted through a generalised light and personal experiences were unable to be accurately perceived. Instead, most representations displayed the Aboriginal history in a factual and formal manner.