...AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINALS Dana Weaver Ant101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Prof. Steven Sager Sept 2, 2012 In this paper, I will explain in detail how the kinship system works with the Australian Aboriginals. I will also explain how this system relates to how the live and interact in their society. I also want to compare their kinship system with ours here in America. The Aboriginals culture is a very complex and diverse culture. The Indigenous cultures of Australia are the oldest living culture in the world. “They go back at 50,000 years. ( http://australia.gov.au) They survived that long because of their ability to adapt to their environment and change over time. The Aboriginals are divided into small groups called clans. The clan’s usually had a common ancestor and they all considered themselves related.”(Australian.gov.au) Members of tribes distinguished themselves from each other through their dialects.” There were probably about 600 tribes within Australia in 1788, when the first Europeans arrived.” (indigenousaustralia.info)Tribes that spoke closely related dialects often grouped themselves together under the term of being a nation. “Australian Aboriginal kinship is the system of law governing social interaction, particularly marriage, in traditional Australian Aboriginal culture.”( wikipedia.org ) It is an integral part of the culture of every Aboriginal group across Australia. “The system of kinship put everybody in a specific relationship...
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...The Dreaming The Dreaming is a term penned by famous anthropologist W.H. Stanner in 1956. (Fryer-Smith, 2002) It defines the conception of mystical spirits of the universe and encompasses everything within. This concept allows for explanations about the ‘Ancestral Beings’ and their travels, creating everything we see today. (Fryer-Smith, 2002) In customary principles, these ‘Ancestral Beings’ hold the power to arbitrate and guide the Aboriginal people’s lives. Indigenous Australians are the oldest inhabitants of the land with the most extensive practise of religion and customs, what we know as the Dreaming. (Edwards, 1998) The role and function of the Dreaming is to teach the Aboriginal people about the norms and mores of the sacred laws. Also known as customary law, these guidelines are an integral part of the Aboriginal culture as it maintains societal normalities. (ALRC, 1986) The Dreaming is a philosophy that binds every aspect of life together, it assists in knowing the past, present and future, and how to make conscious decisions to ensure the world continues triumphantly. According to Korff (2015) white man cannot comprehend the depth of the Dreaming, as it is more an analogy for providing identity and spiritualism to individuals. The diversity within the various communities explains how in-depth the spirituality is and how important this religion is to each Aboriginal person. Each tribe has their own definition and reason behind the Dreaming. The Ngarinyan kin...
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...Cross-Cultural Management: Reflection Part. 1 of 2: Traditional Aboriginal Culture and Traditional Chinese Culture This reflective report will attempt to compare and contrast between Traditional Australian Aboriginal Culture and Traditional Chinese Culture. Ferraro & Briody (2013) defines culture as the shared perceptions among group of two or more people, their beliefs, values and behavioural patterns, which ultimately shape their way of life. I will analyse the two cultures around Hodstede’s cultural dimensions, Collectivism. Collectivism determines the degree of close-knit characteristic of the group (Hofstede n.d.). The insight this framework provides could be use as a guide in managing organisations’ and nationals’ cultural difference. The traditional Chinese live off small area of land, mainly used for cultivation of rice. In order to maximise yield, seeding and harvesting period are heavily depends on friends and relatives to help get the job done (Gladwell 2008). This interdependent behaviour is found not only at the family level but also at community level. Chinese society follows the teaching of Confucius, which promotes interdependence and social harmony (Chuang & Su 2009). To avoid potential social conflicts and encourages cohesiveness, Chinese are more likely to compromise their own needs and coordinate their behaviour with the situation (Nisbatt & Masuda 2003). It is common for Chinese to live with their married son. Family structure becomes more...
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...000 years ago (Beck). They managed to live in often inhospitable conditions unbearable for the inhabitants of the “old continent”. The Aborigines did not differ only in their living conditions, but also in their way of living in general, their culture. The aboriginal culture was based on several principles which did not come to understanding when the Europeans first arrived. Perhaps the most essential aspect of the Aboriginal culture is the “kinship obligation”, when everyone in the tribe is expected to perform certain tasks without being asked to (Encyclopædia Britannica 4). The white society, in contrast with the Australian indigenous people, was based (and still is) on the concept of private membership, something absolutely unknown in Australia prior to the European settlements. The irreconcilable differences led, in consequence, to clashes and misunderstandings between the two cultures. The Europeans, however, regarded themselves superior. Lloyd describes the situation in Australia after the arrival of the European settlers as being based on “the idea of Aborigines as an inferior ‘doomed race,’ superseded by more highly developed, more enlightened Europeans” (Lloyd). No matter whether this claim was legitimate or not, it had damaging consequences. James Cook landed in Botany Bay in 1770. The Aborigines did not develop any writing system, therefore could not properly or perhaps legally, at any rate to no satisfaction of the Europeans, prove their ownership of the land they...
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...This was followed by the equally detrimental Policy of assimilation, which began in the mid-twentieth century. As a part of and spanning across the official Government policies of Protection and Assimilation, are the dark episodes of the Stolen Generation. The term Stolen Generation refers to the mass removal of Australian Aboriginal children from their families by Government agencies and church missions between 1900 and 1972. Impact of dispossession on Aboriginal spirituality Two centuries of dispossession have had a devastatingly destructive effect upon Aboriginal Spirituality. Most significantly, the separation from land as a result of dispossession is tantamount to a loss of identity, since the Dreaming, which is central to Aboriginal spirituality, is inextricably connected to the land. The loss of land as a result of dispossession leads to the ever-present burden of not being able to fulfil ritual responsibilities. Separation from kinship groups, results in the loss of language, which effectively means that the ability to pass on beliefs in an authentic way has been destroyed. Furthermore, separation from kinship groups leads to the destruction of the kinship system, which is a critical component of Aboriginal spirituality as it involves the passing on of Dreaming stories, traditional...
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...The Dreaming Dreaming: * Underpins all beliefs and practices * Incorporates past, present and future * Inextricably linked to the land * Ceremonialism Dreamtime: Time of creation of all things Dreaming: Individuals or groups set of beliefs or spirituality Spirituality Consists of: * Kinship * Ceremonial life * Obligations to land and people (as a result of societal values) Kinship Highly sophisticated networks of relationships that govern interactions between members of language groups Define where a person fits into the community, binding people together in relationships of sharing and obligation Central to the way culture is passed on and society is organised Dynamic and provides a framework for living Defines roles and responsibilities for raising and educating children Provides systems of moral and financial support within the community Influences the social relationships and governs many aspects of everyday behaviour Ceremonial Life Dreaming ceremonies are conducted in the form of song and dance with the use of body parts and a spectacle of lights and costumes Preparation considered part of ceremony Men and women have different roles Different ceremonies in different cultural groups 4 Types: * Rite of passage * Information * Personal * Spiritual Initiation Ceremony Teaches about law and beliefs Allows young person to take their place as an elder Can last years Funeral Ceremonies Number...
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...The European invasion of Australia in 1770 was the beginning of a series of events and imposed policies that would change the way of life for Aboriginal people forever. When settlers first arrived on the shores of what is now called Botany Bay, they failed to see a people of rich culture, with an intricate kinship system and highly developed system of customary law. Instead they set out to degrade Aboriginal cultures and deny the existence of custodial ownership of the land (Newbury, 1999, p. 25). Over the next two hundred years, the government would introduce a number of policies that would continue this destructive ideal and aim to control Indigenous people, including their culture, beliefs and movements across the country. Although these policies had a major effect on Indigenous people there are many stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people resisting the European invasion. Captain James Cook landed on the east coast of Australia, specifically in Botany Bay, home of the Eora people and claimed possession under the doctrine of ‘terra nullius’. British law at the time stated that Britain could only take possession of another country if it was not inhabited or through negotiation or war. The British ignored these laws, invading and settling on Aboriginal land (NSW Education and Communities, 2013, para. 1). British settlers went about removing trees, reducing availability of food and other resources, brought in livestock which contaminated the waterways and...
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...Within a one hundred year period, 20,000 indigenous Australians were eradicated, while only 2000 convicts were killed. The majority of the killings happened due to misunderstandings. The Europeans did not understand that the natives a different set of beliefs. “Many white settlers thought that the Aboriginals were: barbaric savages, dangerous, treacherous, without morals and possibly cannibalistic.” This led to the Aboriginals becoming mad and starting conflict. The unusual massacre of Myall Creek was different from the others as it was the first time the murderers (the settlers) were punished for slaughtering and burning the natives. One unnecessary mass killing in Gippsland occurred because Angus McMillan wished to avenge his nephew’s death. He gathered a group of people and killed approximately...
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...drifters arrived; the glaciers thawed and brought up the seas once again, which kept the citizenry of Australia permanently in that esteem. The people that inhabited Australia before the English settlers were known as Aborigines or the Australian Aboriginals. Aborigines occupied most of Southeast part of the continent on the shoreline, as well as all parts...
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...Argonauts of the Western Pacific by Bronislaw Malinowski Bronislaw Malinowski and Anthropology In 1910 Bronislaw Malinowski came to London, England. Almost instantly he fell in love with the city and its social structure. He was fascinated by the aristocracy and wanted to be a part of this elite class but he lacked financial capability so he provided the only thing he can offer, his great intellect. He attended the London School of Economics and immersed himself into the field of Anthropology. It was during this time that Anthropology was considered to be an inexact science best studied at a distance due what the nature of their subjects, who they consider as “savages”. As Malinowski began his study of Anthropology, specifically the Australian Aborigines, he found out that the accounts of previous anthropologists were inconclusive, prejudiced and needed a strong dose of scientific discipline. In 1914, he was given the chance to travel and go on a grand tour of Australia and its territories. After three months of travelling, he reached Papua New Guinea and at its east coast, he was able to reach the Trobriand Islands. It is here that he would build his legacy as the father of modern anthropology. The Natives of the Trobriand Islands In his book The Argonauts of the Western Pacific, Bronislaw Malinowski describes the striking features of the Trobriand natives “There are men and women of tall stature, fine bearing and delicate features, with clear cut aquiline profile and high...
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...Guns, Germs and Steel Page 1 GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL: The Fates of Human Societies By Jared Diamond, 1997 About the Author: Jared Diamond is a professor of physiology at UCLA School of Medicine. He is a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and was awarded a 1999 National Medal of Science. He is also the author of The Third Chimpanzee. SUMMARY The book asks and attempts to answer the question, once humankind spread throughout the world, why did different populations in different locations have such different histories? The modern world has been shaped by conquest, epidemics, and genocide, the ingredients of which arose first in Eurasia. The book’s premise is that those ingredients required the development of agriculture. Agriculture also arose first in Eurasia, not because Eurasians were superior in any way to people of other continents, but because of a unique combination of naturally occurring advantages, including more and more suitable wild crops and animals to domesticate, a larger land mass with fewer barriers to the spread of people, crops, and technology, and an east-west axis which meant that climate was similar across the region. The book is well written and contains not only information about the history of cultures around the world, but excellent descriptions of the scientific methodologies used to study them, from how archeologists study the origin of agriculture to how writing evolved to how linguistics can trace the movements of peoples across huge geographic...
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...Annu. Rev. Anthropol. 1999. 28:i–xxiii Copyright © 1999 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGICAL ENLIGHTENMENT? Some Lessons of the Twentieth Century Annu. Rev. Anthropol. 1999.28:i-xxiii. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org by 197.179.183.136 on 11/03/13. For personal use only. Marshall Sahlins Department of Anthropology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637; e-mail: m-sahlins@uchicago.edu Key Words: modernity, indigenization, translocality, culture, development n Abstract A broad reflection on some of the major surprises to anthropological theory occasioned by the history, and in a number of instances the tenacity, of indigenous cultures in the twentieth century. We are not leaving the century with the same ideas that got us there. Contrary to the inherited notions of progressive development, whether of the political left or right, the surviving victims of imperial capitalism neither became all alike nor just like us. Contrary to the “despondency theory” of mid-century, the logical and historical precursor of dependency theory, surviving indigenous peoples aim to take cultural responsibility for what has been done to them. Across large parts of northern North America, even hunters and gatherers live, largely by hunting and gathering. The Eskimo are still there, and they are still Eskimo. Around the world the peoples give the lie to received theoretical oppositions between tradition and change, indigenous culture and modernity,...
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...communitarian institutions can function well, but that it also uncovers a dark side, namely, their capicity to permit one group to exploit another within long-term relationships. I felt greatly honoured on receiving the invitation to deliver the R.C. Mills Memorial Lecture at this conference. Now that I am actually about to deliver it, I feel even more honoured. You will appreciate that the invitation raised a problem for me: given my predelictions, what could I possibly say that would have interested Professor Mills? But I think I have solved that problem. Someone who was so innovative in nurturing the institutions that have enabled the economics ∗ This is an expanded version of the R.C. Mills Lecture, delivered at the Annual Conference of Australian Economists, held at the University of Sydney, September 2004. I am...
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...HOLLOW AVOWALS OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION – TIME FOR AN AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL BILL OF RIGHTS? JULIE CASSIDY* Unlike the constitutions of many nations, such as the United States of America and the Republic of South Africa, the constitutions of the Australian States and Territories and the Commonwealth Constitution Act 1901 (UK) contain no bill of rights. Australia is the only western democracy without a federal bill of rights. The debate regarding the need for a bill of rights necessitates an understanding of what human rights the people of Australia already enjoy. If sufficient protection can be found in existing sources, does Australia really need a federal bill of rights? Opponents of a bill of rights state that we have sufficient protection from arbitrary government intervention in our personal affairs and thus a bill of rights is unnecessary. There are a number of potential sources of human rights in Australia that might provide the suggested existing protection, including the common law, specific domestic legislation, international law and constitutional law. Each of these sources of human rights has, however, important limitations. The focus of this article is on the inadequacy of the Australian constitutions as a source of purported protection. This in turn suggests that an alternative source of rights is needed – a federal bill of rights? In the course of this analysis the author makes suggestions for reform; specifically how a federal bill of rights may address the paucity...
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...400 Must-Have Words for the TOEFL® This page intentionally left blank. 400 Must-Have Words for the TOEFL® LYNN STAFFORD-YILMAZ LAWRENCE J. ZWIER MCGRAW-HILL New York Chicago San Francisco • Lisbon London • Madrid • Mexico City • Milan • New Delhi San Juan • Seoul • Singapore • Sydney • Toronto • • Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. 0-07-146707-6 The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: 0-07-144328-2. All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Where such designations appear in this book, they have been printed with initial caps. McGraw-Hill eBooks are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions, or for use in corporate training programs. For more information, please contact George Hoare, Special Sales, at george_hoare@mcgraw-hill.com or (212) 904-4069. TERMS OF USE This is a copyrighted work and The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“McGraw-Hill”)...
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