...Assessment 2: “Culture influences an individual’s perception of illness and health.” 1000 wrds There are many definitions for 'culture' with the anthropologist Sir Edward Tylor (1871) cited by Ravalico (2006) defining it to mean 'that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a member of society.' Culture also influences how one perceives their health and the idea of what it means to have ‘good health.’ One community group whose culture strongly impacts on individual’s perception of illness and health is the Australian Aboriginal community. Aboriginal Australians have a shorter life expectancy than others (ABS 2008, Shaouli et al 2011) which threatens Aboriginal culture as ‘elders’are the transmitters of Aboriginal culture. Aboriginal people experience worse health and more disease with the latter being three times more than that for the total Australian population (NATSIS 2008 cited by ABS 2008). Culture is one of the many social determinants of health and affects health (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall and Bailie, 2007). Some indigenous people are fatalistic about their health (Thackrah and Scott 2011) although most can access medical help when needed providing they trusted their medical practitioners (ABS 2008, DATSIPD 2009). Other obstacles include language, lack of public transport and telecommunications (Shaouli et al 2011). Therefore, the impact of culture on individuals’ health is crucial to...
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...looks at the significant of that from Aboriginals perspective based on research. It gives a brief history of the cruel nature of colonisation, its impact on Aboriginals and how this colonial mentality is perpetuated through discrimination to the Indigenous Australian disadvantage. It states why the policy introduced by the government does not sound promising, what the Aboriginals wants and human rights implications in the issues facing the Aboriginals. Definition of belonging Belonging is the connection and relationship of individual with the world around him/her. (Jacques Dufresne….) Even though belonging has physical components, it can be felt individually, and develops to diverse stages with time and circumstances. This means that human state of belonging is not permanent. The status of belonging can be explicated by the choices that people make. The concept of belonging Analysing and reviewing sense of belonging I approached it by applying to my own being-that I belong to a family, my mother and fatherland, an ethnic/cultural group, a religious, professional and community groups. Within these groups I have forged good relations. The thrives that keep this profound affiliation going for me is the values we share, that include honesty, caring, sharing, participation, inclusion and respect. (The individual sense of belonging may differ and have the potential to fade away with time and experience. ) Ashanti family and culture In Ghana where I come from we have...
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...This paper will explore the roles that gender and feminism plays alongside other determinants to affect the health status of Aboriginal Canadian women. Determinants of health refer to the circumstances in which people are born, live, grow, work, and age, that are responsible for most of the health inequalities that exist. Common determinants contributing to sub-par health status include: early child development, education, income, employment, social and physical environment, personal health practices and coping skills, access to health services, racism, and gender. These determinants work alongside Aboriginal-specific determinants like cultural identity, self-determination, and colonialism to create significant health discrepancies compared to non-Aboriginal Canadians. Aboriginal women are at an even greater disadvantage because of the role gender plays on top of the other determinants. The term gender refers to the socially constructed perceptions of feminine and masculine and is not to be confused with sex, which refers to the biological differences between men and women (Steckley and Letts 2010). While the two are different concepts, they are closely related and do influence each other because while biology may condition behaviour, it is in turn conditioned by the social environment (Halseth 2013). Health is also a social construct and issue, rather than simply a medical and technical problem associated with body parts and their functions. Because it is defined by and shaped...
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...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 refer to it as ‘Ungud’; the Pitjantatjar know the dreaming as ‘Tjukurpa’, and Yolngu as ‘Wongar’. (Edwards, 1998) The Bundjalung community believe the Dreaming is personal...
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...argued to criminalize certain groups within society. Specifically, Aboriginal women as offenders in corrections have faced many difficulties. They often are sentenced younger, more often and for longer sentences than non-Aboriginal offenders. The over incarceration, over representation and criminalization of Aboriginal women within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is attributable to a legacy of colonialism and sexism which placed them at a vulnerable place within society. Canada’s public policy post WWII regarding, social welfare, education and the labour market, exhibit how colonialism and sexism have created unfavorable cultural and socio-economic conditions for Aboriginal women, which make them more susceptible to be victims/survivors of violence, poverty and behaviours or circumstances in conflict with the law. As a result of these conditions, Aboriginal women are more likely to meet deplorable conditions while in prison, and the laws do not seem to accommodate Aboriginal methods of rehabilitation, restitution and justice. In order to understand the plight of Aboriginal women within the CJS, the issue will be approached from a feminist perspective. Further, the evidence will be sourced from secondary sources, mainly text and government reports. First a landscape of Canada’s colonial past’s impact on Aboriginal women; starting post WWII will be advanced. This will demonstrate the links between Aboriginal women’s experience with poverty, violence in all forms, and the...
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...Question Aboriginal music (which includes song, dance and design) is uniquely connected to the creative life-force of the dreaming and according to Magowan (2011, p.43) ‘stories are often told in song as a means of making sense of the world and everything in it. Consider the role of music, story, art and ceremony and discuss their significance for social knowledge’s and education within Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal people have a deep spiritual connection to their country and to the creative life force of the Dreaming. Aboriginal people maintain their system of beliefs, law and culture through a variety of forms including music, stories, art and ceremony. Each of these forms enables Aboriginal people to make sense of the world and everything in it. Throughout this essay the role of music, story, art and ceremony will be discussed with reference to their significance for social knowledge and education for aboriginal communities. However, to understand the variety of forms that Aboriginal people engage in it is vital to have an understanding of the Dreaming which permeates through song, dance, stories, panting and social systems and is central to the existence of Aboriginal people, their lifestyle and culture. The Dreaming The Dreaming is a creative time in which spirit beings emerged from a pre-existent but lifeless substance for example water or land and travelled across the earth in a variety of forms including animals, plants and humans (Edwards 1998, p.17). As...
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...Assimilation of native canadians Submission to the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: the role of languages and culture in the promotion and protection of the rights and identity of Indigenous peoples. The State of Indigenous Peoples’ Languages and Cultures in Canada Submission by Kontinónhstats - The Mohawk Language Custodians Submitted by: Kontinónhstats – The Mohawk Language Custodians 14A Sóse Onahsakenrat (Joseph Swan Road) Kanehsatà:ke, Quebec Canada J0N 1E0 Phone: 450-479-1651 Email: Ellen Gabriel kontinonhstats2@hotmail.com Hilda Nicholas kononkwe@inbox.com Table of Contents Page Executive Summary ………………………………………………………. 3 - 6 Introduction ……………………………………………………………….. 6 – 7 Current Situation ………………………………………………………..... 7 – 9 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………. 9 - 11 Recommendations ……………………………………………………….... 12 End Notes …………………………………………………………………...13 - 14 Annex 1………………………………………………………………………15 -16 Annex 2………………………………………………………………………17 Suggested Questions ………………………………………………………..18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This submission on Indigenous languages, culture and identity demonstrates the manner in which Canada continues to practice institutionalized racial discrimination and assimilation against Indigenous peoples’ human rights and fundamental freedoms through the imposition of their policies...
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...Defining the issue Aboriginal families all across Canada were affected by the residential school system. The two main objectives of residential schools were to remove and isolate indigenous children from their families and cultures and to assimilate them into the Western cultures. From the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s it was mandatory that Aboriginal children went to residential schools by the federal government, to try to make them more like “children in mainstream society” (Kevin, Beeds, and Filion 340). Aboriginal values were looked down upon. Schools were operated by a staff that consisted of nuns and priests. They focused on teaching children Christianity. This event was significant in Canadian history because it represented the loss of culture, language, and family connection due to long separations and the hardships faced at school. The experience at residential schools continue to affect generations of Aboriginals still to this day. History of the Issue Prior to the Canadian government’s involvement in the education of Aboriginal children, traditional education effectively sustained Aboriginal cultures for decades of years (340). Early in the 1600s French missionaries came to North America to convert Aboriginals to Christianity (340). They established mission schools in New France. By the 1800s the government focused on educating First Nations children in a way to indirectly assimilate them into Canadian society (340). In 1879, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald commissioned...
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...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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...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 of aspects Wake or celebration after the ceremony Dead person goes back to ancestors land Celebration Ceremonies Celebrate the telling of a dreamtime story of the visiting of relatives or friends ...
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...internationally. In your discussion refer to at least two case studies of Indigenous tourism. Both past and present, Indigenous culture is becoming increasingly recognised as a significant aspect of the Australian tourism product and experience (Johnston 2006). Therefore, in order to manage the long-term sustainability of Indigenous tourism and involvement of host communities in the tourism industry, the socio-cultural impacts of tourism on Indigenous communities need to be addressed and monitored (Hodgson, Firth & Presbury 2005). Research conducted by various authors have identified positive impacts commonly associated with Indigenous tourism on host communities including conservation of traditional customs and cultural heritage (Tomaselli 2012), sense of community pride, cross-cultural understanding, maintaining community stability and the broadening of horizons (Hodgson, Firth & Presbury 2005). As a result, host communities may recognise the significance and economic value of their cultural heritage. Thus, tourism may come to play a vital role in promoting cross-cultural exchange, education and preservation of Indigenous communities. Conversely, much of the literature regarding this topic suggests that the negative sociocultural impacts outweigh the benefits seen as a result of Indigenous tourism which include disruption to daily life and traditional lifestyles, overcrowding, loss of amenities for residents, increased resentment, and hostility towards tourists (Hodgson,...
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...influence people's attitudes and outlooks. They convey a whole variety of information which individuals would not otherwise acquire. Newspapers, books, television, radio, films, recorded music and popular magazines (Giddens, 1989, p.79) bring individuals into close contact with experiences of which we 'would otherwise have little awareness' (Giddens, 1989, p. 79). There are very few societies, in current times, even among the more traditional cultures, which remain completely untouched by the mass media. Electronic communication is accessible even to those who are completely illiterate, or in isolated areas of the world. According to Juredini and Poole, gender usually refers to the 'behavioural and attitudinal characteristics' as well as roles that are learned and derived from a 'particular cultural milieu' (2000, p.171). An important source of gender information in a consumer society is television. Despite some notable exceptions, for example 'Sesame Street', most television shows continue to portray males and females in stereotypical gender roles (Sigorelli, 1990, citied in Newman, 2000, p. 136). In a recent study of television...
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...Solving Conflicts through Agreements: The Indian Act and Canadian Treaties In modern society the question of why the aboriginal population receives benefits often arises. Much of today’s youth does not understand that the Native American people were often stripped of their rights in the past in order to gain these advantages. Two main incidents were established in the Aboriginal history, the first was the treaties that spread across Canada and the second incident was the Indian Act of 1876. The main difference between the Indian Act and treaties were the aboriginal’s role in the decision-making. Treaties allowed for a compromise between the Natives and the government that allowed for benefits on both ends whereas the Indian act was imposed on the Native culture by the Canadian government without any arrangement with the aboriginals. This paper will first describe the history of treaties and what they entail for both parties and also look at the formation of the Indian Act. Then, this paper will look at how each had affected the Aboriginal people in similar and different ways. Finally this paper will look at the relation in today’s society that the treaties have in Canada and what life would be like if the Indian Act was still a large part of how First Nations people would have been treated if the Act was not changed following World War II. After these points, a reader should have a better understanding of a topic that they may know little about. By looking at both the...
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...across the country. The word "Aboriginal" means native or indigenous people, the first people to settle on a piece of land. The word is used as a term for various indigenous groups in Australia. In 1770, s the Englishman James Cook and his crew landed on the Australian ground. At first the "white man" used Australia as a penal colony, a place you brought prisoners who were no longer desired in Europe. The aborigines were uprooted from their lands. Many died of diseases that came with the English men, because their immune system was not designed to handle such things. As many as 90% of the aborigines may have been extinct for various reasons. When James Cook arrived, it was about 300 000 aborigines in Australia. Those who did not die of illness risked being shot or taken as slaves. They were regarded as uncivilized or animals, as they not used clothes, had a house or modern weapons. Before the british men came the aborigines lived as nomads and as hunter-gathers with a strong dependence on the land and their agriculture for survival. After the settlement of the britsh the indigenous people were displaced from their ways of life and were forced to submit to European rule, and later encouraged to assimilate into Western culture. Location: Today Australian Aboriginals live all around Australia. Many live in Western Australia in Perth because it is very sunny there. They like living in deserts because the are used to the sun. The are a lot of aboriginals also in Queensland. Some...
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...Two Cultures: Bridging the Gap with Etic and Emic Viewpoint Culture is defined as a learned system of beliefs, feelings, and rules for living through which they organize their lives. Culture is a way of life that is passed from one generation to the next, and societies within the culture are guided by their learned system of beliefs, feelings, and rules for living. Within the customs of their culture, people within society are taught that they share some common understandings with one another. Being taught the customs, members of society are expected to follow the traditional customs of the group. Cultural relativism recognizes that different cultures have distinct social trajectories, or chosen paths (Carpo, 2013). In understanding a specific custom within a culture, it is important to view the culture from an outside perspective (etic). This is exactly what I will demonstrate within the first section of this paper while expanding and discovering another culture from an inside perspective (emic) which shows how even though customs are different within various cultures a different viewpoint can illuminate the entire picture and bridge the gap between both cultures – the Aboriginals and African Americans. Part I – Religion and the African American Culture among Other Things Religion and the Black Church in African American society, in regards to the socio-cultural, economic and political issues of the 20th century, has branched the African American experience of mere individual...
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