Post by ppyenews on Jul 8, 2006 5:15:43 GMT -5
Welcome to ‘Talkback Topic’ – I’m Phillip Pye.
There have been a few celebrations going on around Australia in the last week, all in the name of “NAIDOC”. What on earth is “NAIDOC” some may ask whilst many others have heard of it but never really taken the time to find out what it’s really all about. There are some people though, (mostly Aboriginal) who await the celebrations eagerly as an opportune time to further their bid for reconciliation.
According to NAIDOC National, NAIDOC has its origins in the fight for Aboriginal rights that began to gather pace in the 1920s and 1930s. In those years, organisations such as the Australian Aborigines Progress Association, the Australian Aborigines League, and the Aborigines Progressive Association were established to draw attention to the living conditions suffered by Aboriginal people and their lack of citizenship rights.
In 1937 activists William Cooper and William Ferguson joined forces to plan a ‘Day of Mourning’ for 26 January 1938, the 150th anniversary of British settlement of Australia. Around 1000 Aboriginal people attended a conference on that day, and the following week a deputation presented the Prime Minister with a proposed national policy for Aboriginal people. This was rejected because the Commonwealth then had no constitutional responsibility for Aboriginal affairs.
Cooper also wrote to the National Missionary Council of Australia seeking its support in promoting a permanent annual Aborigines Day. From 1940 the NMCA encouraged churches to observe the Sunday before the Australia Day weekend as ‘Aboriginal Sunday’. In 1955 the NMCA changed the date to the first Sunday in July.
In 1957 a National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) was formed with support and cooperation from Federal and State governments, the churches and major Indigenous organisations. Its aim was to promote Aboriginal Sunday as a day to focus community attention on the nation’s Aboriginal people.
After the 1967 Aboriginal Referendum and the establishment in 1972 of a Federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the national focus on Indigenous issues increased significantly. In 1974 NADOC became an all-Indigenous committee, and in 1975 extended Aboriginal Day to National Aborigines Week. There has been other changes after these dates such as ATSIC, “The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission taking control of formalities and celebrations.
The interesting fact is that people of other races in Australia are now acknowledging and often joining in on NAIDOC events. A keeping and sharing of their culture is very important to the Aboriginal people in Australia who have relentlessly struggled through poverty, marginalisation, and great loss to restore their identity and culture. What better way to do it than share it with us. It would be in the interest of some other cultures that have decided to call Australia home to do the same.
I’m Phillip Pye.
There have been a few celebrations going on around Australia in the last week, all in the name of “NAIDOC”. What on earth is “NAIDOC” some may ask whilst many others have heard of it but never really taken the time to find out what it’s really all about. There are some people though, (mostly Aboriginal) who await the celebrations eagerly as an opportune time to further their bid for reconciliation.
According to NAIDOC National, NAIDOC has its origins in the fight for Aboriginal rights that began to gather pace in the 1920s and 1930s. In those years, organisations such as the Australian Aborigines Progress Association, the Australian Aborigines League, and the Aborigines Progressive Association were established to draw attention to the living conditions suffered by Aboriginal people and their lack of citizenship rights.
In 1937 activists William Cooper and William Ferguson joined forces to plan a ‘Day of Mourning’ for 26 January 1938, the 150th anniversary of British settlement of Australia. Around 1000 Aboriginal people attended a conference on that day, and the following week a deputation presented the Prime Minister with a proposed national policy for Aboriginal people. This was rejected because the Commonwealth then had no constitutional responsibility for Aboriginal affairs.
Cooper also wrote to the National Missionary Council of Australia seeking its support in promoting a permanent annual Aborigines Day. From 1940 the NMCA encouraged churches to observe the Sunday before the Australia Day weekend as ‘Aboriginal Sunday’. In 1955 the NMCA changed the date to the first Sunday in July.
In 1957 a National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) was formed with support and cooperation from Federal and State governments, the churches and major Indigenous organisations. Its aim was to promote Aboriginal Sunday as a day to focus community attention on the nation’s Aboriginal people.
After the 1967 Aboriginal Referendum and the establishment in 1972 of a Federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the national focus on Indigenous issues increased significantly. In 1974 NADOC became an all-Indigenous committee, and in 1975 extended Aboriginal Day to National Aborigines Week. There has been other changes after these dates such as ATSIC, “The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission taking control of formalities and celebrations.
The interesting fact is that people of other races in Australia are now acknowledging and often joining in on NAIDOC events. A keeping and sharing of their culture is very important to the Aboriginal people in Australia who have relentlessly struggled through poverty, marginalisation, and great loss to restore their identity and culture. What better way to do it than share it with us. It would be in the interest of some other cultures that have decided to call Australia home to do the same.
I’m Phillip Pye.