r/aboriginal

Australia’s first and only treaty signed with Indigenous peoples will be ripped up if Opposition Leader Jess Wilson becomes Premier in November, who has made the scrapping a priority. The USA, Canada and New Zealand have treaties with their indigenous people. Polling shows Treaty has clear support in Victoria and Jess Wilson’s pledge is unpopular and One Nation-style.

The Coalition will likely sign a deal with One Nation to form government.

Long story short. My father was the offspring to a married family (must have been an affair, could have been one of the stolen) which put him up for adoption. Now I need to meet the other side of my family. It's urgent for my spiritual healing and growth.

Life is life. It's a sad story. But this is our life.

I am planning on getting my first tattoo in November with a friend and am planning on getting a simple fish on my arm (about 5cm, not that this part really matters) and am considering having it done in a dot-painting or rarrk style instead of just line work. Like others who have asked a similar question in this group, I am looking for confirmation that something like this wouldn’t be misconstrued as rude or something that I don’t really have permission to do as someone who is not Aboriginal, or even Australian, especially given that it will be permanent.

I appreciate any insight or thoughts!

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I'm non-Indigenous and I don't claim that finding the answer to this will change anything about that identity.

Context: For years my family talked about having an Indigenous relation that was likely the product of some affair, and I dismissed it.

Recently we got in contact with another family member who reckons they may have discovered this person existed,

I was just wondering whether or not it was ok to maybe go and investigate this further and possibly speak to people in this community? I don't want to come off as trying to claim Indigenousness from this so I want to tread lightly, which is why I'm making this post.

I don't know much at this time about the situation and we are still trying to figure things out.
Thanks for the time :)

Questions for aboriginal people in particular. Can you recommend any really good books with spiritual or contemplative content?

Don’t need the historical books or that kind of education texts, I want to read something a bit deeper and more positive or soul nourishing

Long shot but if something like this exists I’d love to know. Thanks fam

I know the recommendations for what to do if you find an Aboriginal stone tool in the bush is to leave it where it lies, try and geolocate on a map and then inform the local indigenous group. I have found stone tools in the past on farms and national parks. I have left them there and sometimes taken photos. When trying to inform local indigenous groups nobody seems to care. I will respect the wishes of indigenous people however, it really feels sad to leave these beautiful historic relics to be lost for ever. Eventually they will be covered in grass and dirt and lost forever. This seems very sad to me. Why isn't there a national indigenous body that recorded and even collected them? I'd like to know people's thoughts on this?

This is a repost because my origninal post very much misrepresented what I was trying to say and 100% my fault. I apoligise.

What I meant to say was this: I have heard aboriginal relatives and friends including my father use the word all the time, with varying context, intent, and "passing" from each individual. In all honesty I have said it in the past for I was under the impression that it was socially acceptable to use. I have heard mixed opinions and reasoning though on the usage of said word, so I came here for a more direct opinion.

For the record, this is not coming out of a "want" to say the word; I am a male and attracted to the same gender as myself, and even though I "can say" that paticular slur associated with that identity, I still steer away from the usage of it. The question is purely based on educating myself, and not out of a desire to use it as I please.

I am young and Aboriginal but i am likely being a bit rude, sorry to anyone who I might upset but I have no idea where to talk about this.

I want to start off with saying I know its wrong, I know my thought is ignorant and I feel like crap for having it but I dont know what to do about this feeling or how to stop it. This is a lot of me to ask while also writing this but please try to not be too rude in comments, I beat myself up about this for years already and I just dont know what else to do. Its a very unfair thought, I know that and still it plagues me and makes me feel really alone for not being able to do something about it.

I feels so jealous that other indigenous people are more welcomed in Australia than Native Australians, have detailed cultural regalia, able to speak their language with only a few unclear understandings, have buildings and history that isnt questioned much anymore, have celebrations that are loved without modern influence, inventions that are widely regarded to what specific tribe made them, arent feeling like they're clinging at straws in claiming their culture is here.

I know its not easy, I know it wasnt always the case and I know that there's so much hard work and I admire that about every culture that has been heavily colonised but why is it when I try to learn or see things about indigenous culture feels so intentionally ambiguous and I want to make it absolutely clear that I am so genuinely happy that other cultures are safe here and know so much about themselves, I just wish I were the same.

It sucks so much, I know its not our fault of course and that not sharing information is how especially the older generations are trying to protect whats left, it makes total sense as to why but i am struggling so hard to outwardly represent or embrace my culture without it being dot painting patterns that come from Papunya on a polyester shirt. I always admired the girls in class during highschool that had Pounamu (maori) on and felt like I was lacking that connection. I would wish that I had something so significant to wear from my culture

Maybe it's because i am white looking and always had to find a way to "prove" i love my culture but I always get so sad that I dont know much about my tribes and our practices because we always hear that Aboriginal people have such a diverse culture and while I know its true it saddens me that so much of it is being left behind or already forgotten and now for the younger generations its so damn hard to find anything especially specifics on a tribal group or for some to even trace what groups it was for them in the first place.

I live so far away from my tribe, I dont know anyone who would be willing to tell me about it and I cant find much online even after hours apon hours over the course of years about a lot of the meaningful stuff and it makes sense why but it also feels like i have this flimsy thread to my culture and that is the most i will ever get to embrace it becuase im not "in the know" if that makes sense. It probably doesn't, how can someone be envious of another culture while loving their own whole heartedly?

Anyway i am ranting, I know its annoying and I know i should've just shut up and kept it to myself but i am going to post this anyway just incase anyone relates or understands or maybe even knows how to not feel like this? Im sorry, it feels like I am behaving as a spoiled brat thats like being dragged to a cultural event instead of one that wants to know but I promise that its the ladder. I want to care and represent so much of my culture and have it involved in my life beyond retail items that have our patterns or symbols but it feels so selfish to voice because I know where I come from but I don't really know anything.

I dont want to make anyone angry but this is a disrespectful thought so I sincerely hope this isnt used maliciously towards anyone I just am struggling so much from it being stuck in my head with so much guilt because i know its not right. Im honestly really scared to press post so I am procrastining by still writing because people could rightfully be upset at me for it, I just dont want someone to take any of this as myself feeling shame towards my culture when its not what I feel.

Hi everyone, I (19F) am a Wiradjuri and Kamillaroi woman who has moved from home to go study at university. I am from a regional area and I grew up going to and using the Aboriginal medical centre back home. As sad as it is to say my family is from a lower income background so we couldn't afford to go and pay medical bills at other centres so we always just went there growing up.

However, my question is now that I have moved to the city am I allowed to go in? Or do I need to do some procedures like be immersed in the community first? Is there a time restriction? Like do I need to live in the area for at least a year? Or is it only for local Indigenous people to use? I'm just unsure if I am welcome to use it or not. As a university student I am currently struggling financially and I am unable to afford the hospitals around here, so going to the medical centre is my best bet.

I apologise if any of this sounds insensitive and/or culturally offends anyone. And no I don't want to use it for free services, I just need some help and am unsure where to go. If this isn't available for me does anyone know a better alternative for free health clinics?

I am a 'passing' indigenous australian man, and to be completely honest I have used the word in the past, only sparingly in casual conversation, not in a derogitory manner though. I raise this question because I have heard very mixed opinions on the usage of the word by indigenous communities, and then by 'non - passing' indigenous australians so I raise the question: What circumstances / prerequisites are needed if any for an indigenous person to use the N word?

I’m non-Aboriginal from a wheatbelt farming family. When my granny was a small child in the early 50s, a Stolen Generation victim from Mogumber mission was assigned to our farm as a maid.

Since I found this out I’ve been wondering if I should reach out to her if she’s still alive, or to her children or other family.

One of my friends whose father is a survivor of Mogumber mission says it’s a good idea and her family would want that if they were in that situation, but I want to get some other opinions as well in case I overstep.

Should I find her family to apologise, learn about her story, offer support?

If anyone with experience in situations like this, if you have relatives who were sent to work from missions as children, how would you want someone in my situation to conduct themselves?

I was watching the footy recently (League) and noticed that Telstra has been passing itself off as an Aboriginal company, utilising indigenous art. Are we really ok with them passing themselves off like this. Yeah sure they have the nice words of acnowledgement on the website, but that doesnt mean you get to make us think you're a blackfella business.

Hi all, to preface this post I'm not from Australia at all, I'm a US citizen.

Today I was talking with a chemist friend of mine about geology and he sent me an article about Karijini National Park. I read in there that Mount Bruce being a male only place, but I couldn't get a satisfying answer on why that is from googling it.

Edit: Thank you for the answers. I didn't realize that the reason there was a lack of specific information was because it was intentionally being kept secret. Sorry if any of this came off as insensitive.

Hello,

I am a white person who was born in Aus and has zero Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in me. I've been meaning to get an Australian tattoo since it's our country and currently am going to get a bilby tat (bilbies are my fav animal and I volunteer with them) but I've also been wondering if I should get a Kaurna related tat or not since I am moving interstate next year.

I have no connection to the land in terms of family or tradition, but I still just love the land, of course. You might wonder why I don't just get 'Adelaide' and you're right, but ever since learning about the original custodians of the land and the real Nations it's just?? It's not out of pride but literally like 'damn I love this dirt, I love these trees, I love its history' rather than 'i was born here' I don't wanna celebrate buildings, you know? It's not about sticky-taping myself to indigenous people or tryna be quirky; it's just I wanna appreciate the actual land. Basically I dont see it as getting an indigenous tattoo at all but just a part of my life whilst acknowledging it might be disrespectful to the traditional custodians of the land. However again, I'm completely cracker white and don't have any traditions, so I can see why its like 'eh do u really have to though?' So I'm just wondering for any thoughts on if it's ok or if it's goofy.

Thank you!! :)

P.S. The tattoo is literally just the name, no fonts, colours, or iconography; nothing tied to the Dreaming or clan law, just text. For example I have one that says 'Tutto passa' since my dads side is italian.