Indigenous Groups

Indigenous Groups

Aborigines are the indigenous culture of Australia. This group continues a culture with strong survival skills of hunting and gathering. Some aborigines prefer living as mobile foragers even though “they are restricted to government-owned stations,” (Fisher, 2006, p. 36). Although this simple group relies on the simplicity of life, it is not to interpret a sign of spiritual neglect. Just the opposite, the Aborigines have a strong and complex belief that there is a purpose for everything within the universe. Other roles and observances of this group is oral storytelling which allows vibrancy, songs about dreams and other stories of the land, and dances and symbols drawn in the sand that go along with the stories. For some of the Aborigine groups (although fewer in numbers) have continued with traditional practices.

During the late 1880’s, the Aborigines were forced to assimilate by joining rural and urban communities where they “became economically marginalized and were exposed to new diseases,” (Education, 2000-2007). Unfortunately, these diseases resulted in a depletion of the population and extinction for some tribes. During the 1970’s and again in the 1990’s, the groups hit milestone so improvements in terms of territories, increased wages, and welfare benefits. As a result of this information, it is found that Western culture has had a great impact on the Aborigines stemming from removing land and assimilation resulting in the poverty and in later years, creating improvements.

I am not sure when or where, I have heard of Aborigine groups; however, I do not believe I have learned information on the groups to this extent. From the information I read, it was a surprise to learn the group is similar to those who are Amish. Aborigines prefer to live from materials which are collected from the land just the same as people who are Amish. With the upbringing that I have had, I do not believe I could survive off of the land the way the Amish or...