Beliefs and Values about Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders

Running head: NURSING
NURSING
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

1NURSING
Reflection essay
In this essay I would discuss about my beliefs and values about the aboriginals and the
Torres Strait Islanders and how that belief influenced my communication with the Aboriginal
people.
Before commencing this subject, I had a different belief about the aboriginal people. It
appeared that they have any fixed habitation and that they used to sleeping in a cave or rocks.
The relationship of smoking and drinking among the aboriginals, are prevalent from time
immemorial and I had a predetermined notion that most of the aboriginal adolescents are
addicted to drugs and alcohols without even knowing the predisposing factors. As per the
Alcohol and Drug foundation, the prevalence of alcohol consumption and drug addiction among
the aboriginals were much greater than that of the aboriginal counterparts. Hence, these data
findings also fuelled by conception about the aboriginal culture ( ADF. 2017).
I have felt that the aboriginal people are oppressed and had been discriminated in every
aspects of life.
Before participating in the activities, I did not have an idea that the problem of the
aboriginal people with alcohol began with the invasion. Furthermore, contrary to the perception,
only fewer aboriginals drink alcohol than the non- aboriginal counterparts. Aboriginal alcohol
consumption totally changed after the European invasion, as many of the aboriginal laborers
were paid in alcohols or tobacco instead of money(Reading and de Leeuw 2014).
I was unhappy that I still do not possess enough knowledge about the Australian
aboriginal history. It is not that, I have not learnt about their colonization history before and the

2NURSING
how they have faced with racism and discrimination throughout the history. Since, I never had
any one-on one encounter with an aboriginal people or really lacked the inquisitiveness to learn
about aboriginal culture, I never had a true idea about the aboriginal life. In spite of knowing the
colonization history, I was drawn by the myths associated with the aboriginal people.
It is when I encountered them or participated in a debate where I get to know several
facts about the aboriginal culture from my peers participating in the debate, who were placing
their arguments for the Aboriginal people. The unemployment among the aboriginals varies
from community to community. Unemployment among the aboriginals and the Torres Strait
Islanders has been found to be four times than the national average. The more remote is the
aboriginal community, the higher is the rate of the employment. This reflects low market
opportunities. I have come to know about the different factors contributing to the high levels of
unemployment – the past limited educational and the lingering prejudices among the non-
aboriginal employers about the aboriginal employees.
Hence, my predetermined notion was changed after these activities and I really feel how
they have been deprived of their basic rights and to compensate them, the government is thriving
to close the gap.
I intend to study more and research more on the aboriginal culture and their colonization
history in order to understand the root cause of the discrimination, racism and deteriorated health
condition of the aboriginals.
The different yarning circle activities have actually changed my concept or perception
about the Aboriginal people.