Aboriginal Studies: Colonization's Impact and Contemporary Issues

This essay delves into the historical and contemporary issues surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, focusing on the profound impact of European colonization. It begins by highlighting the rich cultural heritage and hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the Indigenous population before colonization, emphasizing their strong connection to the land and their diverse societal structures. The essay then examines the devastating consequences of European colonization, including population decline, cultural displacement, violence, and the introduction of infectious diseases. It explores the forced removal of Indigenous people from their lands, the imposition of restrictive laws, and the resulting social and economic disparities. The essay also addresses the current demographics, language use, and health issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, including poor nutrition, substance abuse, and mental and physical illnesses. Furthermore, it discusses the influence of digital technologies and social media in empowering Indigenous youth and fostering stronger cultural identities and community connections. The essay concludes by emphasizing the ongoing challenges and the importance of addressing these issues to improve the well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The essay draws on various scholarly sources to support its arguments, including the works of Bodkin-Andrews & Carlson, Fredericks, Lowe & Yunkaporta, Nguyen & Cairney, Rowse, and Watson.

Running head: ABORIGINAL STUDIES
Aboriginal Studies
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1ABORIGINAL STUDIES
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represents the earliest inhabitants of
Australian continent. They were hunter-gatherers who had powerful spiritual connection to
animals, land and water (Nguyen & Cairney, 2013). The pages of history have remained a proof
as to how these people utilized and occupied an entire continent and successfully adapted to the
range of climatic and ecological conditions. The population densities of these people ranged
between 1 to 8 square miles to over 35 square miles. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people had certain common cultural features and shared great bonding amongst them with hardly
any consciousness of shared identity on a national level. However, I have found that these people
were expansive in nature and considered society as community of common behaviors and
understanding shared even beyond confines of local group. However, the rapid colonization of
the European Nations during the 1920s led to the decline in the population with only sixty
thousand Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people (Lowe & Yunkaporta, 2013). As far as my
perceptions goes, European colonization had adverse effects on these people as were removed
from traditional lands and an active lifestyle of hunter-gatherer. Many Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander groups tried to resist the attack but it ultimately resulted in violence. Europeans
also brought about various kinds of infectious diseases that killed these traditional inhabitants.
These people were even moved to various reserves or missions where they were restricted from
maintaining their cultural practices and own language. I have also found the enactment of the
various laws that limited the rights of these people and separated them from the Australians

2ABORIGINAL STUDIES
thereby providing them with scopes of little self-determination. Moreover, the Europeans away
from their families and communities raised the children of traditional inhabitants (Fredericks,
2013). Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experienced tremendous amount of
sexual or physical abuse in the hands of the Europeans. The indigenous people not only lost their
cultural identity and language but also prevented them from having any contact with their family
members. Thus, I have found that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were affected
significantly by the European colonization, discrimination and cultural displacement, family
disruption that resulted in unemployment, homelessness, higher incidence of poverty and poor
health amongst their communities.
Presently I have found that there were around 458,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people living in the continent of Australia that accounts for around 2.4 percent of the
total population of Australia (Rowse, 2014). This population is believed to grow by 550,000 by
the year 2011. I have found that more than half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
population primarily took refuge in Queensland and New South Wales. The northern territory
recorded the highest proportion of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people that was close to
29 percent. If I go by percentage then around 69 percent of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islanders has been living in the urban centre while only smaller proportion inhabits the remote
areas (Fredericks, 2013). There was a massive transformation in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people since I found 80 percent of them speaking in English even at home with only 12

3ABORIGINAL STUDIES
percent people speaking in their home accent. However, what disturbs me greatly is still the
existence of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in situations associated with poor
nutrition, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking (Bodkin-
Andrews & Carlson, 2013). The factors highly contribute to the severity and incidence of
physical and mental illness amongst the community and the individuals. In addition, the
Indigenous Australian people faces frequent health issues compared to the ordinary Australians.
The primary health related issues observed amongst these people includes respiratory diseases,
mental disorder and rheumatic heart diseases
Here I have discussed that the digital technologies and social media have not only had
their influence around the world but also amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who
faces a social disadvantage (Watson, 2013). I believe, the familiarity of these people over the
modern technology not only instills within them a sense of control and fearlessness of using the
newer platforms. The access and uptake of the internet and mobile devices have led to the
widespread use of the social media amongst the Indigenous youth thereby providing them with a
means of communicating and participating in a newer manner. The emergence of the satellite
facilities has helped the mobile and internet services in reaching the remotest areas of Australia.
Therefore, stronger cultural identity and enhanced family and community connections have led
to improved health and educational outcomes amongst these Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders.

4ABORIGINAL STUDIES

5ABORIGINAL STUDIES
References:
Bodkin-Andrews, G., & Carlson, B. (2013). Racism, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Identities, and higher education: reviewing the burden of epistemological and other
racisms. In Seeding success in Indigenous Australian Higher Education(pp. 29-54).
Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Fredericks, B. (2013). 'We don't leave our identities at the city limits': Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people living in urban localities. Australian Aboriginal Studies, (1), 4.
Lowe, K., & Yunkaporta, T. (2013). The inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
content in the Australian National Curriculum: A cultural, cognitive and socio-political
evaluation. Curriculum Perspectives, 33(1), 1-14.
Nguyen, O. K., & Cairney, S. (2013). Literature review of the interplay between education,
employment, health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in
remote areas: working towards an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing
framework. Ninti One Limited.
Rowse, T. (2014). Indigenous heterogeneity. Australian Historical Studies, 45(3), 297-310.
Watson, S. (2013). New digital technologies: Educational opportunities for Australian
indigenous learners. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 42(1), 58-67.