Cape York Community: Colonial Impact on Indigenous Australians History

This essay examines the impact of colonization on the Indigenous people of the Cape York community in Australia, focusing on the historical context and the ongoing challenges faced by Aboriginals. It discusses the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in terms of life expectancy, education, and economic opportunities, highlighting the need for developmental initiatives to address these inequalities. The essay delves into the seven phases of Aboriginal history, linking them to the process of colonization and its detrimental effects, including displacement, genocide, and cultural disruption. It also explores government and organizational initiatives aimed at improving the living standards and rights of Indigenous Australians, emphasizing the importance of self-determination and reconciliation. The paper concludes by advocating for continued efforts to promote economic well-being, cultural preservation, and equality for the Indigenous people of Cape York and throughout Australia. Desklib offers a wide range of academic resources, including past papers and solved assignments, to support students in their studies.

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Running head: CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF
AUSTRALIA
CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Thesis Statement..............................................................................................................................2
Summary Reflection........................................................................................................................3
Cape York Community & Aboriginals............................................................................................3
Understanding the Gap....................................................................................................................5
Seven Distinct Parts to the Process of Colonization and its Link to the 7 Phases of Aboriginal
History.............................................................................................................................................5
Government & other Organizational Initiatives............................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................13

2CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
Introduction
The native people of any land are regarded as the indigenous people of that particular
land. In case of Australia it is been found that various aboriginals are still present in the country.
However they are either victimized or not able to obtain the privilege that every other citizens of
the country obtains from their country. The scenario is not so simple, indigenous people have
high level of mortality rate, low life expectancy rate growth and development as compared to
other citizens of the country. The paper invigorates on this aspect regarding implementing certain
kind of initiatives that can help this indigenous people to acquire equality among other citizens
of Australia (Clough et al. 2016). Moreover the paper also delves into the aspects regarding
government initiatives that are undertaken to improve the living style of this people and make
them feel that they are not residing in their native land only but also have equal rights and
privilege in terms of enjoying and dwelling in their homeland.
Thesis Statement
The thesis statement comprises of the effectiveness in facilitating developmental
initiatives for the sake of the aboriginals of Australia as well as rejuvenate all the feasible
environment that can build up a strong National culture including indigenous people of the
nation. It is important to identify the inequality that persist within the country from the days of
colonialism where evidence supports the fact that the indigenous people of the country are
oppressed and victimized from the fundamental right of enjoying equal privilege like the other
residence of the country. In order to develop their lifestyle as well as establish their sovereignty
as they are the aboriginals of the country, it is important to implement significant endeavors that
ensures the prevalence of economic well-being in case of the indigenous people and close the

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persisting gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous people in terms of inequalities in
income, cultural differences, educational segment, health as well as standard of living.
Summary Reflection
There is significant necessity for facilitating developmental initiatives by non-
government organizations, corporate as well as the government collectively, to boost the cultural
scenario of these indigenous people so that they may live a better life (YouTube, 2019). I
realized that the realistic condition of the prevailing disadvantageous situation of the aboriginals
can be overcome if initiatives are taken by the authorities of the country in terms of inspiring the
individuals who are indigenous people of Australia and generating awareness within them in the
segments of health, education, employment, communal safety as well as empower them towards
facilitation of awareness generation programs for their development. Decolonizing the
community and eradicating the notion of racism and other discrimination as well as income
inequality within people should be severely monitored so that the indigenous people can come
out of their hesitation and get involved within the country’s population and national activities
with the belief that it is their own land which actually is, followed by the fact that they will be
able to enjoy equal privilege and fundamental rights like other citizens of the country.
Cape York Community & Aboriginals
By the closure of 2018 that there is extensive gap between the living standard of the non-
indigenous people and Indigenous Australians. As a matter of fact it is true to incorporate due to
colonialism indigenous people have been able to live in the country as the residence of that
place. However, the aboriginals who were the actual people of the country somehow missed the
opportunity to enjoy equal privilege (Altman. 2018). They were been victimized exploited in
various generations spin captured as slave to serve the non-indigenous people of the country.

4CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
Initially due to the fact that everybody have to earn their living the non-indigenous people have
greater capital at the cost of which the slavery of the non-indigenous people can have been
captured.
All these reasons created a scenario within Australia where the non-indigenous people in
the current situation is been considered as the backward class welfare indigenous people enjoy
the superiority in terms of living within the country. It is been found that among the aboriginals
of Australia nearby 30% of the people are of Protohistoric Negroid racial type seen as the
aboriginals of blacks in Asia and Africa. Bible community consist of the aborigines of Australia
ring of the Trobian Islanders as well as the Melanesians. The aboriginals of the Torres Strait
islander that have gone within the period of 2010 to 2012 have a life expectancy 10.6 years for
males and 9.5 years for females, as estimated. Notably, this is usually lower than the life
expectancy of the non-indigenous people which is near by 69.1 years for males and 73.7 used in
case of females as compared to the people of the non-indigenous community (O'Faircheallaigh.
2017). Apart from that this, educational development, talent acquisition of the communal people,
awareness generation regarding healthier lifestyles and facilities regarding employment
opportunities should be provided to the aboriginals as they cannot enjoy equal privilege in
comparison of the non-indigenous people (Dale et al. 2016).
This communal development is a macroeconomic aspect of the country various factors
influence their style of Living in their native land. As for example it can be incorporated that if
educational qualifications as well as standards for the indigenous people are being improved via
fundamental initiatives undertaken for ensuring sustainability as well as increasing the
employment rates and level of enjoying a quality Lifestyle through improving health can be
significantly handled (Jacups et al. 2017). Improving the quality of education will improve the

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level of employment and their expertise towards obtaining good quality jobs and bring their labor
for the improvement of national income as well as their individual standard of living
(O'Faircheallaigh. 2015).
Understanding the Gap
Initiatives taken by the government corporate as well as other organizations and boost
this situation as empirical data and evidence suggest that this scenario have improved after 2012.
The gap that persist between the indigenous and non-indigenous people of Australia
depicts the reality of improvement and how developmental initiatives has been implemented
accordingly. From the year 2007 and 2008 it is been seen that the communal people of the
country are being involved is there educational standards as well as they are understanding about
safety of health necessity of learning their living (Pickerill. 2018). Nearby 15% of the people
who are indigenous in terms of their living within the country have obtained bachelor's degree
and higher standard of education non-indigenous people.
Seven Distinct Parts to the Process of Colonization and its Link to the 7 Phases of
Aboriginal History
The seven phases of the aboriginal history comprises of the following steps which are:
1.) Dreaming – Colonialism was an historical phenomena that took place in Australia by the
era off the 1770s. The purpose of the British to make colonies in the country was to
acquire natural resources as well as inexpensive labor. There was disruption in the lives
of the indigenous people due to the deadly viruses carried by the sailors and convicts.
Diseases like influenza, small pox, etc. forced the death of several aboriginals that were
living by the area of Sydney before the arrival of the invaders

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2.) Invasion – Invasion was made in order to obtain resources and labor resource at a cheaper
cost. The intention of invasion was not to ensure economic development within the
colonized land but to acquire resources and abandon them either or else purposively
export the aboriginals to Africa and other nations where they will be used as slaves.
The government have taken to stabilize the stolen generation onwards from 1930s
where forced removal of the aboriginal children from their families were opposed.
However, the forced removal were made on a relatively higher societies as the
indigenous race was getting destined to become extinct. So this is sometimes
regarded social gearing steps though initiatives were not taken to reduce the
probability of extinction of the aboriginals.
3.) Genocide – The genocide of the indigenous people is the mass destruction that took place
by the perpetrators into the land of Australia. Due to colonial expansion the historical and
current territories of the aboriginals were captured and ruled by the dominant group of the
colonial powers. Due to invasion by the British any form of sovereignty or rights over
land were denied by the British to give to the aboriginals. The number of aborigines
decreased by 84 % after the British colonization and the Tasmanian massacre or “Black
War”. Some tribes and languages were abolished followed by the fact that the remaining
aboriginals were found to battle with racism, violence and anguish of land. It was
important to reinforce the presence of the indigenous people and implement initiatives to
stoop the process of extinction of the indigenous people in their mother land. Post
colonization, the indigenous people were victimized, absorbed along with forces
depletion from their land. However, technology, diets and hunting practices helped them
to survive in their own way overtime.

7CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
4.) Protection – By the year 1962, the councils of Australia agreed upon the fact that the
remaining aboriginals should be given equal rights and opportunities through developing
their standard of living and educating them extensively. They possess equal rights like
that of the residence of the country. The aboriginals should not continue more to live as
oppressed within the society rather to ensure overall economic development of the
country it is essential that they should be significantly impacted by the social welfare
generation policies undertaken by the government of the country. The aboriginals should
live as a outsiders of the country that they were found to be living till the 1930s, rather
more emphasize should be given in making them believe that this is their land which
actually is and along with that they are the part of the country having greater rights than
the perpetrators or the current residences of the country of Australia. It is important to
give equal rights and privilege to them by incorporating their role in the decision making
of the country and due to this reason the indigenous people were given voting rights by
the year 1962. Voting became compulsory for the indigenous people by the year 1983
whereas their citizenship were being accepted by 1967.
5.) Assimilation – The phase of assimilation is related to the full understanding of the
information related to that of the aboriginals. Based on this in the year 1992 a legal case
took place which was filed by the Torres Strait Islanders. The Mabo Court decision
recognized the land rights of the indigenous people and the importance of the native title.
It rejected the aspect of “terra nullius” which previously assisted the white perpetrators to
claim the ownership of Australian lands due to its interpretation as land belonging to no
one.

8CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
6.) Self-determination – The self-determination policy for the aboriginals is an ongoing price
regarding the choice of the indigenous people that ensures that the communities of the
aboriginals of Australia should meet their economic, societal as well as cultural needs.
Moreover, by the year 1993, the Native title Act provided the indigenous people with a
system through which the indigenous people can claim for the native title to their lands
with which they possess a traditional connection historically.
7.) Reconciliation – The notion of reconciliation is the ultimate phase of the aboriginal
history which focuses upon the notion of bringing together the indigenous people and
Torres Strait Islanders. It is the phase of reparation, healing, forgiveness, justice and love.
It helps to develop strong bonding and strengthen the country’s culture diversity towards
a racism free practice. The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in Australia provides a
framework through which these national objective of reconciliation will be achievable. It
was made through the Council for aboriginal Reconciliation Act 1991 by the Council for
Aboriginal Reconciliation which was established as an endeavor undertaken by the
Commonwealth Parliament.
The seven distinct aspects of the process of colonization is undertaken by the
authorities of the country to de-colonize the colonized group. The incursion made by
these parties into several geographical areas of the country destroyed the economic as
well as the social and cultural ecosystem.
This includes dispossession of land along with suppression of religious systems of
the aboriginals and the languages of the indigenous people. As per the 7 distinct parts of
colonization it is important to mitigate the power of the kingship networks which have
taken place through the destruction of families.

9CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
Moreover, as per the third phase it is essential to increase external political control
by giving the indigenous people voting rights and allow their intervention in the process
of decision making. They should not be deprived by the notion that they are less educated
in comparison of the whites. Rather the government should facilitate awareness
generation programs which will help the indigenous people to come out of their
hesitation and participate in the process of gaining knowledge regarding health safety as
well as education and creating spaces for gaining opportunities to improve their
employment.
The fourth phase in focused upon the objective of mainstreaming wages of the
individuals and ensuring social welfare of them. This will boost the macroeconomic
aspects in terms of improving the poverty levels and the unemployment. It is important to
frame the policies by the government to improve this “third world” in the first world
country of Australia. The objectives will also be to boost the social psychology of the
people and improve their mental health which in return will reframe the self-esteem of
the community people.
The fifth phase is concerned with the aspect of providing suficent resources in
such a way that it can assure that the indigenous people are able to obtain proper support
regarding their health and education.
The sixth phase is related to the creation of scopes and opportunities through
which the indigenous and non-indigenous people will be able to interact with each other
it may be in the coed schools, jobs platforms as well as in sports and other spheres of
human interaction. This will ensure feasible communication within the indigenous and
non-indigenous people for which their communication gap will get improved and it will

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become freed form any sort of discrimination or racisim that may be prevailing in the
mind of the citizens of the country due to post-colonial anguish.
The final phase or the seventh phase is related to the aspect of designing a state of
social welfare which is required due to the destructive effect of colonization. The process
of colonization questioned the existence of the aboriginals in their own land as well as
affected negatively the spiritual, material as well as emotional well-being of the people.
Government & other Organizational Initiatives
Several Government initiatives have been undertaken to close the gap that prevails
between the non-indigenous people as well as indigenous people of the country. To Nehru the
target and cover of the gap the child mortality by 2018 are have been taken under consideration.
The trend analysis reflect that the long-term gap between 1998 till 2016 was nearby 35%
(Sanders. 2018). However, thousand eighteen the gap has been married to 32% by improving the
key drivers of child as well as maternal health development initiatives that gained a better future.
Government have targeted 95% of the indigenous people with the childhood education plan that
will school by 2025 where nearby 14700 indigenous children which is nearby 91% of the total
population of the indigenous people to lessen the number of dropouts and education through
early childhood programs (YouTube, 2019). Other initiatives comprises of closing the gap of
school attendance where by 2017 it was been found that the indigenous students nationally 83.2
percent of overall attendance in schools as compared to the 93% benchmark of the non-
indigenous people of the country apart from that of the gap (Preece et al. 2016). Of indigenous
students that have achieved minimum National standard of employment have been raised. By
2020 which is the 12 year plan implementation program, forecast reveals that nearby 65.3
percent of the indigenous people will be involved in their self-empowerment compare to 47.4 %

11CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
by the year 2006. Indigenous employment rate have been improved from 4.2 % in 2004 to 46.6%
by 2016 as compared to 71.8 percent of the non-indigenous Australians.
Along with that the life expectancy kept which is targeted to be covered up by 2031 have
been improved as by 2007 2 mm 12 it was been found that a small reduction have been done
when the age gap of 0.8 years of males and 0.1 years of females have taken place. The long-term
initiatives of indigenous mortality rates have declined by nearly 14% as compared to 1998 in
case of the non-indigenous people of the country (Stewart and Lewthwaite. 2016). There is
necessity to understand the needs of the communal people frame strategies accordingly. This is
because of the fact that it is been found that based on the demographic region of the country the
demand of the aboriginals, their style of living and their anticipation of the outside world varies.
So the government and other organization should focus on this sensitive issue of ensuring
development of the non-indigenous people and implement the plans that should strategize
ensuring facilitation of improved living standards if the aboriginals of the country.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that to focus beyond the targets it is important that territorial
improvement should be done in the various communal Areas where the indigenous people live. It
is not possible by the organizations or governments to individually work but collective work to
improve the standard of living of these people and make them realize that this is their own land
and taken leave privilege as enjoyed by the non-indigenous people of the country. Progress has
been done through the collective Endeavour of the state organization corporates as well as the
non-indigenous people. Societal development get fulfilled through the economic standard of
living and providing funds to support indigenous people financially but it is also required that
there action of empowerment initiative should be incorporated to fulfill the targets regarding

12CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
reducing child mortality rates, early childhood education and improving the school attendance of
indigenous children. Indigenous people by making them understand the importance of school
attendance and ensure there each of the children in the school will raise the employment in case
of the indigenous people as compared to the non-indigenous residents of Australia.

13CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
References
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communities?
Clough, A.R., Margolis, S.A., Miller, A., Shakeshaft, A., Doran, C.M., McDermott, R., Sanson-
Fisher, R., Towle, S., Martin, D., Ypinazar, V. and Robertson, J.A., 2016. Alcohol control
policies in Indigenous communities: a qualitative study of the perceptions of their effectiveness
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Jacups, S.P., Newman, D., Dean, D., Richards, A. and McConnon, K.M., 2017. An innovative
approach to improve ear, nose and throat surgical access for remote living Cape York Indigenous
children. International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 100, pp.225-231.
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Australia. Environmental Politics, 27(6), pp.1122-1145.

14CAPE YORK COMMUNITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
Preece, L.D., van Oosterzee, P., Dungey, K., Standley, P.M. and Preece, N.D., 2016. Ecosystem
service valuation reinforces world class value of Cape York Peninsula's ecosystems but
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Australian National University.
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nEUiVr3OfWkhqWQ02YE&index=3 [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019].
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nEUiVr3OfWkhqWQ02YE&index=3 [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019].