Analyzing the Effects of European Settlement on Indigenous Cultures

This assignment delves into the profound and multifaceted impacts of European settlement on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. It explores the significant changes brought about by British colonization, including the introduction of diseases, animals, and plants, as well as the forceful seizure of indigenous lands, leading to loss of life and a shift in societal structures. The assignment examines the erosion of traditional authority, the impact on cultural practices through the lens of education, and the pervasive effects of racism and discrimination. It also assesses the shifts in power dynamics, the importance of cultural competence and awareness in health and community services, and the challenges posed by Western cultures. Furthermore, it addresses the diversity within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, the importance of law and kinship, and the factors contributing to ill health and disease, including their impact on decision-making and communication. The assignment also includes case studies that explore the impacts of the stolen generations and the role of legislation in ensuring cultural safety.

Question 1 What has been the impact of European settlement on Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander people? Give an example.
Answer The aboriginal peoples lives changed when sthe british colonists came to
Australia because they brought with themselves various diseases,
animals and even plants. Moreover the lands were taken forcefully from
the aboriginal people and many people had to lose their lives because of
the new economic, social and religious order in the society.
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Question 2 In what way did European settlement impact on the loss of land and culture
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? Give an example.
Answer Under the new society established as a result of the European
settlement, the traditional authority of the aboriginal people was
undermined and people were told that the land belongs to the
government and not to them under the doctrine of terra nullius. Further
the European settlement also affected the culture of the people because
they thought that modern education was depriving the aboriginal
children of their traditions.
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Question 3 How has racism and discrimination against Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
Islander people been impacted by European settlement of Australia? Give an
example.
Answer Initially when the british colonials settled in Australia they discriminated
the indigenous Australians by depriving them of their citizenship rights
on grounds of race and various other types of restrictions had been
placed against the immigrants to support the white Europeans who were
getting established in Australia.
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Question 4 How has European settlement impacted past and present power relations of
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people? Give an example.
Answer Power relations for the aboriginal group has changed since the time the
bristish colonists got established in Australia. This is so because earlier
there was tradition oriented power realtions in the society however it
has changed with the establishment of the british colony. For instance
earlier more power was given to seniors and hierarchy in the society in
case of the aboriginal society.
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Question 5 What is meant by ‘cultural competence’ in the context of cultural safety in
health and community services?
Answer Cultural competence in the context of cultural safety in health and
community services refers to
The medical systems ability to treat people with diverse backgrounds in
terms of values, culture, tradition and also behaviours and beliefs.
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Question 6 What is meant by ‘cultural awareness’ in the context of cultural safety in
health and community services?
Answer Cultural safety is a term that encompasses both cultural sensitivity and
cultural awareness. Cultural awareness therefore refers to the ability of a
person to understand that differences between culture exists and it is
normal. The Australian indigenous doctors association has introduced a
framework for ensuring cultural safety which keeps the cultural awareness
as the foundation of the same.
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Question 7 How do western cultures impact Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
people and their engagement with services? Give an example.
Answer A number of changes have been brought about by western cultures such as
change in the educational systems which is depriving the aboriginal
children of their traditional education and knowledge. The engagement of
the aboriginal people with their services is dependent upon their
relationship with the government and also with each other.
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Question 8 What is meant by ‘diversity’ of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
cultures? Give an example.
Answer Torres Strait IIslander comprises of indigeneous Australians who belong to
the Torres strait island that lies between Papua New Guinea and also
queensland. They along belong to various other origins such as Melanesian
and have diversified identities, cultural traditions and histories of the
Aboriginal Australians.
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Question 9 Outline the importance of law in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
cultures.
Answer The lore of law is an important part of the aboriginal culture. These lores
helps in understanding the various difficulties faced by the aboriginal
islanders in case of any issues with their cultural practices. It is also
necessary to understand their dreamtime while considering the different
laws and lores.
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Question 10 Outline the importance of kinship in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
cultures.
Answer Kinship is a wide complex concept in the Aboriginal culture that has got
some major implications in the social structure and lives of the
indigenous people. This concept is basically related to the way people
interact with each other and also their relationship with their
obligations, roles, responsibilities and other similar factors.
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Question 11 Outline the factors that contribute to the ill health and common diseases
experienced by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Answer The major factor that has contributed to the ill health and common
diseases of the aboriginal people is that of lack of proper medical facilties
and discrimination made against them on grounds of their race. Therefore
because of the absence of timely treatmemt of the indigeneous people
they have to suffer from various diseases.
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Question 12 Outline the impact that ill health or disease may have on an Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander person’s ability for decision-making,
communicating, understanding and retaining information.
Answer Mental illness, intellectual disability are some of the major factors
contributing to poor or impaired decision making on part of the
indigenous people. The mental illness being suffered by the people has
some serious impacts on their ability to communicate, retain and
understand information.
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Case Study Questions Assessment
Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow.
Case study 1 (questions 1–4)
Mandy is a manager of a community not for profit organisation that runs programs for
young Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Mandy is new to the position and
doesn’t have a working knowledge of the specific cultural issues that may impact on the
relationships of staff and individuals who use the programs. She does know that many of
the youth who attend come to mix with other Indigenous Australian young people. Many
of the parents were from the stolen generations and so they tend to encourage
involvement in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural practices. As her first duty
as manager, Mandy will be evaluating the youth programs in terms of their cultural
safety.
CS
Question 1
What impact might there be on the programs run at the youth centre, if
the young people who attend have parents who were part of the stolen
generations?
Answer In case of children having parents from the stolen generation they
might be facing trust issues, issues realted to mixing with other
people and various others and therefore the program may not be
successful if the people are not provided cultural safety at the
program.
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CS
Question 2
What relationship and communication issues might be important to
these young people?
Answer The young generation which includes children of parents from the
stolen generation may have problems realted to relationship
because of lack of self-esteem and also because of lack of trust.
Communication issues may include the inability to freely
communicate with each others.
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CS
Question 3
Why is consultation with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
important when discussing and developing strategies for cultural
safety?
Answer It is necessary to consult the people of the torres strait culture before
developing strategies forcultural safety and especially the elder people because they
are the ones who carry the tradition forward and they are considered as an impoartnt
part because the aboriginal people still value the tradition oriented hierarchy system.
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CS
Question 4
Why is it important for Mandy to evaluate the cultural safety of the
programs run at the centre?
Answer It is necessary for Mandy to evaluate the cultural safety in order to ensure
that none of the aboriginal people feel that they are unsafe either spiritually, socially,
physically or emotionally. Moreover they should not feel that their identity is being
challenged.
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Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow.
Case study 2 (questions 5–7)
Jill is an Aboriginal Australian woman who works at a Housing Advisory Centre. Jill feels
that there need to be improvements made to the cultural safety of the workplace. At the
last staff meeting she brought up the issue and explained that she feels that respect for
cultural differences needs to be a higher priority for the organisation. Jill has offered to
be a part of a group that will investigate changes in communication and work practices
to improve the cultural safety of the housing information service.
CS
Question 5
What advice would you give Jill in terms of improving the
communication techniques used by staff in order for them to learn to
show respect for the cultural differences of Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander people?
Answer It is necessary for group to undertake a cultural awareness traning
themselves first such atht they can understand that difference
among diverse culture is common and that can actually be
benefitial for the organization. This will also help them in carrtying
out the investigation in a better way.
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CS
Question 6
Suggest a work practice that may need to be reviewed to improve the
respect shown to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who
attend the service. Give an example with your answer.
Answer Strict code of conduct and policies that ensures no discrimination
among the employees of the organization based upon their cultural
backgrounds will help to ensure that all the aboriginal people within
the organization are respected and moreover there needs to be
regular checks to see that it is being complied with.
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CS
Question 7
Identify and explain three communication techniques Jill could use that
would improve the respect shown to people attending the housing service.
Answer The strategy to communicate openly without the fear of being judged,
the steategy to avoid all stereotypical barriers by challenging the basic
assumptions and avoiding any form of jargons to make the
communication process as simple as possible.
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Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow.
Case study 3 (questions 8–12)
Betty is an Elder with the responsibility of establishing a child care centre in her
community. Betty has the assistance, support and funding from several government and
community organisations. Betty is preparing for the first meeting by summarising the
federal acts and standards with which the child care centre will be required to comply.
She also needs to come up with some suggestions on ways to involve other Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the planning for the childcare centre and the
delivery of services when it is ready to open.
CS
Question 8
How does complying with anti-discrimination legislation ensure cultural
safety to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and their
families?
Answer By ensuring the existence of anti-discrimination legislation within the child
children centre the cultural safety can be ensured because people will not
be discriminated socially, physically, emotionally and spiritually and they
can work safely and freely. Such policies will ensure everyone in the child
care centre gets equal treatment and opportunity.
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CS
Question 9
Explain how the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 would ensure cultural
safety for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and their families
at the child care centre.
Answer The Disability drimination act 1992 prohibits any kind of discrimination on
grounds of race, culture religion and others and therefore ensures equal
opportunity in education, employment, access to public premises,
related to accommodation, buying of land, sports, club activities and
various others.
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CS
Question 10
Explain how the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 would ensure cultural safety
for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Answer The racial discrimination act 1975 prohibits any form of racial discrimination
against the individuals in Australia. This act prohibits people from any
individual from making discrimination on grounds ofnationality, colur, ethic origin
and other similar factors.
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CS
Question 11
What advice would you give Betty about involving Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander people in the planning process for the childcare centre?
Answer I would ask Betty to carry out various sessions with all people such that
everyone can get an opportunity of becoming a part of the planning
process. And this will also help in ensuring that everyone is given an
opportunity to have a say in the planning process.
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CS
Question 12
What advice would you give Betty on encouraging employment of
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to work in the childcare
centre?
Answer I would encourage the aboriginal people to work in the childcare centre
by motivating them to pursue their values and beliefs and they have the
values and beliefs of doing good for others. And moreover I will also ask
bettey to motivate them by explaining how it would ultimately help in
improving their standards of living.
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