Digital Commons Network^™

Indigenous Australia's Diverse Memorialisation Of The Dead, Bronwyn Carlson

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

Beliefs and ceremonies associated with death in Indigenous Australia are diverse. Death and the deceased are sacred to Indigenous Australians and ceremonies differ between communities.

They may involve lengthy ceremonies lasting several days with strict protocols around language, names, images and other possessions. Alternatively deaths might be marked by funerals that can include images and speaking the deceased person’s name, performances and other tributes.

Tone It Down A Bit!: Euphemism As A Colonial Device In Australian Indigenous Studies, Colleen Mcgloin

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

In a previous article discussing the politics of language in Australian Indigenous Studies teaching and learning contexts, my colleague and I stated our objective in writing that article was to ‘‘instill’’ a sense of the importance of the political nature of language to our student body (McGloin and Carlson 2013). We wanted to engage students in the idea that language, as a conduit for describing the world, is not a neutral channel for its portrayal or depiction; rather, that it is a political device that is often a contributing force to racism and the perpetuation of colonial violence.While reviews of …

Four Scholars Speak To Navigating The Complexities Of Naming In Indigenous Studies, Bronwyn Carlson, J Berglund, Michelle Harris, Evan S. Te Ahu Poata-Smith

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

Universities in Australia are expanding their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies programs to include Indigenous populations from around the globe. This is also the case for the Indigenous Studies Unit at the University of Wollongong (UOW). Although systems of nomenclature in Indigenous Studies seek to be respectful of difference, the politics of naming in the global context raises some complexities worthy of discussion. In this article, four scholars discuss the politics of naming in relation to teaching a joint Indigenous Studies subject at the UOW and Northern Arizona University.

Sovereign Bodies: Australian Indigenous Cultural Festivals And Flourishing Lifeworlds, Lisa Slater

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

In 2008, I was an observer at a two-day workshop concerned with the future of the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival. The delegates were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from across Cape York Peninsula, representing communities (Indigenous townships) that dance at this long-running event. There was an openfloor discussion; following cultural protocols, one by one elders got to their feet to speak for country. A highly respected elder told of how he and his family cared for country - walked, talked, sung, hunted, burned - to keep their ancestral lands healthy, as the land looked after them. He then passionately …

‘Calling Our Spirits Home’: Indigenous Cultural Festivals And The Making Of A Good Life, Lisa Slater

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

Speaking about the problems affecting Wik youth of Aurukun, Cape York, a local community health worker, Derek Walpo, lamented that ‘their spirits have wandered too far. We need to call them back.’ The poignant reflection was made at a debriefing session following a social and wellbeing festival in Aurukun.1 The five-day event culminated in a Mary G concert, in which almost all the township gathered to laugh and cheer the indomitable Broome ‘lady’. It was not just Mary G’s ribald humour that vitalised and galvanised the crowd, but also her performance that playfully reflected back and validated some of the …

Well-Connected Indigenous Kids Keen To Tap New Ways To Save Lives, Bronwyn Carlson

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

Tony Abbott is spending this week in North-East Arnhem Land, part of his long-held hope “to be not just the Prime Minister but the Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs”. We asked our experts: what stories does the PM need to hear while he’s in the Top End?

Two things are part of the everyday reality of life for many Australian kids, teens and 20-somethings. One is their avid use of social media to connect with friends and share their feelings via status updates, spending hours glued to their mobile phones. But, sadly, too often the other everyday reality is self-harm …

Applying The Critical Lens To Judicial Officers And Legal Practitioners Involved In Sentencing Indigenous Offenders: Will Anyone Or Anything Do?, Elena Marchetti, Janet Ransley

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

In recent years there have been many attempts aimed at transforming the relationship between Indigenous people and the criminal justice system in Australia. Some of these attempts have been directed at policing relationships, including such measures as community and night patrols. Others have focused on prisons, including attempts at greater cultural accommodation, and even the building of Aboriginal prisons. The focus of this article, however, is on the relationship between Indigenous people and court processes, especially in regards to sentencing. In particular, the article explores innovative sentencing courts, practices and principles introduced across the Australian jurisdictions specifically aimed at Indigenous …