For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, avoidance of eye contact is customarily a gesture of respect. In Western society averting gaze can be viewed as being dishonest, rude Page 2 or showing lack of interest.
Assimilationist terms such as 'full-blood,' 'half-caste' and 'quarter-caste' are extremely offensive and should never be used when referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In Aboriginal culture it is taboo to mention (or in some cases write) the name of a deceased person. Aboriginal people believe that if the deceased person's name is mentioned, the spirit is called back to this world.
Use of "race power" in legislation
On reserves in Queensland, Aboriginal people were forbidden to gamble, use foul language, undertake traditional cultural practices, indulge in adultery, or drink alcohol. They were also required to work without payment.
Shame may be felt as a result of: • a lack of respect • embarrassment • self importance/self promotion • rudeness • a breach of accepted Aboriginal “norms” and/or taboos A shame job is an an event which causes a person shame or embarrassment.
To make direct eye contact can be viewed as being rude, disrespectful or even aggressive.To convey polite respect, the appropriate approach would be to avert or lower your eyes in conversation. Observe the other person's body language.
They want a "a space of our own, free from influence of government". Land rights. Recognition that Aboriginal people have always maintained a property right in land and the natural resources according to their law and customs. They want an acknowledgement that Australia has not been settled.
It's basic courtesy to always ask before filming or taking photos of a person, a group of people or cultural ceremonies. When it comes to caves and rock art sites, don't rush ahead and clamber over the rocks for a photo opportunity. Reproductions and photographs of deceased Indigenous people are absolutely prohibited.
Indigenous people have the right to live in freedom, peace and security. They must be free from genocide and other acts of violence including the removal of their children by force (Article Seven). Indigenous peoples have the right to practice and revitalise their cultural traditions and customs (Article Eleven).
Common taboos involve restrictions or ritual regulation of killing and hunting; sex and sexual relationships; reproduction; the dead and their graves; as well as food and dining (primarily cannibalism and dietary laws such as vegetarianism, kashrut, and halal) or religious (treif and haram).
Some examples of taboos include: In many Jewish and Muslim communities, people are forbidden from eating pork. In Western cultures which value youth, asking a woman's age is often discouraged. In some Polynesian communities, people are forbidden to touch the shadow of a chief.
'Aborigine' is generally perceived as insensitive, because it has racist connotations from Australia's colonial past, and lumps people with diverse backgrounds into a single group. You're more likely to make friends by saying 'Aboriginal person', 'Aboriginal' or 'Torres Strait Islander'.
There is no one Aboriginal word that all Aborigines use for Australia; however, today they call Australia, ""Australia"" because that is what it is called today. There are more than 250 aboriginal tribes in Australia. Most of them didn't have a word for ""Australia""; they just named places around them.
'Walkabout' for many First Nations people is a contentious word and considered an archaic colonial term. Its use by non-Aboriginal people is considered inappropriate. Groups such as Reconciliation Queensland Inc advise against its use when discussing First Nations cultures.
The three criteria are: being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent identifying as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person being accepted as such by the community in which you live, or formerly lived.
Your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is something that is personal to you. You do not need a letter of confirmation to identify as an Indigenous Australian.
There is nothing wrong with non-Indigenous people wearing or embracing Indigenous material culture, provided that culture was made locally, and was made for sale. Wear Aboriginal iconography and jewellery, but do it with integrity.
Aboriginal people have a rich culture involving a custom, lore and value system based on the sustainability of their spiritual connection, belonging, obligation and responsibility to care for their land, their people and their environment.
What's one thing about Indigenous culture or people that others can't seem to understand? How do Indigenous relatives work? Why is everyone a cousin, aunty or uncle? When was the last time you encountered casual racism?
The complex set of spiritual values developed by Aboriginal people and that are part of the Dreamtime include 'self-control, self-reliance, courage, kinship and friendship, empathy, a holistic sense of oneness and interdependence, reverence for land and Country and a responsibility for others.
Acknowledgement of Country
Example - “I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today, the (people) of the (nation). I would like to pay respect to elders past, present and emerging and any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.”
An introduction should include who you are and where you come from, which means your family's cultural and geographical background prior to being a settler in North America.