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They may attempt to claim via the Government for extra payments and incentives, but I've never met a person that claimed they had part Aborigine in them.
People that live in modern metropolises like Sydney and Melbourne would likely hide the fact as it's not something to be "proud" of.
On the whole, I think Americans are much more obsessed with their "ethnic heritage" than Australians - every time I meet an American they offer some crazy list of where their ancestors came from. However, I also think that Native Americans were the subject of a great deal more romanticisation than Aboriginal people, which makes Americans more likely to claim "Indian ancestry". Part of that is the influence of American "frontier" culture and the Indian Wars, which promoted a notion of Native Americans as "noble savages". Aboriginal people never really fitted the "noble savage" ideal. Europeans didn't really know how to "classify" them, so they just looked down on them as dirty and stupid and doomed to die out. Unfortunately this is still part of Australian culture today. That said, I think A LOT of people in Australia would have Aboriginal ancestors, especially in rural areas. There were aboriginal prostitutes in all those towns, as well as aboriginal mistresses and even wives (especially the ones who were half-caste and could "pass" for a dark white). Personally I think the whole notion of "blood" or "race" is outdated and a bit creepy. I feel terrible abut the status of Aboriginal people in Australia - they didn't ask my ancestors to come here. But I think Native Americans suffer just as badly, if not worse - at least in Australia the topic is very prominent. In the US black vs white race relations seem to overshadow the Native American plight. They don't even seem to be part of the debate. Anyway... rambling now.
I remember Robert Hughes 6 part documentary touched on this back in 1999. Something like 10000 tasmanians claim aboriginal blood despite all tasmanian aborigines being wiped out.
I remember Robert Hughes 6 part documentary touched on this back in 1999. Something like 10000 tasmanians claim aboriginal blood despite all tasmanian aborigines being wiped out.
Well, I think the point is they weren't actually "wiped out". There are Tasmanian aboriginals they're just not "full blood" to use the dated 19th Century term
Well, I think the point is they weren't actually "wiped out". There are Tasmanian aboriginals they're just not "full blood" to use the dated 19th Century term
I read somewhere that the Tasmanian Aborigines today are desendant of 2 full blooded Aboriginal woman in the 19th century. Some Tasmanian Aborigines live on the smaller islands in Bass straight, and there is an Aboriginal community center there too.
I read somewhere that the Tasmanian Aborigines today are desendant of 2 full blooded Aboriginal woman in the 19th century. Some Tasmanian Aborigines live on the smaller islands in Bass straight, and there is an Aboriginal community center there too.
There are actually Aborigines all over Tasmania. As in the rest of Australia there were many people who pretended they weren't aboriginal etc.
From my experience, I would say that most Australians don't brag about having Aboriginal descent. I would think (sadly) that it is still seen as being a fairly negative thing. I have been given some very frosty responses (from Australians) when I have explained my Mediterranean appearance (everyone thinks I'm Italian or Arabic or whatever) on having Indigenous Australian blood from my mothers side mixed with white Australian & English heritage.
It's also a bit naff to think everyone with Aboriginal blood is trying to get Government Benefits, I can't imagine anything worse then going to a Centrelink (Benefits) office.
Not sure if it will turn out like the States with everyone proclaiming Cherokee blood or whatever, but it is definitely not like that now.
As far as I know life can still be pretty tough for a lot of Indigenous Australians, so hopefully that will change in the future.
From my experience, I would say that most Australians don't brag about having Aboriginal descent. I would think (sadly) that it is still seen as being a fairly negative thing. I have been given some very frosty responses (from Australians) when I have explained my Mediterranean appearance (everyone thinks I'm Italian or Arabic or whatever) on having Indigenous Australian blood from my mothers side mixed with white Australian & English heritage.
It's also a bit naff to think everyone with Aboriginal blood is trying to get Government Benefits, I can't imagine anything worse then going to a Centrelink (Benefits) office.
Not sure if it will turn out like the States with everyone proclaiming Cherokee blood or whatever, but it is definitely not like that now.
As far as I know life can still be pretty tough for a lot of Indigenous Australians, so hopefully that will change in the future.
Native Americans also have the stereotype of being alcoholics and living on welfare, but at the same time, many Americans (maybe even most) claim that they have some Native American ancestry.
A fiend of mine is from Vancouver & he told me some pretty scary stuff that most Canadians think of their Inuit population. Also met a Canadian pilot who used to work for a far northern Canadian airline, who said that with a bottle of whiskey you could get whatever you want from an Inuit girl (he was also a bit of a freak & seriously sleazy), I have not been to Canada so I can't verify any of his claims. But it seems a fairly standard point of view of that most people have towards their Indigenous people.
Not too sure about the States, but will definitely take your word for it, as someone else on this thread said, it seems that the whole African American/White American (or Latino American) debate seems to overshadow all the native stuff.
I guess the whole idea of the proud American Indian tribe may make people want to identify with it.
As far as the picture of the Aboriginal artist goes, that is pretty much what my Aunt (on my mums side) looked like (though she was darker skinned). You can tell by the nose, I think.
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