Indigenous Voices and Identities in , Film, Television, Visual Art and Music - Literature review Example

Indigenous voices and identities in literature, film, television, visual art and/or music Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Indigenous voices and identities in literature, film, television, visual art and/or music QUESTION: Examine the significance of literature, film, television, visual art and/or music that reflect Aboriginal identity and voice of an Australian popular culture. Introduction Three decades towards the end of the 20th century, Australia began to recognise the rights of the Indigenous Australia. Historically, the indigenous claims for self-determination span around struggles to maintain unique cultural identities, in efforts to exercise ownership and governing of traditional lands within the wider political system (Jun Wu 2014). Even as these momentous changes prevailed in Indigenous affairs, modern-day forms of cultural expression, such as film, television, visual art, literature, and music became increasingly vital for mediating Indigenous perspectives and agendas. This begs the questions, what is the significance of literature, film, television, and music that reflect Aboriginal identity and voice of an Australian popular culture? This essay argues that these non-traditional forms of cultural expression have made Indigenous voices and identities integral part of the Australia’s national identity. Accordingly, diversity and complexity of cultures and Indigenous arts, and the Indigenous expression of voice and identity are examined. Diversity and complexity of cultures and Indigenous arts According to Dudgeon et al (2012), the large geographic expanse of Australia created a diverse range of cultural forms and styles in cultural expression. Aspects of traditional Aboriginal cultural expression comprise dance, music, art and craft, as well as oral traditions. The historical implications of colonisation along with the great regional differences, in Battiste, (2011) view, also triggered the diverse range of contemporary Aboriginal art. Still, some research firms, such as ABS (2012) have pointed to the fact that traditional arts are being revitalised even as the generation of new artistic forms of cultural expression emerge among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. In the traditional Aboriginal society, written communication was not necessary for a language’s survival. Stories narrated by extraordinary storytellers occupied the evenings, as a result bringing the community together (Cordell & Judith1987). As stated by Battiste (2011), this is no longer the case in the contemporary society. Hence, the Indigenous cultural expressions cover diverse forms, which include visuals arts such as paint-making and canvas, music such as traditional and contemporary music, writing such as poetry, drama and fiction, as well as television, film and radio (Trepanier & Creighton-Kelly 2011). At the same time, the traditional media have been regenerated and transform. Dance, music and painting consist of indigenous forms of expression. At the same time, they are an influential component of aboriginal culture in the day-to-day life, as well as a vital component of religious ceremonies. The traditional forms of painting and dance represent a diverse range of Aboriginal cultures (MediaArts 2014). The non-tradition media for cultural expression also characterise the diverse Indigenous cultures. Film, television, radio, and writing also form a vital component of indigenous expression, identity and voice. Trepanier and Creighton-Kelly (2011) states that artistic media that were conventionally used by non-Indigenous Australians, including comedy film and broadcasting, where the Indigenous Australians initially had no control over the manner in which their voices and identity were represented are currently harnessed by the Indigenous Australia to voice their own expressions and identities. According to Battiste (2011), these non-traditional forms also enable Indigenous Australians to determine and change their cultures, as well as practice their terms. These indigenous cultural expressions, Battiste (2011) adds, serve as celebration of identity and culture, and makes significant contribution to the modern-day Australia. In fact, the voices and identities of the Indigenous Australians are integral part of the Australia’s national identity, namely political, social and economical. Indigenous expression of voice and identity Radio and music As indicated by Jun Wu (2014), the relationship between social identity, rights to land and musical performance is marked strongly in the Northern Territory of Australia. Aboriginal identity strongly correlates to the expression of ancestral laws that create mythological connections to the land as they related individuals to spiritual deities. Due to the conflicting histories of colonialism and disputes over indigenous rights, traditional and non-traditional forms of cultural expression have been widely engaged in promoting Aboriginal voice and identities. These, according to Jun Wu (2014), have lead to the births of diverse forms of aboriginal popular music. The musical identity has in turn provided artistic podium for expressing dissatisfaction with unfriendly government policies. Aboriginal musicians are taking a centre-stage in using the radio and music to promote their voices and identities. As mentioned by Barney (2009), the Aboriginal musicians today narrate the day-to-day lifestyle of the communities, including their successes and failures through the media. Within the help of different broadcasters, such as Broadcasting for Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme (BRACS), they have managed to acquire a considerable percentage of the music broadcasts by radio stations, such as Australian Indigenous Radio (AIR), which broadcasts nationally in 40 Aboriginal languages. Australian Aboriginal musicians, such as Blekbala Mujik have become greatly popular, as the Aboriginal music has entered into the mainstream public (Jun Wu 2014). Aboriginal performers express their voice in reclaiming ancestral lands. Blekbala Mujik is a leading Aboriginal rock group that achieved success during the early 1990s. The group reinforced the voice of Aboriginal people in reclaiming traditional lands Warumpi Band has also facilitated development of the Aboriginal land rights movement (Jun Wu 2014). According to Barney (2009), music provides a means of affirming Aboriginal identities and encouraging social healing in ways that surpass the community limits. Jun Wu (2014) asserts that music production within the Indigenous Australia context is currently viewed as a means for social engagement, as it provides the young Aboriginal people who cannot participate fully in national politics to express themselves using blatantly political issues and opinions, as well as through messages of hope (MediaArts 2014). Additionally, Aboriginal radio networks, such as Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Media Association (TAIMA), which began operating in 1972 in Townsville, Queensland, make it easy for the Aboriginal Australians to voice their concerns, communicate their cultures and to express them. Literature Podemska-Abt (2007) argues that literature expresses freedom, in addition to widening individual’s horizons, promoting global consciousness, educating individuals, as well as promoting rights and social identities. Indigenous literature, what Podemska-Abt (2007) calls Australian minority literature, has been documented by cultural periodicals for reader consumption. Hence, communities that have no written literature traditions stand the risk of being disregarded (Department of Social Services 2009). This explains why cultures have sought to reassert their voices and identities through literature. According to Podemska-Abt (2007), while the Western literature has been predominant about asserting their economic and cultural power through literature, Aboriginal literature, such as those authored by Bruce Pascoe, Alexis Wright and Melissa Lucashenko, have used the opportunity to voice the social injustices and to reaffirm their identities (Birch 2013). Podemska-Abt (2007) states that Indigenous literature exposes the reality of indigenous life, while seeking to battle stereotypes that confront their real identities. Hence, the public gets a true picture of the realities facing their existence. According to Birch (2013), Indigenous authors also use literature to revitalise Aboriginal heroes, as well as their spirit of their lands and place. The internet has also provided a powerful tool for voicing Aboriginal concerns and expressing their identities. For instance, the Premieres Nations online magazine is a critical means of identity expression. Other sites, such as Land InSIGHTS offer visuals of Aboriginal arts (MediaArts 2014). Television, film, and theatre According to MediaArts (2014), Aboriginal people have found empowerment through a range of forms for artistic expression over the last 3 decades of the 20th century. Birch (2013) explains that since the 1970s, the political reaffirmation of the Aboriginal Australians at the national level through theatre, television and films have become crucial means of expressing Aboriginal identities and voicing concerns about unfavourable government policies that endanger their existence. For instance, in the 1980s Aboriginal writers, such as Richard Wagamese and Lee Maracle have reasserted Aboriginal voice and identities in the global publishing industry. In Canada, the ‘The Rez Sisters by Tomson Highway found the Ondinnok troupe, which became the first Aboriginal theatre on a global stage (MediaArts 2014). Additionally, many documentary filmmakings have focused on the Aborginal cultures, as a result becoming a preferred form of expressing Aboriginal voice and cultural identities (MediaArts 2014). A case in point is Alanis Obomsawin who produced Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance became the most internationally recognised Aboriginal filmmaker, who used short films to narrate Aboriginal cultures and social identities in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Indeed, the establishment of the First Peoples’ Festival Présence autochtone in Montreal in 1990 facilitated Aboriginal cinema’s harnessing of momentous media coverage (MediaArts 2014). Conclusion Non-traditional forms of cultural expression have made Indigenous voices and identities integral part of the Australia’s national identity. Overall, the Indigenous cultural expressions cover diverse forms, such as literature, film, television, and traditional and contemporary music, writing such as poetry, drama and fiction, as well as television and radio. These forms of expression have taken a centre-stage in promoting the Indigenous voices and identities. Today, they narrate the day-to-day lifestyle of the communities, including their successes and failures through the media. These non-traditional forms have enabled Indigenous Australians to determine and change their cultures, as well as practice their norms. They also help in celebration of identity and culture, and makes significant contribution to the modern-day Australia. References ABS 2012, “Unity and Diversity: The History And Culture Of Aboriginal Australia,” Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 06 Nov 2014 Barney, K 2009, “Hop, Skip, Jump: Indigenous Australian Women Performing within and Against Aboriginalism," A Journal of the Music Council of Australia, vol 1 no 1, pp.1-19 Battiste, M 2011, Reclaiming Indigenous Voice and Vision, UBC Press, Vancouver Birch, T 2013, "Tony Birch: 'Too many Australians remain ignorant of Aboriginal writing," The Guardian, viewed 6 Nov 2014, Cordell, J & Judith, F1987, “Torres Strait: Cultural Identity and the Sea, “Cultural Survival Quarterly vol11 no 2, pp.1-4 Department of Social Services 2009, “Closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage: the challenge for Australia – 2009,” The Australian Government, viewed 6 Nov 2014, Dudgeon, P, Wright, M, Paradies,Y,Garvey, D & Walker, I 2012, The Social, Cultural and Historical Context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, viewed 06 Nov 2014, http://aboriginal.telethonkids.org.au/media/54859/part_1_chapter3.pdf Jun Wu, J 2014, "Sounds of Australia: Aboriginal Popular Music, Identity, and Place," Nota Bene: Canadian Undergraduate Journal of Musicology, Vol. 7: Iss. 1, pp.81-144 MediaArts 2014, Aboriginal Expression in the Arts and Media, viewed 6 Nov 2014, Podemska-Abt, T 2007, “Can Indigenous contemporary literature of Australia sustain itself by becoming international?” Annual Conference of the Cultural Studies Association of Australia (CSAA) UniSA, Adelaide December 6-8, 2007 Trepanier, F & Creighton-Kelly, C 2011, Understanding Aboriginal Arts in Canada Today, Cette Publication, Ottawa Read More