The Indigenous Heritage to Australia - Essay Example

of the of the Concerned 17 June Exam Answers There is no denying the fact that the nations around the world prefer to project a certain image of themselves, which is not only indicative of the official vantage point from which a nation views itself, but also an indication of the identities that manage to find a privileged place in the national story and those not so equal which get sidelined and marginalized (Carter 2006). The same stands true of Australia to a great extent. Many and say most of the times the rendering of Australia’s national story extends a privileged position and scope to certain specific identities, while it conveniently chooses to ignore, exclude or marginalize others (Hemming 2003). Not to say, sometimes the popular perceptions of the sidelined identities are actually shaped and dehumanized by the dominant identities (Hemming 2003) It would not be wrong to claim that certain identities in Australia prefer to hold on to a Eurocentric view of the Australian national story and history (Flannery 2002). This in no way means that these identities do not love Australia, or they have not adapted to the Australian landscape or that they pine for some bygone ancestors who hailed from some remote regions in Europe (Flannery 2002). Certainly, these identities are authentically Australian and are today as much a part of the Australian essentials and moorings as the identities that get excluded or marginalized (Flannery 2002). However, the Eurocentric vision of these identities inadvertently gets betrayed by the way they see and perceive Australia, by the way they prefer to project Australia and by the way the perhaps unintentionally end up ignoring the non-European identities in their official narration of the Australian national story (Flannery 2002). Such projections of the Australian national story mostly tend to be immaculate in their portrayal of the Australian natural beauty, its flora and fauna; yet, it seems strange when such projections tend to simply overlook the human elements that are as native to this landmass, as the animals, seashores and plant life they cherish. The magnitude of representation of an identity in the national occasions could largely be considered to be an apt estimate of the share that identity accrues in the rendering of national story. In that context, the official website of the Australia Day Celebrations is an apt example of the marginalization of non-white Australian identities in the national story of Australia. Leaving aside other aspects, an analysis of the visual content of this website is enough to get a realistic estimate of this exclusion. More than ninety percent of the visual content on this website is dedicated to the projection of white Australian identities. In the same perspective, it will be really relevant to mention that the protection and care accorded to the indigenous heritage at the state and national level in Australia is merely symbolic and primarily aimed at commercially exploiting the indigenous knowledge and knowhow (Chapman 2008). Also, whatever concern is being accorded to the indigenous heritage is of very recent origins (Chapman 2008). Still, it will be quiet pragmatic to look towards future with an attitude of hope and positivity. Much has improved, and much is left that needs to be highlighted and drawn attention to. 2. The institutions of marriage and family in Australia are undergoing a rapid change (Carter 2006). Not to say that the available statistics well corroborate this fact. The contemporary Australia has the lowest birth rate in the last hundred years (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). Astonishingly, the modern Australia also has the lowest marriage rate for the hundred years (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). In contrast, the divorce rate has reached an all time high, with forty out of every hundred marriages ending in divorce (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). The point that needs to be taken into consideration is that the ongoing alterations in the institution of marriage and family could be analyzed in varied contexts (Elder 2007). . The essential thing about the institution of marriage is that it is undergoing a cultural shift (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). There is a great difference between how the older generations and the young generation view marriage (Elder 2007). The older Australians considered marriage to be an institution inherently endowed with an implicit commitment to stability. However, the younger Australians view marriage as a relationship and tend to focus on the overall quality of this relationship. Hence, marriage has evolved into an institution that is open to periodical and recurrent assessments and reviews, thereby getting more transient. Young Australians prefer to go low on commitment, rather opting to keep their options open. The gender revolution has not only redefined the role of women in marriage, but has also called women to revaluate their role and responsibilities in marital life (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). The slow but continual economic, political and social empowerment of women and the increasing participation of women in the Australian work force have given an entirely new twist to the dynamics of marital relationships in the last three decades. Young people, and especially women, do not subscribe to traditional gender roles, a development, which has redefined the existing concept of marriage. At the same time, the institution of marriage in Australia is also getting de-gendered (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). A great proportion of contemporary Australians are not that vehemently averse to the idea of same sex marriage, and many of them openly favour the same sex marriage (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). In fact, some Australians even support the provision for the legal recognition of the foreign same sex marriages in Australia (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). This development certainly stands to be in consonance with the before mentioned premise that the younger Australians regard marriage to be a relationship and not an institution. Going by this assertion, it seems quiet logical to conclude that as per many of the contemporary Australians, the quality of a relationship has very little to do with the gender of the people entering into it (Kirsh 2000). The stress and constraints being faced by the institution of marriage do also have an unavoidable class related facet (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). It has been noticed that the people facing financial and professional constraints and challenges like unemployment and economic hardships are more prone to unstable marriages (Mcallister, Ian & Hassan 2003). It would be too simplistic to interpret these changes in a pessimistic context. Actually at present it is too early to outline the scope and direction that the Australian social institutions are heading towards. 4. Sports do constitute an important part of the Australian identity and culture (Carter 2006). A majority of the Australian citizens are so dedicated to sports that it would not be wrong to say that sports almost enjoy the status equivalent to a religion in this energetic nation. Again, a very few people will challenge or disagree with, if some day the Australians appropriate for themselves the title of being the sports capital of the world. Sports not only hold a great leisure potential for most of the Australians, but also command an enticing appeal and relevance for the foreigners visiting Australia. Australians are devoted to a variety of sports including cricket, motor sports, surfing, swimming, soccer, tennis, horse racing, Australian rules football, etc. Sports have indeed been a pivotal instrument of egalitarianism and inclusivity in Australia (Stewart, Nicholson & Hassan 2004). A variety of reasons have contributed to the immense popularity and following of sports in Australia, defying the constraints of race, gender and class (Carter 2006). The salubrious and inviting natural environment of Australia, with a warm and sunny climate and ample open spaces for engaging in outdoor sports have turned out to be readily accessible incentives and encouragements for all sections of the Australian society to indulge in sports, no matter who they are or where they live (Stewart, Nicholson & Hassan 2004). Also, considering the fact that a big chunk of the Australian population is concentrated on its coastline, water sports was an option easily accessible to many of the Australians (Stewart, Nicholson & Hassan 2004). During most of the history of modern Australia, participation in sports had been an option that was open to anyone. It had been very rare that sports were ever confined or restricted to a specific race, gender or class. Actually, it was sports that had given way to a very benign sense of Australian nationalism that has indeed played a big role in unifying Australia, by providing people with a platform on which they could willingly and happily afford to overlook the considerations and differences of race, gender and class (Alomes 1994)). In that context, Australia does differ a lot from many of the other developed nations. In the Australian context, sports had been an avenue which had been open to all and where everybody is allowed to perform and excel as per one’s potential, talent and aptitude (Jobling 1999). If one takes a walk across the Australian sports’ hall of fame, one would comes across a host of athletes like Benn Harradine, Cathy Freeman, Jacob Growth Nova Peris-Kneebone, Lauren Jackson, Stephanie Gilmore, Karrie Web, who excelled irrespective of their race, gender or economic background. The Australian sports scene is a rich mosaic of champions and performers affiliated to varied sections of the Australian society. No doubt, sports constitute the great equalizer of the Australian society (Carter 2006). In the times to come, the sports will not only continue to play a pivotal role in redefining, reshaping and realigning the Australian society and culture, but will also continue to be the one common thread that runs across the Australian identity that is otherwise open to diverse interpretations. Reference List Alomes, Stephen 1994, ‘Tales of the Dreamtime: Australia Football as a Secular Religion’, Australian Popular Culture (Ed. 1), Cambridge University Press, Craven , Cambridge, 47-65. Carter, David 2006, Dispossession, Dreams and Diversity: Issues in Australian Studies, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney. Chapman, Tamzyn 2008, ‘A Comparative Historical Analysis of International, National and State Level Indigenous Cultural Heritage Protection’, Macquarie Journal Of International and Comparative Environmental Law, Vol. 5, no. 1, pp: 81-96. Elder, Catriona 2007, Being Australian: Narratives of National Identity, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW. Flannery, Tim 2002, The Day, The Land, The People, 23 January, Australia Day Speech, viewed 17 June 2011, . Hemming, SJ 2003, ‘Objects and Specimens: Conservative Politics and the SA Museum’s Aboriginal Cultures Gallery’, Overland, Vol. 171, pp: 64-69. Jobling, I 1999, ‘Sports’, Institutions in Australian Society (Rev. Ed.), Ed. J Henningham, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 251-273. Kirsh, Max H 2000, Queer Theory and Social Change, Routledge, London & New York. Mcallister, Ian, Dowrick, Steve & Hassan, Riaz 2003, The Cambridge Handbook of the Social Sciences in Australia, Cambridge University Press, New York. Stewart, Bob, Nicholson, Matthew & Smith, Aaron 2004, Australian Sports- Better by Design, Routledge, New York. Read More