The Australian Society and the Aborigines - Essay Example

Introduction This is a comparative analysis and critical review of three indigenous art, culture, and design texts that I have engaged with in relation to the Australian culture, the comparative analysis discusses the theme, perception, and representations that are conveyed by the books and their influence on the modern society. Culture is transmitted in the society through art which is presented in the form of books, films, exhibitions, paintings, images and language. The Australian society has different views on the Aborigines which is the most important source of the perceptions and discriminations that exist within the society. This essay analyses the reviews and writings that have discussed the role of art in describing the Aborigines in Australia and how those description affect the majority’s perception about the Aborigines. By comparing the three studies on the Aborigines it will be easier to establish whether the representations of Aborigines are authentic or not. The first part of this review focuses on comparing the books that discuss the origin and culture of Aborigines in Australia. The book looks into the images that they have used to describe the Aborigines. The second part of the essays analyses and criticizes the Into One Sun and One Moon, a book that describes the art and symbols used in the world of art to showcase the perceptions about Aborigines in Australia. The third part discusses the future of Aboriginal art by examining some of the current artworks and art centres and their effect on Aboriginal artists operations. The review In his book, Langton (1993) discusses the absence of Aborigines in the media representations that exist in Australia. He notices that the Aborigines are not well represented in the mainstream media. However, when one notices their conspicuous absence, then one notices their presence and availability. When they are available one can notice that they are indispensable within the country. The author also argues that the Aboriginal representations in films are more of fad than reality. He argues that the existing representations are extreme as they tend to depict the Aborigines as people who do not have any tendency to be modern. The aborigines have since the 1970’s adopted modernity although they may still be living in the rural areas as they have got modern equipments and facilities such as satellites, radios, and televisions (George 2005). They also go to school as opposed to the popular notion that they are uneducated. The author explains that this misrepresentation affects the Aborigines negatively in that many of the modern people do not know about this progress. He cites instances of films such as My Survival as an Aboriginal, which received a wide acclaim for perpetuating and bringing into light the plight of Aborigines. For instance, there are over six thousand Aboriginal movies, however, irrespective of this myriad of movies, something crucial lacks in the production of these movies which would incorporate the true representation of the Aborigines. Most of the Aboriginal movie script writers and producers are usually not Aborigines. This means that the concept behind some of the movies may not be true representation of the Aborigines but it is a creation of someone who intends to influence people’s perception about Aborigines. For instance most of the Aboriginal movies showcase the Aboriginals as drunkards who are riddled with alcoholism and they cannot survive without the booze. Although some of this representation may have some truth in it, it may not be the reality. The preconceived notions about the Aborigines are perpetuated by the movies as indicated by the author. The definition of Aborigines is another critical issue raised in this book, in that it asks, what are the factors that make a person an Aborigine? According to Langton (1993), being an Aborigine is usually because of having any Aborigine ancestor or a parent who is considered as an Aborigine. The other definition is that for the person to be considered as an Aborigine as other members of the Aboriginal community must also recognize that person as an Aborigine. Aboriginality according to author is not something which is fixed, rather it is a social construction that classifies certain actions and skin colour as Aborigine in nature due to the earlier images constructed about Aborigines. Being Aboriginal is the social cultural construction of both the Australian whites and Aborigines. It is a social construction in that although there are instances where the Aborigines still engage in hunting and gathering in the rural aborigine areas where there is little ore no white contact, there are Aborigines who are educated, and have modern facilities such as cars. On the other hand whites also engage in hunting and fishing activities yet they are not considered primitive. The Aborigines unlike the whites do not perceive the white as a race but as a group of people rather than as individuals (George, 2005). Irrespective of the differences that exist between the Aborigines and whites in Australia, there are some types of arts that have brought about unity and shown that irrespective of the differences that exist between the Aborigines there can be still a harmonious co existence between the races. The book One Sun One Moon is based on the premise that all people irrespective of their racial and intercultural differences have human characteristics which unites them. The differences are therefore to be taken positively and they should be seen as a sense of wonder and admiration between the people of different races. This book show that the Aborigines paintings are not racially inclined but act as a means of conveying information (Perkins, 2007). Paintings and artistic works that have been excavated shows some of the historical occurrences and interactions with the white people. Some of these paintings are in the museums and they are paintings of ships, guns, and white people. The paintings are admired by people of all races and they all concur that the paintings are excellent. The traditional paintings also showcase the opportunities of development that exist in Australia as they serve as source of revenue to the painters who sell their arts to collectors of art. The work of the artist is therefore to unite the society by showcasing his skills and conveying a message of unification (Horton, 1994). The artists therefore play a significant role as they determine the perceptions that the society will have about a particular community or a group of people. For instance, paintings on the Aborigine society on their hunting escapades draw admiration from art lovers as they recognize the distance and the plains that the hunter had to travel in the process of hunting and gathering. The paintings not only help to unite the society but they are great source of history in documenting what happened in the society at a particular time. Unlike representations in films, the paintings are a representation of reality and they indicate the artist’s experience of the events. The representation of reality eliminates stereotypes and allows people to know the reality and hence accept diversity and uniqueness of other people within the society. For instance, the rock paintings of ships and white people in the Melbourne Museum provides information on the mood and feelings of the indigenous people about the arrival of the whites in Australia, other paintings such as of dying children due to plague also indicate events that have happened to indigenous people (Horton, 1994). This kind of art provides authentic information and it allows people to comprehend the culture of other communities around them. It shows some of the injustices that happened to the Aborigines such as mass killings which have been displayed through paintings known as Pukumani grave posts (Lourandos, 1997). The paintings provide an actual representation of the Aborigines which helps in assisting people to do away with wrong perceptions that promote racism and discrimination. The paintings act as whispers of what transpired and they constantly remind the society of each community in Australia. The one sun one moon is a book whose theme is timely and shows that irrespective of ones colour of race we have similar preferences and likings. Contemporary indigenous painters have also played a significant role in creating a balance or hegemony between the perceptions that the whites have on Aborigines and the perception that the Aborigines have on the whites. Whereas the Australian whites convey their stereotypes using films as well as books. The Aborigines communicate their stereotypes and perception of white people using paintings. The paintings of tired white person in the desert are some of the portrayals of white people by the Aborigines as weaklings who cannot survive under harsh weather conditions like those the Aborigines survive in. the Aborigines make mockery of the white people clothing as a sign of weakness and they have numerous painting of ugly white people with sun burns on their skins as a portrayal of their perception of white people. What the whites may perceive as weakness or primitiveness among the Aborigines, the Aborigines see it as heroism as they find simplification of life as a denial of their inherent physical strength to live in hard and harsh environments (Central Australian Aboriginal Art Centers, 2005). While some of the whites see the Aborigines as alcoholics and drunkards, the paintings that the indigenous artists have painted, bring about a different perception about drinking, in that they demonstrate that they perceive drinking alcohol as a social activity which gives the community a chance to spend and enjoy life together. This may tell the reason why the Aborigines have survived the mistreatment and the injustices that were meted against them by the colonialists. They see alcohol as a source of pleasure and it helped them to escape the harsh realities that faced them at that time. Alcohol is therefore part of their daily life and it is their survival mechanism (Edwards 2004). To critically review the Aboriginal art one must realise that the art exists in different forms. The first form is that of rock paintings where the indigenous artists would paint images on rocks. The other form of painting is otherwise known as dot painting. The dot paintings are paintings of particular dots patterns to create an image or an art. These types of painting are very popular mainly because they are easily made and are cheaper in terms of their sales value in the art exhibitions. The visual arts made by the Aborigines also include sculptures and carvings known as Mimi. The arts also do have religious and spiritual inclinations and some of the aboriginal counterparts have been criticized for exposing their secret designs. The arts especially designs do have religious meaning and artists say that they feel spiritually fulfilled as they paint or make those artistic designs (Fenner, 2009). The other critical issue about the Aboriginal arts is the imagery that is embedded in the visual arts. The arts convey a lot of symbolism and hidden meaning and one who needs to understand the meaning must interact with the Aborigines or the artist who has made a particular art to understand the meaning behind that work. Critiques of the Aboriginal artwork argue that one cannot understand the meaning of the artwork without interacting with the artist or having the artist explains the meaning (Fenner, 2009). The other key issue raised in this writing as there are ways the visual art industry has become one of the fastest growing sectors in the country (Fenner, 2009). This can be attributed to an increased understanding and appreciation of diversity. For instance, twenty seven percent of the tourists who visited the North West province indicated that their major source of interest was the Aborigines and their culture. The other critical issue that has been raised by the presence of this report is that the indigenous art, which exists in Australia, differs from that of other Western countries. Due to the sense of community that the Aborigines have, they are able to spend their time making the visual arts because they easily share what they have enabling many of them to actively engage in the visual arts production work. Unlike western painters who seek to fulfil their personal and intellectual inclinations, the Aboriginal visual artists see it as way of preserving their cultural heritage to prevent their culture from assimilation by western cultures. Edwards 2004 indicates that visual art is an economic activity that can no longer be underestimated in Australia especially in Northwest Province where the revenues earned from sale of visual artists in 2011 was four hundred and ninety Million Australia Dollars. This shows the significance of the visual art industry. Through the visual arts, traditions are easily transmitted as one may need to have explanation about the meaning and message that is committed by a particular visual art (Edwards, 2004). One cannot comprehensively discuss about Aboriginal artwork without considering and reviewing art centres. The art centre is a place where the artists display their artwork to tourists and people who have interest in the visual work. The art centre assists the artists to market their work in that they provide mechanisms for the artist to negotiate with the potential buyers. The art centres also assist the artist to place a proper valuation of the artwork which ensures that the artists are not exploited by scrupulous buyers. They assist the artist to develop and horn their skills which is of utmost importance through guidance offered by the network of artists. The other critical issue is that the artists develop an appropriate strategy which enables the artist to have a proper marketing strategy such as exhibitions and trade fairs where the artists participate. The art centres act as a link between the indigenous artists and the society. Currently, the values of exports of indigenous arts have gone up and this has increased artists earnings as well as those of other participants (Altman 2005). The other issue of concern in reviewing Aborigine artwork is on whether their art is of benefit to them or not. One of the benefits of the indigenous art is that it provides a high sense of self esteem to artists who make the visual arts. The increased self esteem and sense of pride makes the Aborigines in Australia to have a high sense of esteem and unlike minorities in other countries such as United States who engage in crime and racially orchestrated crime. This industry makes the Aborigines to be considered as an important part of the Australian society due to the indigenous visual arts that they produce that are recognized internationally. The other benefit that the indigenous arts have is that they have economic benefits. Most of the artists earn over two thousand Australian dollars which is a steady income for the artists racial in the country. The aborigines produce the greatest culture export that the country has. The earnings derived from the sale of arts benefit the community at large mainly because there are no taxes for this commodity. The visual arts also have social benefits in that they give the artists an opportunity to express their opinions and criticism through the visual arts (Fenner, 2009). The other imperative aspect that affects the indigenous artists is that of protecting their creativity and intellectual property. There have been cases of duplication of the visual arts for instance the Aboriginal fine craft has been duplicated by painters from foreign countries and artists in Australia cannot manage to track such violators of law. However, the Australian government is collaborating with other governments to draft legislations that will prevent theft of paintings and intellectual properties that are owned by the artists in Australia (Perkins, 2007). Conclusion This essay has reviewed three book writings on the Australian Aborigines with the first book expressing disgust at how the film industry depicts the Australian Aborigines in a stereotypical way which may not reflect the actual concerns and livelihood of the many of Aborigines. However, the book limits its criticism to the films and not to other forms of literary expression such as visual arts. Into One Sun and One Moon on the other hand shows that it is possible for people of different races and culture to live together by seeking to understand the other cultures rather than criticizing the other cultures. It explains why the Aborigines use the visual arts as a means of expressing their culture. The visual arts are an imperative form of art that cannot be ignored. The third article is a report on the indigenous visual arts and their contribution to the society. These articles discuss about Aborigines and their contribution to the society. The writings show us that the aborigines may not be what the popular media such as television depicts them as primitive members of the society but are rather people with creative minds and forms of expressions. The writings have nevertheless failed to locate other areas where the Aborigines contribute positively to the society. References Altman, J (2005), ’Brokering Aboriginal Art: A Critical Perspective on Marketing, Institutions and the State,’ Deakin University, Geelong, p. 14. Central Australian Aboriginal Art Centres (2005), Physical Infrastructure Needs Assessment, Journal of infrastructure developments, p. 4-7. Edwards, W H (2004), An introduction to Aboriginal societies. Melbourne, Social Science Press. Fenner, F 2009, ‘Thinking beyond abstraction,’ Contemporary visual art culture broadsheet, vol. 56, pp1. George P (2005), ‘The history of the Campfire Group’, Brisbane: Institute of Modern Art and Campfire Group, pp. 9-11. Horton, D (1994), The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History, Society, and Culture, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra. Lourandos, H (1997), New Perspectives in Australian Prehistory, London, Cambridge University Press. Langton, M (1993), "Well, I heard it on the radio and I saw it on the television ...: an essay for the Australian Film Commission on the politics and aesthetics of filmmaking by and about Aboriginal people and things, North Sydney, Australian Film Commission. Perkins, H (2007), One sun one moon aboriginal art in Australia, Sydney, Art Gallery of New South Wales. Standing Committee on Environment, 2007, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Indigenous Art: Securing the Future Australia’s Indigenous visual arts and craft sector. Sydney: Commonwealth of Australia Publications. Read More

The definition of Aborigines is another critical issue raised in this book, in that it asks, what are the factors that make a person an Aborigine? According to Langton (1993), being an Aborigine is usually because of having any Aborigine ancestor or a parent who is considered as an Aborigine. The other definition is that for the person to be considered as an Aborigine as other members of the Aboriginal community must also recognize that person as an Aborigine. Aboriginality according to author is not something which is fixed, rather it is a social construction that classifies certain actions and skin colour as Aborigine in nature due to the earlier images constructed about Aborigines.

Being Aboriginal is the social cultural construction of both the Australian whites and Aborigines. It is a social construction in that although there are instances where the Aborigines still engage in hunting and gathering in the rural aborigine areas where there is little ore no white contact, there are Aborigines who are educated, and have modern facilities such as cars. On the other hand whites also engage in hunting and fishing activities yet they are not considered primitive. The Aborigines unlike the whites do not perceive the white as a race but as a group of people rather than as individuals (George, 2005).

Irrespective of the differences that exist between the Aborigines and whites in Australia, there are some types of arts that have brought about unity and shown that irrespective of the differences that exist between the Aborigines there can be still a harmonious co existence between the races. The book One Sun One Moon is based on the premise that all people irrespective of their racial and intercultural differences have human characteristics which unites them. The differences are therefore to be taken positively and they should be seen as a sense of wonder and admiration between the people of different races.

This book show that the Aborigines paintings are not racially inclined but act as a means of conveying information (Perkins, 2007). Paintings and artistic works that have been excavated shows some of the historical occurrences and interactions with the white people. Some of these paintings are in the museums and they are paintings of ships, guns, and white people. The paintings are admired by people of all races and they all concur that the paintings are excellent. The traditional paintings also showcase the opportunities of development that exist in Australia as they serve as source of revenue to the painters who sell their arts to collectors of art.

The work of the artist is therefore to unite the society by showcasing his skills and conveying a message of unification (Horton, 1994). The artists therefore play a significant role as they determine the perceptions that the society will have about a particular community or a group of people. For instance, paintings on the Aborigine society on their hunting escapades draw admiration from art lovers as they recognize the distance and the plains that the hunter had to travel in the process of hunting and gathering.

The paintings not only help to unite the society but they are great source of history in documenting what happened in the society at a particular time. Unlike representations in films, the paintings are a representation of reality and they indicate the artist’s experience of the events. The representation of reality eliminates stereotypes and allows people to know the reality and hence accept diversity and uniqueness of other people within the society. For instance, the rock paintings of ships and white people in the Melbourne Museum provides information on the mood and feelings of the indigenous people about the arrival of the whites in Australia, other paintings such as of dying children due to plague also indicate events that have happened to indigenous people (Horton, 1994).

This kind of art provides authentic information and it allows people to comprehend the culture of other communities around them.

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