Australian Aboriginal Communities and Non-Aboriginal Communities - Case Study Example

Essay Name: Institution: Introduction A community can be defined as a Self-organized group of persons with common interest, cause, or agenda, who work together by sharing information, ideas, as well as other important resources (Taylor et al., 2008). More lately, the word ‘community’ has as well been utilised for grouping individuals who take part in a certain function, task or purpose jointly, or who possess some common form of identity, even if not essentially related to the same neighborhood. For example, the shared purpose could be associated with sport, education or work, entertainment. On the other hand, the shared identity could be that of sexual orientation, age, disability, gender, profession, ethnic origin, or religion. To this point, when the groups’ members like these interrelate and consider creating a community, they then make a community of interest (Robinson et al., 2012). The essay seeks to provide a clear definition about community and community strength with discussion based on Australian Aboriginal communities and non-Aboriginal communities. Body Community strength, as per Wear (2008) connotes the level to which social processes as well as social relationships in a community enhance and maintain both collective as well as individual wellbeing. Broadly, Dale and Onyx (2010) define community strength based on the variety of processes and resources that can result in wellbeing. Basically, there is huge diversity amongst diverse aboriginal and non-aboriginal societies and communities in Australia, all with their own distinctive blend of languages, customs and cultures. In contemporary Australia such groups are more divided into Australian local communities, and persons who classify themselves as Aboriginal Australians range from broad-nosed, dark-skinned to blue-eyed, blonde-haired individuals. Arguably, aboriginal Australians characterize Aboriginality through relationships, and not by skin colour. Furthermore, Light-skinned indigenous Australians frequently experience setbacks on their Aboriginal identity as a consequence of stereotyping. According to Flood (2006), Australian aboriginal people have lived in Australia for many centuries, since they were still living by gathering as well as hunting and, and making use of stone tools. Two centuries ago, they were acknowledged as Stone Age (Palaeolithic) persons of Europe. While the Palaeolithic community e on their way to civilisation had finally developed pottery, agriculture, the wheel, and metals, Flood (2006) posits that Aboriginal community were akin to fossils, have never changed for thousands of years. It seems that the uncomplicated lifestyle of Aboriginal community as well led to other fallacies that Aboriginal community were uniform in culture, and also that they had extremely small affection to the land; therefore, they made little or no use of the land (Flood, 2006). Their land is often acknowledged as empty land (terra nullius), and even if they do not use their land productively, they always protect it with fire and spears. Diversity has at all times been a characteristic of both Aboriginal and non-aboriginal community and manifests itself in scores of distinct ways. However, for aboriginal community there are a number of different languages (almost 70% of which are at the moment extinct), all on average having numerous vernaculars. Ceremonies, dances, stories, Songs, and paintings all define aboriginal community in different manner relying on multifaceted laws. These people take pride in various practices such as initiation, together with the houses they resided in, the spears they carry, as well as the animals they hunt (Taylor et al., 2008). Despite the diversity at a different level, Aboriginal community exhibits scores of reliable features all through Australia. Thanks to their inflexible culture, all Aboriginal persons are associated to one another, and even though in the past trade brought them together, modern challenges and setbacks has made them live like one family. The main contributors in sustaining unity among aboriginal community was most likely the great traditional gatherings that occurred in every corner of Australia when conditions for travelling were appropriate and plentiful sources of food were accessible. In the past, aboriginals’ people travelled lots of miles to look for gatherings, and scores of them could gather for a number of weeks on every event. These days, such gatherings are used as a chance to get news from remote places, plan customary marriages, meet with the long-distant relatives, as well as join in new dances (Flood, 2006). Besides that, during the contemporary gathering, elders use this time to find out the surrounding area’s environmental conditions, resolve disagreements, and gain knowledge of new techniques used by other aboriginal people. So as to carry out each of the aforementioned things, the community had to learn some other languages; therefore, all Aboriginal people can be said to be multilingual, and as a result, this connote that concepts and words can spread from one language to a different language (Wear, 2008). Unlike the non-aboriginal community, aboriginal community sped the majority of the time in small groups spread in various parts of Australia like Victoria, and also they are very diverse given that they meet often so as to maintain their Aboriginality. Scores of aboriginal communities as well as families in modern Australia endure enormous challenges. Their resilience and strength is compromised by several multifarious setbacks, which includes ongoing as well as historical dispossession, racism, and marginalization, in addition to the inheritance of previous policies of cultural assimilation as well as forced removal. Such issues, as mentioned by Krieken (1999) result in the high levels of violence, joblessness, poverty, and drug abuse noticed in scores of aboriginal communities. Furthermore, they negatively impact on aboriginal children, who exhibit poor social, educational, as well as health outcomes than non-aboriginal children. In addition, there are some factors that slow down the efficient services delivery to aboriginal communities as well as families. Shortage of suitable infrastructure may encumber the service delivery logistics. Moreover, tough workloads as well as low wage make the common issue to suffer exhaustion. Complex social settings with low levels of involvement, trust, effectiveness, social control, as well as high levels of mobility, disorganization, disempowerment, and anxiety offer the milieu for more service delivery. In spite of the aforesaid intricacy of such issues, there are some services that are functioning successfully put aboriginal community at level with the non-aboriginal community in Australia. The challenges experienced, particularly in delivery of health services to aboriginal Australians are critical for making sure enhanced policies are made to make aboriginal children, families as well as communities experience the same privileges as the non-aboriginal Australians. Basically, a strong community is the one that is sustainable for future generations as well as resilient when crisis strikes; and has resources, commitment as well as skills of its members, and not just material ones. Therefore, social involvement as well as participation in local governance is strong communities’ hallmarks. Ways of social involvement, like being a community group member or volunteering, has benefited both aboriginal and non-aboriginal individuals in areas like better wellbeing and health, reduced crime as well as social inclusion, enhanced local facilities and services, and improved learning outcomes. Indicators of community strength measure how aboriginal and non –aboriginal feel with reference to community aspects wherein they reside, in addition to their contribution in opportunities so as to shape their whole Australian community (Taylor et al., 2008). For both aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities in Australia to be healthy communities, both federal and state governments have been compelled to balance between three forms of social connection: close individual networks, wider community networks (created through, volunteering activities , interest groups, work, school and so forth), as well as governance networks concerned with making decisions. Instances of having encouraging individual networks consist of the capability to access financial as well as emotional support in times of emergency, and being ready to provide such support both to non-aboriginal community, and aboriginal communities. For decades, aboriginal communities have lacked such supports, and as a result, they have experience poorer health and welfare, experienced more stressful lives as well as a high risk of social exclusion and poverty (Wear, 2008). Some aboriginal community members always report a disability or poor health to the providers, but because they are money-wise stressed they experience challenges in looking medical care, or in buying medication prescribed by health practitioners due to the cost. Other issues that has impacted the community strength, is lack of transport services in remote areas and problems on accessing desired services, as well as feeling insecure within their local environment. Conclusion In conclusion, community strength successfully draw together both aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in the community to marshal resources as well as support collaborations so as to handle the day-after-day challenges experienced by the community at large. Developing community capacity and agency is most influential when it involves all cultures and ages, and community partnerships has generated opportunities to test Australians judgment, strengthen their associations, re-examine their beliefs and assumptions, as well as consider novel methods that are important for addressing significant issues in Australian communities. A number of things that assist to rise above the barriers in order that Australians can team up as one community include: non-aboriginals becoming active and being examples to aboriginal people; developing a sharing culture in the community. References Dale, A. & Onyx, J., 2010. A Dynamic Balance: Social Capital and Sustainable Community Development. Toronto: UBC Press. Flood, J., 2006. The Original Australians: Story of the Aboriginal People. St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. Krieken, R.V., 1999. The `Stolen Generations' and Cultural Genocide: The Forced Removal of Australian Indigenous Children from their Families and its Implications for the Sociology of Childhood. Childhood, 6(3), pp.297 - 311. Robinson, G. et al., 2012. Context, Diversity and Engagement: Early Intervention with Australian Aboriginal Families in Urban and Remote Contexts. Children & Society, 26(5), pp.343 - 355. Taylor, J., Wilkinson, D. & Cheers, B., 2008. Working with Communities in Health and Human Services. New York Location: Oxford University Press. Wear, A., 2008. Innovation and community strength in provincial Victoria. Australasian journal of regional studies, 14(2), pp.195 - 211. Read More