Task One: HIST106 Hurdle Task

Rebecca Forder S00118182

What do you understand by the term social racism? (50words)
I believe social racism to be inappropriate and degrading comments and actions directed at a
person with a different culture, background or belief that are a cause of misunderstandings
and social expectations. Its being segregated by all kinds of people, Governments or
businesses, due to a different appearance or background than the social norm depicts.

Why might it be problematic to determine whether or not someone should be
considered Indigenous based solely on their physical appearance or the number of their
ancestors who are Indigenous? (50 words)
It is not decided through blood, or appearance, whether a person is Indigenous or not. A
person may have a mix of Indigenous and non-Indigenous ancestry; however this does not
make them anywhere less of who they identify themselves to be. A person is part of a culture
because of how they have been raised and taught, where they have learnt and what they
believe in.

What examples do Foley and Nakata provide, and how do they explain the impacts of
social racism, stereotyping and out-dated ideas about Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander identity? (150words)
It is very disappointing that social racism and old ideas of Indigenous people still happen in
todays century. As the beliefs of he is Aboriginal because he is dark skinned and he is not
Aboriginal because he is light skinned continues, the same miscommunication and stupidity
will continue. For example, in Foleys (2000) article, the story of a man who was refused
from both sides of his culture is told. This man is rejected from trying to help his country in
World War II because he was Aboriginal, however at the same time he was told he was no
longer allowed to visit his relations on the reserve, because he was not Aboriginal. The
impacts of this mistreatment and stereotyping on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
identity is that the person themselves are being bullied, tormented and continually ridiculed to
a point where they may begin to question their own heritage.
References:
Foley, Dennis. "Too White to be Black, Too Black to be White." Social Alternatives
19, no. 4 (2000): 44-9. 11

Martin Nakata, Better: A Torres Strait Islanders Story of the Struggle for a Better
Education in Kaye Price (ed) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education: An
Introduction for the Teaching Profession (Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press,
2012), pp.81-93.







Task Four: HIST106
Rebecca Forder S00118182
How have your studies in this unit so far influenced your understanding of the Foley and
Nakata readings?

I have only ever had the basic understanding of Aboriginal history. I understood that they
experienced hardships, that they were treated unfairly and with cruelty. But I had simply
taken the generalisation that life was hard for them and that yes, White Australians should
feel bad. But now I have been able to use the background knowledge I have been given
through this unit to connect other things that may have happened within the lives of the
Aboriginals mentioned within the Foley and Nakata readings and properly sympathise and
understand other factors and contributors that may or may not be spoken of.
Within Australias history, the Aboriginal people were forced to obey and follow the
expectations that the settlers had. They created the Civilising Mission, which was a quest to
introduce to the Aboriginal people to education, work and Christianity.
1
In trying to educate
the Aboriginal people, they were removing their identity and forcing them to become the
same. Over time, the White Australians even begun to attempt at breeding out the
Aboriginal appearance and forcing the Assimilation policy to be put to action.
2
There is an
image we studied within our tutorials titled Three Generations. It shows three people, one a
half blood, one a Quadroom Daughter and one a Octaroom Grandson, each persons
appearance changing in colour.
3
This is used as a promotional ad, to encourage Aboriginal
people to conform to the nuclear family, that these people are happy and that the only way
they can be happy is if they leave all that they know and live as the White Australians live.

1
Richard Broome, Aboriginal Australians: A history since 1788, 4
th
ed. (Crows Newst, NSW: Allen & Unwin,
2010), pg. 29
2
Richard Broome, pg. 211
3
HIST 106 Tutorial 9 Civil Rights
The idea of removing an Aboriginal person is to change their appearance is primitive.
4

An Aboriginal persons identity is not determined by their blood or their skin colour, but by
their spirituality. It is the feeling they have, their beliefs and their history.
5
An Aboriginals
identity can even be passed on unknowingly, as descendants continue traditions without even
realising, as demonstrated within the stories Naomi Wolfe shared while speaking of the Stole
Generation
6
, of how she kept a can cupboard, just like her grandmother did.
7
While some
traditions are subconsciously performed, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have lost vital
parts of their culture
8
this was due to them being expected to assimilate. However, the
facilities and opportunities they would have needed to actually live as the White Australians
were not provided. Housing, land, opportunities for work and appropriate pay were all
denied, which was the beginning of the fight for the Aboriginals Civil Rights and equality.
9

While I am positive there is still so much for me to learn of the Aboriginal History, I
feel I have not only a much deeper understanding for the issues brought up in the Foley and
Nakata articles, but also an appreciation for all that has occurred. I know White Australians
have a long way still to come but I feel that as I now have a background knowledge of the
issues, I can see where the Aboriginal people have come from and I can understand the pain
they may feel and of the struggles they have had to endure to keep their Indigenous identity. I
hope one day all Australians can have this understanding, then we can continue through on
our journey of equality.
(Word Count: 563)

4
Richard Broome pg. 211
5
Dennis Foley, Too White to be Black, Too Black to be White Social Alternatives 19, no. 4 (2000) pg 45
6
Anna Haebich Forgetting indifenous Histories pg. 1034
7
HIST 106 Lecture 7 (Naomi Wolfe) Child Removal
8
Martin Nakata, Better: A Torres Strait Islanders Story of the Struggle for a Better Education In Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Education: An Introducing for the Teaching Profession. (ed) Kaye Price (Port
Melbourne: Cambridge Unversity Press, 2012), pg. 89
9
Richard Broome pg. 195
Bibliography.
Broome, Richard. (2010). Aboriginal Australians: A History Since 1788. 4th ed., Sydney: Allen
and Unwin.
Foley, Dennis. "Too White to be Black, Too Black to be White." Social Alternatives 19, no. 4
(2000): 44-9.
Haebich Anna. (2011). Forgetting Indigenous Histories: Cases from the History of
Australias Stolen Generations. Journal of Social History 44.4 (2011): 1033-1046
HIST 106 Lecture week 7: Child Removal
HIST 106 Tutorial - week 9: Civil Rights
Nakata, Martin., Better: A Torres Strait Islanders Story of the Struggle for a Better
Education in Kaye Price (ed) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education: An
Introduction for the Teaching Profession (Port Melbourne: Cambridge University
Press, 2012), pp.81-93.