Leslie Massey
Indigenous Australians are the native population of Australia. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal Australians of the mainland and many islands, including Tasmania, and the Torres Strait Islanders of the seas between Queensland and Papua New Guinea, located in Melanesia. Aboriginal Australians are one of the oldest living populations in the world, with evidence suggesting they may carry ancestry from an early human diaspora that originated 75,000-62,000 years ago.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Aborigines, Aboriginal Australians, First Nations |
| Population | 2.5% to 3.8% of Australia's population (between 563,000 and 812,728 people) |
| History | Present in Australia for 40,000 to 70,000 years |
| Origin | Genetic inheritance from ancient Asian peoples; most closely related to other Oceanians such as Papuans and Melanesians |
| Culture | Rich culture with distinct languages, histories, and traditions; deep spiritual connections to their land |
| Impact of Colonisation | Land dispossession, cultural erosion, introduction of diseases, attempts at assimilation, and removal of children from their homes |
| Current Issues | Racism, violence, poor living conditions, higher infant mortality rate, lower life expectancy, disproportionate representation in the prison population |
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What You'll Learn
Aboriginal Australians' genetic makeup
The Aboriginal Australians, often referred to as the Aborigines, are the indigenous people of Australia, having inhabited the continent for about 50,000 years. They comprise around 2.5% to 3.8% of the total population in Australia today.
The genetic makeup of Aboriginal Australians has been the subject of various studies, which have revealed a complex and diverse history. One of the key findings is that Aboriginal Australians share genetic similarities with ancient Asian populations, but not with more modern Asian groups. This suggests that they are descended from ancient Asians who migrated to Australia thousands of years ago and have been isolated from Southeast Asia for a long time.
A 2001 study analysed the genetic makeup of the Warlpiri people in the Northern Territory and found that they are descended from ancient Asians. Their DNA shares similarities with modern Southeastern Asian groups, but it also carries unique information not found in other genomes. This reinforces the idea that Aboriginal Australians have been isolated for a long time.
Another study, published in 2016 by the University of Cambridge, found evidence of an early human diaspora that may have contributed ancestry to modern Aboriginal Australians. This diaspora, estimated to have occurred 75,000 to 62,000 years ago, may have contributed around 2% ancestry to Aboriginal Australians. The study also suggested that Aboriginal Australians and Papuans diverged genetically about 37,000 years ago, possibly due to rising sea levels that made the remaining land bridge impassable.
Aboriginal Australians are genetically most closely related to other Oceanians, including Papuans and Melanesians, collectively referred to as "Australasians". They share a "deeply branching East Asian lineage". Additionally, there is evidence of gene flow and shared derived alleles between Aboriginal Australians and other Asian populations, such as Cambodians, Japanese, Han, and Dai.
The genetic history of Aboriginal Australians is still being studied and unravelled, providing valuable insights into the evolution of modern humans and the diverse populations that make up our world today.
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History of Aboriginal Australians
Aboriginal Australians are the native population of Australia, with a shared but complex genetic history. They are one of the two distinct groups of Indigenous peoples of Australia, the other being the Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The ancestors of today's Aboriginal Australians first migrated to the continent between 43,000 and 65,000 years ago, making them one of the oldest populations of humans living outside of Africa. They consist of many distinct peoples, with over 250 language groups and about 800 dialectal varieties. These groups lived in three main cultural areas: the Northern, Southern, and Central cultural areas.
Aboriginal Tasmanians were isolated from the mainland from about 14,000 years ago, and as a result, their tools and equipment were more limited. They built watercraft from reeds and bark and travelled offshore to hunt seals and birds.
The Aboriginal lifestyle was based on total kinship with the natural environment. Their acts, such as hunting for food or building shelters, were steeped in ritual and spirituality and were carried out in perfect balance with their surroundings.
In 1788, Britain began colonizing Australia, and the Aboriginal people were oppressed into a world unnatural to their existence. The colonists destroyed their way of life, and many Aboriginal people were killed or considered akin to wildlife to be eradicated. Researchers have documented at least 270 massacres of Aboriginal Australians during the first 140 years of colonization.
In 1961, the Native Welfare Conference agreed on a policy of assimilation, which included removing discriminatory legislation and improving education and welfare for Aboriginal people. In 1967, a referendum received overwhelming public support for the transfer of responsibility for Aboriginal Affairs to the Federal Government and the removal of discriminatory provisions from the constitution.
In 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologized for the Stolen Generations, and efforts are ongoing to recognize the sovereignty of Aboriginal Australians and compensate victims of past injustices.
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Aboriginal Australians' languages and cultures
The native population of Australia is the Aboriginal Australians, who have been on the continent for about 50,000 years. They represent approximately 2.5% to 3.8% of Australia's total population, which is approximately 800,000 individuals by recent estimates. The Aboriginal Australians are made up of many different groups, each with their own distinct languages and cultural practices.
Aboriginal Australians are genetically most closely related to other Oceanians, such as Papuans and Melanesians, who are collectively referred to as "Australasians". They share some similarities with Papuans but have been isolated from Southeast Asia for a long time. There is also evidence that Aboriginal Australians may carry ancestry from an earlier human diaspora that originated 75,000 to 62,000 years ago.
Aboriginal Australians have one of the oldest continuous cultures on the planet. They have deep cultural and spiritual connections with their land, which is recognised legally through various court rulings that affirm their rights to territories they occupied before European colonisation. Their culture is characterised by traditional dance, music, and artwork that reflects their connection to the land. They also historically used sustainable practices to manage the land.
Aboriginal Australians originally had over 250 distinct languages, with about 800 dialectal varieties. Many of these languages are now endangered or extinct due to the disruption of inter-generational transmission caused by colonial settlement. However, some efforts are being made to revive these languages, and there are currently twenty-two Indigenous language centres around Australia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to maintain, preserve and promote the diversity of their languages.
The Warlpiri language, spoken primarily in the communities of Yuendumu, Lajamanu, Nyirripi and Willowra, is one of the most spoken Aboriginal languages in Australia. Other Aboriginal languages that are being preserved include the Mangala language, maintained by the Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre, and the Kaurna language, which is being revived by the Kaurna Warra Pintyanthi unit at the University of Adelaide.
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Aboriginal Australians' health and welfare
The native population of Australia is the Aboriginal Australians, who have been on the continent for about 50,000 years. They represent approximately 2.5% of Australia's total population, or 800,000 individuals. The Aboriginal Australians are made up of many different groups, each with their own distinct languages and cultural practices. They have deep cultural and spiritual connections with their land, which is recognised legally through various court rulings that affirm their rights to territories they occupied before European colonisation.
European colonisation had devastating effects on the Aboriginal population, including land dispossession, cultural erosion, and the introduction of diseases that significantly reduced their numbers. The Indigenous population continued to decline, reaching a low of 74,000 in 1933 before numbers began to recover.
In the last few years, cancers have overtaken cardiovascular diseases as the most common group of diseases causing deaths among Aboriginal Australians. Between 2006 and 2022, the age-standardised death rate for cardiovascular disease fell by 22%, while the cancer death rate rose by 31%. The burden of disease among Aboriginal Australians was 2.3 times that of non-Indigenous Australians in 2018, with First Nations people losing almost 240,000 years of healthy life due to ill-health and premature death.
There is a health gap between Aboriginal Australians and non-Indigenous Australians, with the former having relatively poorer access to health services. This is due to a range of barriers, including availability, cost, and a lack of culturally appropriate health services. The National Agreement on Closing the Gap encourages governments to work together with Aboriginal communities to make culturally appropriate healthcare decisions and policies.
The Aboriginal concept of good health goes beyond physical health and wellbeing, including both individual and community wellbeing. It is a holistic concept that includes physical, social, and emotional aspects.
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Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders' political representation
The native population of Australia is the Aboriginal Australians, who have been on the continent for about 50,000 years. They represent approximately 2.5% of Australia's total population, comprising around 800,000 individuals. Aboriginal Australians are made up of many different groups, each with distinct languages and cultural practices. They have deep cultural and spiritual connections with their land, which is recognised legally through various court rulings that affirm their rights to territories occupied before European colonisation.
Aboriginal Australians, together with Torres Strait Islanders, are often referred to as First Nations people. Torres Strait Islanders are the indigenous people of the seas between Queensland and Papua New Guinea, located in Melanesia. In 1994, the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) was established as a self-governing body consisting of 20 elected representatives to administer the Torres Strait Islands. The TSRA continues to provide local and government services, as well as a political representative structure for Torres Strait Islanders.
Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders have a long history of advocating for their right to representation and participation in decisions that affect them. Early examples include mass protests against inhumane treatment and living conditions on Aboriginal reservations. In 1933, Yorta Yorta man William Cooper established the Australian Aborigines' League (AAL), which lobbied to improve the lives and rights of First Nations peoples. From 1933 to 1938, Cooper gathered nearly 2000 signatures from First Nations people for a petition to the King, calling for First Nations representation in the federal parliament.
Despite being British subjects, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people faced barriers to voting rights. While the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 excluded them from voting unless they were on the roll before 1901, South Australia insisted on continuing to enfranchise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within its borders. Amendments to the Act also weakened Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' procedural rights to native title claims.
The political representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youth reflects Australian society's ambivalent attitudes toward First Nations people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have often been represented in policy-making as a problem to be solved, rather than a source of democratic potential. They have limited capacity to affect political decision-making, and their political claims are often infantilised.
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Frequently asked questions
Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal Australians of the mainland and many islands, including Tasmania, and the Torres Strait Islanders of the seas between Queensland and Papua New Guinea, located in Melanesia.
As of 30 June 2021, there were 983,700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, representing 3.8% of the total Australian population. In the 2021 census, 812,728 people self-identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin, representing 3.2% of the total population.
Aboriginal Australians are one of the oldest living populations in the world and possibly the oldest outside of Africa. They may have the oldest continuous culture on the planet, with evidence suggesting they reached Sahul (the supercontinent consisting of present-day Australia, its islands, and New Guinea) about 50,000 years ago. Aboriginal Australians have a complex genetic history, with evidence of genetic inheritance from ancient Asian populations. They share similarities with Papuans and other Oceanians, but have been isolated from Southeast Asia for a long time.
