Australia, Indigenous People

The Indigenous people of Australia have inhabited the continent continuously for at least 50,000 years. Today, they comprise approximately 2.4% of the total population, and although they are small in number, their presence based on this irrefutable long legacy is highly visible. The phrase Indigenous people refers collectively to a diverse group of people. Often in both popular speech and more scholarly writings, the term Aborigine is used to refer to all Indigenous people, although others argue to differentiate the Torres Strait Islanders, who comprise 11% of the Indigenous population of Australia, from those settled on the Australian continent. In matter of fact, Indigenous or Aboriginal people themselves are most likely to refer to themselves by a more specific term referring to a specific clan or region such as the Koori, Noongar, Anangu, Palawah, or Kulin.

Aborigine is also a term that is not exclusive to referring to the first people of Australia. It does, in fact, refer to the earliest known inhabitants, who continue to maintain distinct traditions in other countries such as Canada and Taiwan. But it is contemporary Australia where the term is most widely in use. Aboriginal and Indigenous people are used interchangeably in this entry. The [Page 116]official government definition of an Aborigine is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin and who is accepted as such by the community with which the person associates. This entry describes Aborigines' history and current status.

June Smith and her work at a Sydney art gallery. The artistic expression of the indigenous people of Australia, whether through song, dance, stories, or artwork, has received increased appreciation in the past two decades. June Smith (born 1960), from the Keringe community of the Eastern Arrernte in central Australia, displays her intricate work “Flowers After the Rain” at a Sydney art gallery in 1999. Typical of many contemporary artists, she uses dots and circles as a technique for reflecting the landscape. Although acrylic paint on canvas is used today, this technique mimics the traditional Aboriginal ground paintings or constructions made from pulverized plant and animal material mixed with brilliant colored ochre. Reflecting the versatility of many Aboriginal artists, Smith has designed ties and scarves and was commissioned in 2005 to design the new carpet for the Alice Springs Airport in Northern Australia.

Source: AFP/Getty Images.