To make direct eye contact can be viewed as being rude, disrespectful or even aggressive.To convey polite respect, the appropriate approach would be to avert or lower your eyes in conversation.
Assimilationist terms such as 'full-blood,' 'half-caste' and 'quarter-caste' are extremely offensive and should never be used when referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It is considered both disrespectful and unacceptable to paint on behalf of someone else's culture. It is simply not permitted.
Most television stations use a disclaimer warning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers that the program may contain images and voices of dead Indigenous people (as recommended by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation). The avoidance period may last one or more years.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, avoidance of eye contact is customarily a gesture of respect. In Western society averting gaze can be viewed as being dishonest, rude Page 2 or showing lack of interest.
This allows us to better understand how health issues for Indigenous Australians might be the same as, or different to, other Australians. The best way to get this information right is for us to ask you the standard Indigenous status question and let you answer for yourself.
It's basic courtesy to always ask before filming or taking photos of a person, a group of people or cultural ceremonies. When it comes to caves and rock art sites, don't rush ahead and clamber over the rocks for a photo opportunity. Reproductions and photographs of deceased Indigenous people are absolutely prohibited.
Why non-Indigenous people can't do Aboriginal art: Remember a non-indigenous Australian (or any non Aboriginal person around the world) can never create an Aboriginal artwork because only people from specific parts of country can tell the story of that country.
There is nothing wrong with non-Indigenous people wearing or embracing Indigenous material culture, provided that culture was made locally, and was made for sale. Wear Aboriginal iconography and jewellery, but do it with integrity.
Be consistent. The preference is to use 'First Nations people', 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people(s)', or 'Indigenous Australians'.
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is voluntary and very personal. You don't need paperwork to identify as an Aboriginal person. However, you may be asked to provide confirmation when applying for Aboriginal-specific jobs, services or programs (for example grants).
In Aboriginal culture it is taboo to mention (or in some cases write) the name of a deceased person. Aboriginal people believe that if the deceased person's name is mentioned, the spirit is called back to this world.
'Aborigine' is generally perceived as insensitive, because it has racist connotations from Australia's colonial past, and lumps people with diverse backgrounds into a single group. You're more likely to make friends by saying 'Aboriginal person', 'Aboriginal' or 'Torres Strait Islander'.
There is no one Aboriginal word that all Aborigines use for Australia; however, today they call Australia, ""Australia"" because that is what it is called today. There are more than 250 aboriginal tribes in Australia. Most of them didn't have a word for ""Australia""; they just named places around them.
Indigenous artists, especially beadworkers, say they're regularly asked these questions. “My response is always 'Absolutely, it's OK,'” said Nicole Geary a registered member of Sahtu Dene and Métis of Norman Wells and the artist behind Beaded Legacy.
Aboriginal people perform Funeral ceremonies as understandably the death of a person is a very important event. The people often paint themselves white, wound or cut their own bodies to show their sorrow for the loss of their loved one.
Red, predominantly sourced from ochre, holds a unique position in Aboriginal art due to its many symbolic associations. It represents blood, which symbolises the ties between family members and the bonds within a community.
You do not need a letter of confirmation to identify as an Indigenous person.
Gathering as much information about your family history as possible can help determine if you're of Aboriginal descent, and an incorporated Indigenous organisation can help you determine if you are indeed of Aboriginal descent.
The term “Indigenous” is increasingly replacing the term “Aboriginal”, as the former is recognized internationally, for instance with the United Nations' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. However, the term Aboriginal is still used and accepted.
“An Australian Aboriginal genome does not exist and therefore to even propose that a test is possible is scientifically inaccurate,” Ms Jenkins said.
While eye contact is preferred for those of the dominant culture, Aboriginal people do NOT make eye contact. In fact, a lack of eye contact is a mark of respect.