Yesterday, July 5, the Catholic Church in Australia celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday. This year's theme, ‘Together in the Spirit’ reminds us that the call of solidarity, especially with the poor and marginalized, is an intrinsic part of our discipleship. In our current context, the ongoing importance of learning from, and engaging with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples cannot be understated. In this spirit, here are some resources that might assist you in your own life, and in your ministry.
Firstly, an important issue to address is terminology. One of the best guides comes from the ACT Council of Social Services. It is important to understand the contexts of the words we use, and the impact they can have. In some places, there is a preference, or a movement away from, of the use of indigenous, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or other terms.
It is important to note that preferences in terminology will vary across Australia for individuals, communities, and agencies. Furthermore, these preferences can change over time. When seeking good practice for your communications, we suggest you discuss preferences with staff, clients, stakeholders, the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community and their agencies.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’ (adjective) is a term extensively used and has wide acceptance throughout Australia when referring to Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders, and related topics.
‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples’ (plural) is a preferred term used by some, to refer to the many Aboriginal groups and Torres Strait Islander groups within Australia. This can also be applied when referring to other topics such as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultures. By doing so, you are referencing two cultures rather than a joint ‘culture’.
‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person’ is a term used when referring to a person of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.
Indigenous
‘Indigenous’ (capitalised) is a term extensively used throughout Australia when referring to the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, and related topics.
Be aware that some, if not many, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples are dissatisfied with the term ‘Indigenous’.
Reasons may include:
• It can detract from the preferred identity of the individual, or group of people
• Although the term is used for inclusiveness, Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders are dissimilar in many ways, such as their identity, culture, traditions, language, beliefs, ethnicity, issues, protocols, continuity of existence, and history before and after the settlement of other peoples
• It is a generic term and does not adequately describe Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples
• The term is merely used for convenience, to alleviate repeating ‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander’. Taking this into consideration, you may prefer to articulate either Aboriginal, or Torres Strait Islander, or both.
‘Indigenous Australians’ is another term used to describe the indigenous peoples of Australia. Acceptance of this term varies.
‘indigenous’ (adjective, lower case) can refer to anything native to a particular region or country, such as flora or fauna. It is also used internationally to describe all indigenous peoples of the world. It is not appropriate to use the term ‘indigenous’ in lower case when referring to Australia’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
‘non-Indigenous’ is a term used in Australia when providing two perspectives, the Australian Indigenous peoples, and the rest of the Australian population. As previously stated, there is some dissatisfaction with the usage of the term ‘Indigenous’. There is also some dissatisfaction from the rest of the population with being labelled ‘non-Indigenous’. You may prefer to rephrase your communications.
Aboriginal
‘Aboriginal’ (adjective, capitalised) is a term extensively used and widely accepted throughout Australia when referring to Aboriginal peoples and topics. Aboriginal peoples are the first peoples of mainland Australia and many of its islands such as Tasmania, Groote Eylandt, Hinchinbrook Island and Fraser Island.
‘Aboriginal’ (noun, capitalised) is less preferred today. As an example, you may prefer to say, ‘Matthew is an Aboriginal person from Yass’, rather than ‘Matthew is an Aboriginal from Yass’. You may hear a person say, ‘I am Aboriginal’ (where the word ‘Aboriginal’ is used as an adjective), rather than ‘I am an Aboriginal person’. This is a personal preference expressed by the individual.
Some government and non-government agencies have asserted a preference to use the term ‘Aboriginal’ only in their communications.
Reasons may include:
• Aboriginal peoples’ dissatisfaction with being labelled ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander’
• Recognition that their core service group is Aboriginal peoples
• Recognition that their core business and issues predominantly relate to Aboriginal peoples
• Recognition and respect for the traditional custodians of the land they work on.
First Australians, Australia’s First Peoples and First Nations Australia
‘First Australians’, ‘Australia’s First Peoples’ and ‘First Nations Australia’ (capitalised): these terms may be seen as growing in acceptance. You may wish to discuss preferences with staff, clients, stakeholders, the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community and their agencies in your region, to gauge general acceptance.
There are agencies in Australia that have been named accordingly, such as the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples and the First Nations Australia Writers Network. You may also encounter usage of these terms in speeches such as a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country, media such as film (e.g. The First Australians) and within email acknowledgements.
First Nations or First Peoples
‘First Nations’ or ‘First Peoples’ (capitalised) can refer to the peoples or nations of people who were there from the beginning, prior to the settlement of other peoples or nations. These terms have some general acceptance but can also be perceived as generic or not adequately describing the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia.
The term ‘First Nations’ is also used in Canada when referring to descendants of the original inhabitants of Canada such as the Mohawk and Cree.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) is the peak advisory body to the Australian Catholic Bishops on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics. The council was founded in 1992 and the Secretariat is based in Adelaide. There are over 130,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics in Australia and it is the youngest and fastest demographic. Their website is excellent for resources related to their work and spirituality: https://www.natsicc.org.au/ The Resources Tab contains excellent sections for deepening your understanding of culture and faith, as well as liturgy resources that could be used in a variety of settings: https://www.natsicc.org.au/resource-hub.html
Common Grace is an online Australian Christian movement for justice. It is drawn from various Christian traditions. The organisation focusses on inspiring and organising Australian Christians to think, speak and act like Jesus for a more just world. Common Grace is a diverse community of people passionate about Jesus and justice campaigning on four key justice areas: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice, climate change, refugees and asylum seekers, domestic and family violence. Information is here: https://www.commongrace.org.au/aboriginal_and_torres_strait_islander_justice
The two peak organisations for resources and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are Reconciliation Australia and National NAIDOC committee. They are the starting points for any information.
Reconciliation Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation. Their vision is for a just, equitable and reconciled Australia. Their purpose is to inspire and enable all Australians to contribute to the reconciliation of the nation. Reconciliation Australia was established in 2001 as the national body on reconciliation in Australia. This organisation was established following the disbandment of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR) in 2000. The CAR was established in 1991 under the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act 1991. Here is the link: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, the celebrations will be postponed to November. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself. The National NAIDOC Committee (NNC) make key decisions on National NAIDOC activities including the dates for the week-long celebrations, the focus city, the theme, the National NAIDOC Poster Competition winner and the National NAIDOC Awards winners. The NNC is a voluntary Committee independent of Government and comprises of eight committee members and two co-chairs. Link: https://www.naidoc.org.au/
Finally, the ABC series “You Can’t Ask That” is an excellent resource for first-hand, raw conversations with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences of life. Check out the episode from Series 1, “Indigenous” which asks Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for their opinion on the most appropriate terminology to use. Here: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/you-can-t-ask-that/series/1/video/LE1517H008S00#playing
May we continue to listen to the voices of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and progress towards greater understanding, peace and love.
