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Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)

25 May 07 - 04:27 PM (#2060940)
Subject: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: hilda fish

The referendum of 27 May 1967 allowed my people to be counted as citizens of our own country. Prior to that we were listed as 'fauna', as 'vermin' to be dealt with. In global terms the event, it is said, that people most remember is what they were doing when JFK was assasinated. For my people it is our response to the results of that referendum. I remember my Elders crying and crying and myself with them. We did not think the Australian people cared. I remember, and I was a very young woman then who did not know much, that I was so happy because I KNEW that whatever my children, born and unborn, had to go through, it would never be as bad as what my Grandmother, Mother and myself had grown up with. There is nothing worse than living in the shadow at the edge of human as rats in the drain. Tomorrow it will be 40 years since that referendum was passed. So.......can you raise your glasses with me? And here's to 40 years on, when there are other fights and other horrors but none as bad as that.

This referendum approved two amendments to the Australian constitution relating to Indigenous Australians. Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967, which after being approved in the referendum became law on the 10th August of the same year.
The amendment was overwhelmingly endorsed, winning over 90 per cent of voters and carrying all six states. It was put to the electorate on the same day as a referendum on the composition of parliament, which was rejected.
The referendum removed two sections from the Constitution.
The first was a phrase in Section 51 (xxvi) which stated that the Federal Government had the power to make laws with respect to "the people of any race, other than the Aboriginal race in any State, for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws." (This is known as the "race power.") The referendum removed the phrase "other than the Aboriginal race in any State," giving the Commonwealth the power to make laws specifically to benefit Aboriginal people.
The second was Section 127, which said: "In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a State or other part of the Commonwealth, Aboriginal natives shall not be counted." The referendum deleted this section from the Constitution. This section should be read in conjunction with Section 24 and Section 51(xi). The section related to calculating the population of the states and territories for the purpose of allocating seats in Parliament and per capita Commonwealth grants. The context of its introduction was prevent Queensland and Western Australia using their large Aboriginal populations to gain extra seats or extra funds. The 'statistics' power in Section 51(xi) allowed the Commonwealth to collect information on Aboriginal people.

25 May 07 - 04:39 PM (#2060948)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: Peace

From Canada:

"In 1968, Leonard Marchand became the first Status [Status is a term meaning 'recognized under the Indian Act as being Indian'] Indian to be elected to Canada's House of Commons, as Liberal member for the British Columbia riding of Kamloops–Cariboo. At that time, Canadians were not used to seeing Aboriginal politicians on the campaign trail or serving at any level of government. Until 1960, Status Indians could not even vote in a federal election unless they first gave up their right to be registered under the Indian Act, their treaty rights and their statutory right to property tax exemption. The 34-year-old Marchand defeated a prominent Conservative who had held the seat in Parliament for 23 years. Marchand would later become the first Aboriginal Canadian to serve in the federal cabinet, and subsequently, in 1984, he was appointed to Canada's Senate."

25 May 07 - 04:52 PM (#2060960)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: GUEST,meself

Hilda: I wholeheartedly raise my "glasses" with you on this occasion. Wholeheartedly. Your account is very moving ...

25 May 07 - 06:04 PM (#2061011)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: GUEST

Hilda, I confess my previous ignorance of this momentous piece of history, and 'raise my glass' to you and yours.

25 May 07 - 06:29 PM (#2061023)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: Amergin

I raise a glass with you as well, Hilda.

25 May 07 - 08:07 PM (#2061062)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: Azizi

And I raise my glass to you also, Hilda, my sister.

Thanks for that information. I will remember 27 May 1967 from now on in connection to this referendum.

26 May 07 - 10:24 AM (#2061291)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: mack/misophist

Congratulations!

26 May 07 - 10:53 PM (#2061618)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: Rowan

Having voted YES to both these amendments (and NO to the parliamentary powers one mentioned by Hilda) I raise my glass as well. Considering what has happened since, though, while some may say it is half full, many would say it is half empty.

There's a way to go yet, but we should celebrate 1967.

Cheers, Rowan

26 May 07 - 11:06 PM (#2061625)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: Barry Finn

Thanks Azizi for directing me to Hilda's thread & thanks Hilda for sharing this celebration & occasion with one who was not aware of this. My glass is airborne & there's a smile of joy on my face, it's only fitting that that this be an international celebration.

Barry

27 May 07 - 01:36 AM (#2061675)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: katlaughing

I agree, Barry. Thank you, very much, Hilda, for posting this. I did not know about it and will certainly celebrate in your honour.

Thought this might be of interest, in the US: The journey by Native Americans on the road to citizenship was marked by travels through a maze of U.S. Federal Indian polices that left the Indian nations exhausted and nearly extinct by the time they were given citizenship. (1924) And it was another 20 years before they had the right to vote throughout the U.S. Though they won the right to vote twenty years later, in some instances states kept them from it until the mid-20th century.

Thanks, Azizi, for posting about this in the other thread.

27 May 07 - 05:59 AM (#2061737)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: John MacKenzie

I will raise a glass to you and your people on this day Hilda Fish.

Giok

PS> Nice to see you and Butch in Kendal a couple of weeks back.

27 May 07 - 12:34 PM (#2061866)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum
From: Stilly River Sage

Thank you for posting this, Hilda.

The world is an evolving place, and from our "modern" perspective we see many wrongs that should never have occurred, and that should have been corrected much earlier than they actually were. Many still need critical attention. The white colonizer's gaze is being returned by the dark faces of those who survived. Here in the U.S. there are still many who describe themselves as colonized people and continue to fight the government that treats them like children to be exploited. Since the solutions to these problems will inconvenience the dominant culture, those answers are slow to come, or are ignored entirely. Good luck in your continued struggle.

Stilly River Sage

27 May 07 - 01:28 PM (#2061888)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: AgingRS

Congratulations Hilda - I voted yes - and I will raise a glass with you.

Hi Giok - good to meet you at Kendal.

28 May 07 - 11:54 AM (#2062417)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Stilly River Sage

I came across a 4-part Australian drama called Kings in Grass Castles recently. I've only watched a little of the first episode so far. How was this program received in your community, Hilda? Any idea? Is it a typical colonial enterprise, or did it express meaningful dialog or sentiments? (In the U.S., for example, the Anglo audiences enjoyed the Costner film Dances With Wolves, thinking it was good for Indians, but a lot of American Indians hated it, because the message still was that Indians didn't measure up and the white woman had to leave and go live with "her own kind.")

SRS

28 May 07 - 04:06 PM (#2062564)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: katlaughing

I'd also like to ask about the Arthur W. Upfield books. Are/were they viewed as anything authentic from the indigenous point of view?

28 May 07 - 05:04 PM (#2062602)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Jim Lad

Cheers Hilda. Having lived in both Australia and Canada, I have had the good fortune of knowing where we've been and seeing where we're going. It's a long journey but at least we're all moving.
My twins were born on May 27th. so I should remember this one.
Cheers!
Jim

29 May 07 - 01:05 PM (#2063248)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Joe Offer

refresh

09 Feb 08 - 10:39 PM (#2258193)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: katlaughing

hilda, I thought of you and what you had written, tonight, while we watched the movie, "Rabbit Proof Fence." It was a powerful and very well-done movie, esp. in the casting and the cinematography, but of course, most of all because of the true story it told. I knew about it and knew what was going to happen, but that didn't keep away the tears and outrage as I watched...what a shameful time, gone on too long.

Folks, if you are curious, just google it. There's a bit at WIKI, but there's lots more out there.

10 Feb 08 - 06:25 AM (#2258293)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Andrez

I missed this thread last year or would have contributed to Hildas toast as well. But having said that, for those people who follow these things overseas this week we have another episode in the story of dispossession. The info below is from a news article but gives you the gist of what is about to happen.

"The Australian government will on Wednesday apologise to Aborigines who were taken from their families as children, with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd saying on Sunday the apology was unfinished business for the nation.

The move comes 11 years after a landmark report into the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families under past assimilation policies, which recommended a national apology to what is known as the "Stolen Generation".

"I think this is a blight on the nation's soul," Rudd told Australian television on Sunday, adding it was time for a new era of mutual respect between Aborigines and non-indigenous Australians.

Rudd will deliver the apology in parliament, making the historic gesture the first piece of parliamentary business for his Labor government, which won power in November and ended almost 12 years of conservative rule.

The 1997 Bringing Them Home report examined the impact of past assimilation policies on the nation's Aborigines, and detailed stories of young children being taken from their families in remote communities to be raised in white households.The report was unable to determine exact numbers involved, but said between one-in-three and one-in-10 indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities between 1910 and 1970.

The report called for a national apology, guarantees the old policies would not happen again, and urged the government to pay compensation to the families affected".

Saying sorry like this is both an ending and a beginning! It wont change the harm and the hurt of the past but it gives everyone a place to start anew on the journey towards reconciliation with the original owners of "country".

Cheers,

Andrez

10 Feb 08 - 08:14 AM (#2258333)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: The Fooles Troupe

The Federal Opposition is determined to insist, that in spite of the naughty things done, often by 'well meaning people, from Christian churches', that 'many good things were done as well', like education, and learning to speak English proper, not that gibbering nonsense called a language... oops sorry, somebody got a bit carried away there, probably should have kept quiet...

Mr Howard is not expected to attend... hmmm...

Incidentally, many British youngsters were also ripped away and sent to Oz...

10 Feb 08 - 10:37 AM (#2258427)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: katlaughing

Thanks for the updates.

12 Feb 08 - 06:11 AM (#2260201)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Andrez

Hi folks,

Just to wrap things up for folks who are interested in this issue, here is the full text of the Australian Governments apology to the Indigenous people of Australia to be formally presented tomorrow. I guess a country has to start sometime and tomorrow is as good a time as any. Hopefully I will be able to raise a glass with you too Hilda if only in spirit!

February 12, 2008
Below is the wording of federal Parliament's full apology to the Stolen Generations:

"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

We reflect on their past mistreatment.

We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations – this blemished chapter in our nation's history.

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."

Cheers,
Andrez

12 Feb 08 - 07:53 AM (#2260247)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Sandra in Sydney

for cartoonist Moir's view of the Opposition's position on saying sorry click on Gallery & go to 4th & 8th Feb Moir's cartoons


Apology news cover will be updated here

sandra

12 Feb 08 - 08:17 AM (#2260263)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: GUEST

So can they have their land back too?

12 Feb 08 - 07:22 PM (#2260893)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: The Fooles Troupe

Dunno about that, but some are asking for 220 years back rent...

12 Feb 08 - 07:48 PM (#2260907)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Andrez

I got this email yesterday from Bruce Watson and as requested am passing it on to share.

Hi everyone

In celebration of the Australian Government's apology to the Stolen Generations on Feb 13 I've just put my Sorry Song on MySpace. You can listen to it, send it to others or download it at http://www.myspace.com/brucewatsonmusic

Spread the word and celebrate!

Bruce--

http://www.geocities.com/brucewatson1
http://www.myspace.com/brucewatsonmusic

Cheers,
Andrez

12 Feb 08 - 10:31 PM (#2261043)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Rowan

This is also the topic of the At last! "Sorry!" thread below the line.

Cheers, Rowan

12 Feb 08 - 11:58 PM (#2261109)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Rowan

And the Hansard of Rudd's speech is available as well, as is Nelson's speech. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that many outside the House turned their backs on the Leader of the Opposition; this is a traditional indicator of "No respect" among Australian Aboriginal people and evoked a furious response from John Howard when, as Prime Minister, he tried to lecture indigenous people patronisingly about his views on the "black armband view of history".

Cheers, Rowan

13 Feb 08 - 12:09 AM (#2261125)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: katlaughing

Thanks to all of you for the links. Sandra, I found this at the news link:click. It's heart-wrenching to read their words, the same as seeing it in the movie.

Andrez, good song by your friend. Thanks.

13 Feb 08 - 01:13 AM (#2261146)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Sandra in Sydney

Archie Roach's website

Archie Roach's songs on YouTube - Took the Children Away In 1990, with the encouragement of Paul Kelly, Archie recorded his debut solo album - Charcoal Lane. This album included the song Took the Children Away, a moving indictment of the treatment of indigenous children of Archie's generation, and a song which stuck a chord not only among the wider Aboriginal community, but also nationally. The song was awarded two ARIA Awards, as well as an international Human Rights Achievement Award, the first time this had been awarded to a songwriter because of a song. The album it came from featured in Rolling Stone magazines Top 100 Albums for 1992.

13 Feb 08 - 11:08 AM (#2261405)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: katlaughing

Sandra, thanks for the further links. I had only listened to the one song when I posted to Andrez.

Listening to Took the Children Away with tears. Wow...thank you. Good to know he received the recognition he deserves for such a powerful song and for his talent.

kat

13 Feb 08 - 08:31 PM (#2261860)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: GUEST,Greycap

I'm well aware of the atrocities committed by the British Colonial government against the local indigenous peoples of Australia and have every sympathy with the wronged party.
Where does this fit into a folk music website?

13 Feb 08 - 09:06 PM (#2261888)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: SINSULL

Hilda Fish - If you have told your own story, I have missed it. Where are your roots? Your ancestors?

History is always about a "superior" race taking over fertile lands and promising enterprises for power and profit. As a US citizen I am not in a position to congratulate you without appearing hypocritical. But I can respect your ancestors, origins and roots.
Mary

13 Feb 08 - 10:02 PM (#2261921)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Rowan

Where does this fit into a folk music website?

Welcome, Greycap, and I'm pleased you're with us. The thread has "Folklore" as its descriptor and started in anticipation of the 40th anniversary of the event in the thread title. As you may have gathered from several of the earler (and even the currrent) postings, there is a gap between the popular perception of events and the documentary evidence. That gap is reasonably described, correctly, as "Folklore".

Not only that, Sandra has posted the link to "Took the Children Away", one of the better known songs and the product of one of Australia's better known songs relevant to the folklore of such behaviour. Sandra has excellent resources on such things and beat me to it; she'll also, probably, beat me to a link for "My brown baby" which deals with similar events.

While not necessarily relevant to your question I offer another couple of comments. The lead up to the 1967 referendum was an amazingly emotional and engaging event that affected even whiteys who had no "visible" contact with Aborigines or Torres Strait Islanders and the ripples from the arguments went right through the folk scene as well as the rest of society. Yesterday's "Sorry" was, across the whole country, an extraordinarily emotion-charged event and there are already stories coming out of it that will certainly become part of the country's folklore.

As an example, I met a person (a Scot) at work who had arrived in Australia 4 days ago and. although he'd had no backgrounding, was swept up by the people around him. We wondered whether we could think of any equivalent event in Britain or North America that similarly and emotionally engaged "the whole of the population during its actual occurrence." The only British examples we could think of were Churchill's wartime speeches but, although they were brilliantly effective and delivered in Parliament, the population heard about them only after the event. The only US event we could think of was Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech (on Pennsylvania Ave?) or JFK's original Inauguration speech but I have no recollection of either of these being witnessed "live" by crowds across the whole of the country. Others may be able to think of better examples but that would properly be a topic for a different thread.

The lead-ups, the events and the reactions are all, in the case of this thread's title part of Folklore.

Cheers, Rowan

13 Feb 08 - 10:42 PM (#2261938)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Andrez

Yup, and its out of this living history that the best (folk) songs get written!

Cheers,

Andrez

14 Feb 08 - 06:39 AM (#2262100)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Sandra in Sydney

sorry, Rowan, all I can find is this sentence - Sandra has excellent resources on such things and beat me to it; she'll also, probably, beat me to a link for "My brown baby" which deals with similar events - with a link to this thread!

I tried to find Phyl Lobl's "Dark Eyed Daughter" but this is all I can find -

In 1968, Phyl released her own E.P. (remember them?!) titled "Dark Eyed Daughter". It was a significant political statement by an Australian folk singer as it was dedicated to the political issue of Aboriginal Rights at a time when Australia's Aboriginal people were disenfranchised. Phyl recorded two of her own songs for the EP, the title song "Dark Eyed Daughter" and "Will You Fight, Will You Dare?" As well, Phyl recorded the song "Whose Hand" written by Ian Hills and Kath Walker's poem "No More Boomerang" to which she and her friend, later to be her husband, Geri Lobl had composed a tune and arrangement.

from a review of 'Bronzewing'

I could ask Phyl for a coy of the words.

sandra

14 Feb 08 - 10:53 AM (#2262259)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: katlaughing

Our tiny local indie radio station had a DJ who mentioned the apology on his show,yesterday, but he fluffed it, saying it was an apology for colonialisation two hundred years ago. I know he meant well, but I called anyway to let him know it was an apology to the Stolen Generation, told him about the movie, etc. He did correct himself, but still botched it a bit. I guess it is good it at least was mentioned. Their listeners are usually well informed.

14 Feb 08 - 05:48 PM (#2262607)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: GUEST,Gerry

Margret RoadKnight (who has been known to post to Mudcat) recorded Dark Eyed Daughter on her CD, An Audience with Margret RoadKnight. You should be able to hear the last 36 seconds of it at http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~margretr/opening.htm

14 Feb 08 - 08:27 PM (#2262727)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Rowan

Sorry Sandra, I cocked it up.
The song I meant was Brown skin baby but, while the link gives the info about the song, it no longer contains a functional link to the song itself.

Cheers, Rowan

14 Feb 08 - 08:31 PM (#2262728)
Subject: RE: Folklore: 1967 Aboriginal Referendum (Aus)
From: Sandra in Sydney

no wonder I couldn't find it under that title, & I never thought of the other

sandra