Native Title Report 2006
Acknowledgements and Note
- Acknowledgments
- Note - Use of the terms ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ and ‘Indigenous peoples’
Acknowledgments
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner acknowledges the work of Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission staff (Fabienne Balsamo, Katie Kiss, Hamish McLeod, Jemma Hollands, Dianne Biaggini, Anna Dawson, Christina Kenny, Julia Mansour, Kirsty Champion and Darren Dick).
Artist Acknowledgement
The cover photograph is courtesy of the Argyle Diamond Mine. Michael Ramsay Jnr, son of Lena Carey and Michael Ramsay, lives in Bow River. He is cared for by his paternal grandmother Mona Ramsay, a Traditional Owner of the land occupied by the Argyle Diamond Mine.
About the Social Justice Commission logo
The right section of the design is a contemporary view of traditional Dari or head-dress, a symbol of the Torres Strait Island people and culture. The head-dress suggests the visionary aspect of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commission. The dots placed in the Dari represent a brighter outlook for the future provided by the Commission’s visions, black representing people, green representing islands and blue representing the seas surrounding the islands. The Goanna is a general symbol of the Aboriginal people.
The combination of these two symbols represents the coming together of two distinct cultures through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and the support, strength and unity which it can provide through the pursuit of Social Justice and Human Rights. It also represents an outlook for the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice expressing the hope and expectation that one day we will be treated with full respect and understanding. © Leigh Harris
Note - Use of the terms ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ and ‘Indigenous peoples’
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner recognises the diversity of the cultures, languages, kinship structures and ways of life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There is not one cultural model that fits all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples retain distinct cultural identities whether they live in urban, regional or remote areas of Australia.
Throughout this report, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders are referred to as ‘peoples’. This recognises that Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders have a collective, rather than purely individual, dimension to their livelihoods.
Throughout this report, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are also referred to as ‘Indigenous peoples’.
The use of the term ‘Indigenous’ has evolved through international law. It acknowledges a particular relationship of Aboriginal people to the territory from which they originate. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has explained the basis for recognising this relationship as follows:
Indigenous or aboriginal peoples are so-called because they were living on their lands before settlers came from elsewhere; they are the descendants - according to one definition - of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived, the new arrivals later becoming dominant through conquest, occupation, settlement or other means… (I)ndigenous peoples have retained social, cultural, economic and
political characteristics which are clearly distinct from those of the other segments of the national populations.Throughout human history, whenever dominant neighbouring peoples have expanded their territories or settlers from far away have acquired new lands by force, the cultures and livelihoods - even the existence - of indigenous peoples have been endangered. The threats to indigenous peoples’ cultures and lands, to their status and other legal rights as distinct groups and as citizens, do not always take the same forms as in previous times. Although some groups have been relatively successful, in most part of the world indigenous peoples are actively
seeking recognition of their identities and ways of life.1
The Social Justice Commissioner acknowledges that there are differing usages of
the terms ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’, ‘Aboriginal’ and ‘indigenous’ within
government policies and documents. When referring to a government document
or policy, we have maintained the government’s language to ensure consistency.
[1] United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Fact sheet No.9 (Rev.1), The Rights of Indigenous Peoples, www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/2/fs9.htm
