Aboriginal Women's Roles
Before colonization, what were the traditional roles of Aboriginal women in their communities?
What is: What is Elders, caregivers, educators, and custodians of cultural knowledge.
What was the primary effect of colonialism on the Aboriginal population in general?
What is: Dispossession of land, cultural disruption, and population decline due to diseases and conflict.
How did Aboriginal women preserve their culture post-colonization?
What is: Through oral traditions, art, and secretly practicing ceremonies.
What does the term "Lubra" historically refer to?
An Aboriginal woman (note: outdated and can be considered derogatory).
How did these roles begin to change with the arrival of European settlers?
What is: They were often marginalized, and traditional roles were disrupted by new societal structures.
Give an example of a new role or occupation that Aboriginal women took up due to colonial influence.
What is: Domestic servants or farm laborers.
In what way did Aboriginal women blend traditional storytelling with new themes or narratives introduced during the colonial era?
What is: Storytelling and oral traditions began to include tales and narratives that reflected experiences with colonization, including stories of resistance, adaptation, and the blending of cultures.
What is the meaning of "Dreamtime" in Aboriginal culture?
What is: A complex system of beliefs about creation and the spiritual connection to the land.
What was a key traditional practice led or heavily involved with by Aboriginal women?
What is: Cultural ceremonies, art, and storytelling.
How did European settlement alter the family structures of Aboriginal communities?
What is: Traditional kinship and family roles were often disrupted, and mixed families became more common.
After the arrival of European settlers, how did Aboriginal women's roles in passing down cultural knowledge evolve or change?
What is: They often became even more central as custodians of cultural knowledge, adapting teaching methods to ensure cultural survival amidst rapid change.
Explain the term "Stolen Generations."
What is: Refers to Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families by Australian federal and state government agencies.
How did Aboriginal women contribute to resistance against colonial powers?
What is: Through maintaining cultural practices, participating in protests, and educating younger generations.
What major health and social issue did colonization introduce to Aboriginal communities?
What is: Alcoholism and other substance abuses.
How did Aboriginal women utilize traditional arts, like weaving or painting, to respond to and record the changes happening in their communities during colonization?
What is: Incorporating European materials or methods into traditional crafts. They creatively incorporated European materials like fabrics or beads into their traditional crafts like weaving or clothing, blending the old with the new.
What does "Corroboree" refer to?
What is: A ceremonial meeting of Australian Aboriginals, often involving dance, music, and costume.
(Barwick) 'And the lubras are ladies now' : In the years 1870 and by 1876, what invitation did aboriginal women receive from older men?
What is: 1870, invitation to participate in councils and by 1876, invitation to sign petitions?
What policy (that lasted from mid-1800s to 1970s) significantly affected Aboriginal women during colonization?
What is: The Stolen Generations policies (removal of Aboriginal children from their families).
(Barwick) "And the lubras became ladies now': What was a significant cultural change among younger Aboriginal women compared to older generations?
What is: Younger women were more likely to adopt European dress and language but still maintained cultural ties.
Define "Songlines" in the context of Aboriginal culture.
What is: Pathways that cross the Australian landscape, representing routes followed by 'creator-beings' during the Dreamtime.