More than 230 years ago, Captain James Cook, a British explorer, ‘discovered’ the Australian continent and claimed it for Great Britain. From then on, the Indigenous Australian population experienced a drastic cultural and social change. Today around “68% of the Aboriginal population […] live in urban environements” (Knudsen 2004, S. 73). Despite the progress in assimilation, smoldering sources of social friction between Aboriginal people and the white community, like unemployment, poverty, alcoholism and bad health care, remain. These subjects often occur in literature of indigenous authors, especially poetry, “the most popular genre of Aboriginal creative expression in
English” (Shoemaker 1989, S. 179).
Another important theme, which is often worked up in indigenous poetry, is the urban Aboriginal’s relation to their cultural heritage, which will be the topic of this termpaper.
This theme is of high topicality nowadays, considering the increasing number of Aboriginals living in urban environments. It will be important to figure out to what extent the Indigenous’s past does still play a role in their present lives. Also it will be of interest if they still feel connected with their cultural past, if nature still plays a decisive role, even in
“civilised Aboriginals’” lives, and how they generally feel about their situation of being part of two significantly differing cultures. Therefore, the poems will be analysed on the basis of the subtopics nature, identity and past.
The aim of this paper is to provide a small overview of recent poetic works dealing with this topical theme of the urban Aboriginals relation to their cultural heritage to draw the reader’s attention to a new, probably even largely unknown part of Aboriginal’s lives.
This termpaper will first give a short overview about the Aboriginal poetry in general and the authors lives. Later on, poems in which subjects like past, civilisation or nature occur will be analysed. Poems by Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Jack Davis will act as exemplary works to be analysed and interpreted. Therefore, at the beginning of the termpaper some short biographical facts about these poets will be given to become acquainted with their cultural
background.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Background Information
- Biographical Facts about the Authors
- The Development of Aboriginal Poetry
- Analysis of Poems
- Connection to Nature
- Question of Identity
- Relation to Past
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper examines the relationship between urban Aboriginals and their cultural heritage, focusing specifically on selected poems by Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Jack Davis. The goal is to provide an overview of recent poetic works dealing with this theme, highlighting the significance of the Aboriginal past within their present lives.- The impact of urbanization on Aboriginal identity and cultural continuity.
- The role of nature in shaping Aboriginal worldview and identity.
- The exploration of the relationship between past and present, and the influence of traditional culture in the lives of urban Aboriginals.
- The challenges faced by Aboriginal people in navigating two distinct cultures.
- The significance of Aboriginal poetry as a platform for expressing cultural identity, social concerns, and political aspirations.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction establishes the context of this term paper by exploring the cultural and social changes experienced by Aboriginal people since the arrival of Europeans. It highlights the prevalence of social issues like unemployment, poverty, and alcoholism within the Aboriginal community and emphasizes the role of poetry as a medium for expressing these concerns. The background information section delves into the lives of two prominent Aboriginal poets, Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Jack Davis, providing insights into their backgrounds and their contributions to the fight for Aboriginal rights. It also explores the evolution of Aboriginal poetry from an oral to a written tradition, discussing the influence of European education on its style and content. The analysis of poems section will explore the themes of nature, identity, and past in selected works by Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Jack Davis.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This term paper focuses on key themes such as Aboriginal identity, cultural heritage, urban environments, nature, past and present, assimilation, social issues, and Aboriginal poetry. The analysis will center around the works of Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Jack Davis, exploring their perspectives on the relationship between Aboriginal people and their cultural heritage in a modern urban context.- Quote paper
- Ilona Sontag (Author), 2008, Urban Aboriginals and the relation to their cultural heritage, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/114579
