Aboriginal Rights And The Church
Church Supports Aboriginal Rights And Native Title
Has the church, since playing an historical part in the loss of Aboriginal language and culture, now become an ally in the struggle for Aboriginal rights?
Church Supports Aboriginal Rights
The Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) identified religious institutions as having great potential to foster awareness and understanding of Aboriginal rights and Aboriginal issues.
As governments continue to disregard, limit, and terminate Aboriginal rights, the church is more often than not emerging as a voice of reason. While the government refuses to make any significant effort to implement land rights or make an Aboriginal treaty, many church leaders seem to understand that access to land and resources forms the basis for all Aboriginal issues, including Land Rights, Aboriginal health, Aboriginal deaths in custody and Stolen Generation.
Personal Experience
All of the church people I have met who are involved in Indigenous issues are committed to just and respectful relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. They recognize Aboriginal peoples as distinct peoples and nations, with rights to land and self-determination. They also come with understanding and a surprising lack of judgement. And they are usually the only ones (apart from self-serving academics) who are prepared to learn Aboriginal languages.
It is hard to remain bitter about the church's role in assimilation last century when I meet these people today and see how committed they are to Aboriginal rights.
Forgotten Martyrs
I am also mindful of the fact that, before the assimilation era, it was mostly church people who campaigned successfully to prevent the complete genocide of Aboriginal Australia. This led to their own persecution and often early deaths, and also denied them a place in the history books, as they became a part of Australia's silenced history of blood.
So, although many missionaries had a lot to do with destroying Aboriginal social and family structures and Aboriginal language and culture in the assimilationist era, it must be acknowledged that they initially saved us from outright destruction and generally acted with the best intentions.
Nowadays, their intentions are better informed, and so the church is well-placed to stand beside us and fight for Aboriginal rights. I may not believe in their god, but I do believe in their determination, resolve and goodwill.
Pope John Paul II, When he visited Alice Springs on 29 November 1986, made the following statement:
"Let it not be said that the fair and equitable recognition of Aborigines' rights to land is discrimination.
To call for the acknowledgement of the land rights of the people who have never surrendered those rights is not discrimination.
Certainly what has been done cannot be undone. But what can now be done to remedy the deeds of yesterday must not be put off until tomorrow."
Click here for specific detail about church history, law and dogma in support of native title, dating back to the 15th century.
