Nowhere People
Aboriginal Identity Dilemmas For People Of Indigenous Descent With Mixed Ancestry - Half Caste Myth
Answering some FAQ's about personal identity and duality in Indigenous and non-Indigenous contexts, especially the impact of the "mixed race" myth on Aboriginal heritage.
FAQ's
I recently received an email from a reader undertaking Indigenous studies at university.
She asked me these questions.
- Should Indigenous Australians be classed as an Ethnic group?
- Should we just be using the term 'ancestry' because many people have mixed ancestry from a variety of 'ethnic groups'?
- Considering the many terrible things done by the Europeans to the indigenous people of this country, how do you cope with your own European ancestory - are you as interested in tracing this side of you as your Indigenous ancestry?
- You say you were adopted by the Wik people, according to Indigenous ways, are you now accepted as one of the Wik people, or do you still identify more as being of of southern origin?
As I am often asked these questions by readers, I have posted part of my response here.
Viewing Indigneousness Without Prejudice
Some post-modern ideas about identity might be the best way to examine these questions. In this view, a person's identity tends to be too dynamic for classification - it is complex, often with overlapping and even contradictory elements. In the realm of identity, it is possible for one thing to be true, but the exact opposite to be true at the same time. I find this exciting, as it is what makes the possibility of genuine cultural pluralism attainable.
My Identity And Duality
You asked about my identity. Duality is a major theme in my life. I do have trouble being of Nunga descent but belonging to a Murri community. It's hard. Once I was making a boomerang (pictured), and the design was coming out of me organically rather than from family teachings, so it was coming from my Southern spirit rather than the Murri cultural context of the family. As a result, my mum got belly-sick from the magic associated with the male carving activity. There are always problems like this, but as I am sadly separated from my birth family, I'm just grateful to belong to a family who are countrymen.
That brings me to your other question. Yes, we identify as different language groups, and it is problematic to say Aboriginality is a single homogenous culture or ethnicity. There is amazing diversity in our Indigenous cultures. But at the same time, we still say things like "my countrymen" when we talk about Aborigines in general. There has always been a lot of inter-tribal activity throughout our history - adoption, marriage, cultural exchange linking all groups across the continent through songlines and trade routes. I know a lot of people who belong to a number of language groups through adoption. So I suppose it is justifiable to identify Aborigines as belonging to one group if you have an Indigenous standpoint, but perhaps not justifiable from other standpoints (only because it tends to be part of alterity ("they!") discourses then).
So I think a post-structuralist approach is essential when talking about Indigenous identity. Remember, we are walking between shifting realities every day, and we often have to occupy different roles in different situations, and often simultaneously. For example, my wife is British, and I have to occupy a certain role when I am with her. I am also different with other family members, and in different community contexts, eg. pub, school, council.
As to my foreign ancestry, yes, I have explored that deeply. I've studied and learned European languages and history, both in European communities and at university. I even spent a significant part of my life trying to dentify with that. But it was a lie. When I went to Scotland etc, to the old graveyard and loch and so forth, I felt no connection of spirit. I later found that this was because my spirit came from a storyplace here in Australia. When I die, I'll go back to that place.
Identity Is Not Biological
That's something that people find hard to understand, especially if they're coming from a paradigm of "breeding" equating with ethnicity. There is nothing biological that makes a person Aboriginal - it has to do with being claimed by your ancestors, your spirit coming from a place in the land, and constructing your identity and culture in your family and community from day to day. I know dark skinned people of Indigenous descent who choose to identify as "mainstream" Australians. So really, it is a choice rather than some kind of biological stigma.
Another thing - historically, Europeans when they look at Aboriginal people just see "black" - one physical type or race. But when we look at our peoples we see massive physical differences between geographic and even family or clan groups (and between individual family members, too). This echoes Darwin's assertion that humans are a polymorphic species, and that there is more genetic variation within "races" than there is between them.
A Great Book
There is a very good book by Henry Reynolds that better explores these issues, called Nowhere People. It examines international thinking throughout history about "half-caste" or mestizo peoples. Reynolds also "comes out" and reveals his own Indigenous heritage. He talks about the difficulties of his identity - many people are outraged if he identifies as Indigenous, and many are outraged if he doesn't. He takes the middle path and chooses neither identity, outraging everybody! On the one hand he is accused of denying his heritage and insulting Indigenous people, and on the other hand he is accused of "jumping on the bandwagon" and using his Aboriginal heritage to somehow gain social advantage. It is an excellent read.
