Belonging: Indigenous Australians and Sense

Belonging is the notion of acceptance among a group which have a shared identity or shared experiences. The key to belonging is the understanding of another’s interests, ideas, values and morals. Without understanding, belonging ceases to exist and alienation, rejection and not belonging is felt.

Constitution of Australia

Aboriginal civil rights have been a highly debated topic in Australia for the past century. From the 1920’s to the constitutional referendum in 1967 many events occurred that shaped the advancement of Aboriginal rights. The sheer volume of significant events during this time period are too great to enlighten on all of them so I will aim to touch on the rights of Aboriginal people before this time period, the foundation of Aboriginal political activism, the Day of Mourning and the Cummeragunja walk off, International pressure against Australia, and the 1967 referendum.