Colonization Impact on Aboriginal's Health Essay

Colonization Impact on Aboriginal's Health - Essay Example (Atkinson J.,pg.27) Due to this colonization the Aboriginal people suffered a major setback in terms of ill-health, loss of land and identity, exclusion from society, etc. Now the Australian government has imposed laws and policies for the betterment of the Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander People, which shows some signs of hope. Living in their own territorial boundaries, in small extended families, linked to larger groups and woven together by complex systems and rules for social interaction, Aboriginal people lived in total harmony. (Atkinson J., pg.25). They believed in We Al-li: fire and water, anger and grief, a program of healing. They also believe that dysfunctional cause's ill health, and so breach of land, kinship and trade obligations, breach of taboo, disrespecting dead and law was avoided. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). They had well balanced nutritious diet of animals, insects, plants, vegetables, fruits, etc. etc as they were available in plenty. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991) and practiced a very healthy lifestyle which they got from daily activities like hunting/gathering. They had their own ways of taking revenge or giving justice like: 1) Physical retribution 2) Tribal 3) Sorcery or Supernatural powers (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). Tribal healers, men or women were able personalities who had a lineage of healing. They used bush medicine like plants, shells, insects, etc. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). Aboriginal men and women believed in equality where no one was considered superior. They believe that racism has ill effects on the health and hence it should be avoided. Impact of Colonization: Colonizers invaded the tribal land and came with Savagery and Violence. Large-scale developments like, space station, resorts, mining, etc. laid deadly impacts on individuals, families and the entire communities and societies. Further this colonization resulted in dysfunctional and violent behavior on both individuals and human interaction. (Atkinson J., pg.23) Aboriginal people were traumatized and this affected their health to a large extent. Their ceremonial responsibilities and process were destroyed by the colonizers and had profound Tran generational effects on the people of this land (Atkinson J. pg.35) environments and the relationships within them became chaotic and unstructured.(Atkinson J.,pg.45) Large-scale epidemics, massacres, removals of whole population to detainment camps called reserves, removals of children, splitting apart of family groups, physical and cultural genocide, formed layers of trauma.