The name is absent

153

of a multi-cultural society, that possibilities of self-direction
for Aborigines rest on a fragile power base, that if the uniqueness
of Aborigines is accepted and the current framework of a multi-
cultural society is also accepted, then Aborigines must exercise their

«                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       -Ч-

autonomy outside this framework, knowing they will be rejected
for doing this by the same society that brought it about.

11.33 Summary

The conceptualisation of a multi-cultural Australia excludes
Aborigines. The official reasoning behind this exclusion may
be formulated in the following way:
-r>"

AU ethnic groups are equal. The Aboriginal people are
unique, different. Their position in society cannot be
included in any conceptualisation of a multicultural
society. Their uniqueness excludes them from multi-
cultural society.

This, in fact, is the situation to be found in a study of the
documentation. Aborigines are excluded from a multi-cultural
Australia.

The Aboriginal people are put into a situation without the
possibility of resolution. They are told that any initiative
taken in Aboriginal matters should be taken by Aborigines themselves.
No-one disagrees with this - least of all Aboriginal people.
Interviews carried out for this study provided evidence that
Aboriginal people have interacted with theorizing about self-
determination and themselves theorize that Aborigines have to
help themselves. The question is whether a group oppressed,
rejected, powerless for hundreds of years can, at a point of
time, be given (by committees) the right to self-determination/
self-management that is real.

Furthermore, while Aborigines are physically located within
the multi-cultural society, structurally they must determine
their future outside this society, and this not by their own
choice.

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