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All of these people, whatever their origin or life-history,
identify themselves with pride as Aborigines,
and see themselves
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forming a group parallel to white society. This does not mean that
their life-style necessarily differs
in, but not of, white society.
greatly from that of the
white population.
What it does mean
is that they see themselves
There are others, more oriented towards white society, who admire
the culture of the tradition-oriented people, respect these people,
and indeed stand in awe of them. At the same time, they reject,
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for themselves, Aboriginal identials.
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The view voiced by some was that, for them, Aboriginal culture,
in a white world, would be ,half-a-culture, . Aboriginality for this
group lies in cultivating a pride in pointing to their roots in an
Aboriginal world.
Nevertheless, despite different points of view about identials
of Aboriginality, and different reasons.for location within the
Aboriginal community, there is a sense of unity binding the different
segments.
This cohesion is supported by the theorizers in the schools.
An education evening held at Davenport reserve in 1980 drew
participants from all groups who mingled freely and easily with each
other, projecting a sense of community, whether they were reserve
dwellers or city dwellers.
The model of society proposed by the Aboriginal people, a
'world' parallel to that of the white world,would seem to be
valid.
Within such a group, there is the possibility of building those
components outlined by Sorokin as necessary for the continuity of
the group - group loyalty, leadership and autonomy, factors which
perpetuate the group.
These factors will now be examined in so far as they relate to
the two 'worlds' in question.