The name is absent

In the literature there are frequent references to the fact
that Aborigines see others stereotyping them as not-human, not
a person to be visited. It would be expected that Aborigines
would see themselves not liked for themselves and that external
* * *

identials would be important. Aboriginal people in interviews
commented on their dislike of white people 'dressing down' among
Aboriginal people. They expected a neat standard of dress from
those interacting with them, and both men and women working in
government agencies maintained a very high standard of dress.
Clothes were manifestly important as an identialɪ.

In the case of being liked for oneself and not for identials,
such as looks and clothing, 64.4 per cent of Aborigines agreed
with this_jcompared with 56.5 per cent of non-Aborigines. In both
cases the responses indicated a security of acceptance that was
not related to material identials (house, clothing) or the physical
idential of looks. The response had greater support on the part
of the Aboriginal students than the non-Aboriginal students.

The hypothesis that Aborigines would reject the statement that

people liked them for themselves was not supported.

25.15 Nicknames

A nickname is seen as an important idential in that it

encapsulates the typification of others.

In the literature, all names bestowed on Aborigines are either

negative or dehumanising in that they are generic terms,'Jacky*, etc.

It was hypothesised that more Aboriginal respondents would see nicknames
ascderogatory, and as.a^negative idential, than non-Aboriginal respondents.

¹The counsellor at Pt. Augusta pointed out that the Aboriginal children
in the 'special class', that is those with special problems, wore,
on all occasions, a 'beanie' (a small knitted skull cap). For them
it was an important idental. They could not bear to be separated from
it, and would go home if it was taken from them. No-one could explain
why this particular article of clothing was so important as an idential.

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