The name is absent

439

The question posed is whether or not there is evidence among
urban Aborigines of ’cultural values and aspirations that identify
Aborigines as a distinct people’, and in particular whether there
is evidence of a lack of orientation to material values.

One may distinguish between values held by Aboriginal people

for themselves (as by the Consultative group) and perceptions

by non-Aboriginal society of values held by the Aboriginal people.
Aborigines theorize that they do not value material possessions,
are not ambitious, are aware of others needs rather than putting
the self first as white people are seen to do. They are not future
oriented. They are often in debt because they are поп-materialistic
and generous with money.         '

Gilbert rejects those notions as mythologies.

Together with many sympathetic whites, they embrace
and propagate a number of myths about themselves: that
Aboriginals share freely; that they have a strong feeling
of community; that they don't care about money and lack -
the materialism of white society; that they care more
deeply for their children than do white parents.

Aborigines try to believe these fallacies about themselves
because they won't face the truth (Gilbert, 1977:1).

There are other characteristics which are seen to be evidence
of an Aboriginal sub-culture. The dominance of the female in the
society is one of these characteristics.

It was hypothesized that the Aborigines in the study would
have internalised the theorising of Aboriginal contemporary definers
of reality and would have accepted a ’world’ of values which
identify them as Aboriginal.

Items 7∕2S, 14/35, 17/38, 21/42 were included in Schedule I
as examples of cultural traits held to be characteristic of
Aboriginal people.

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