TASMANIA’S Aboriginal Land Council wants to make it tougher for people to claim Aboriginality, warning that established indigenous groups may soon be overrun by “wannabe” and “tick-a-box” Aborigines.
The Australian has obtained a copy of an incendiary discussion paper by Clyde Mansell, the chairman of the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, which urges indigenous groups to push for a tougher approach to accepting people as Aboriginal.
“Every day we encounter the impacts of people claiming to be Aboriginal; there’s so many tick-a-box and wannabe people out there,” he says in the document, Discussion paper on the determination of Aboriginality.
“They know nothing about being Aboriginal. They falsify their identity, their culture, and use whatever they can to gain acceptance. We need to talk about and seek to reach agreement on how we combat these people.
“If we don’t, the tick-a-box or wannabes will have control. We will once again be fighting to survive.”
The paper argues that proof of Aboriginal ancestry alone may not be sufficient and flags a new test of “a continual connection” with the Aboriginal community over generations.
As well, Mr Mansell claims the federal body responsible for registering Aboriginal corporations has registered “bogus” indigenous bodies and should check the credentials of applicants with established community groups.
However, the push has outraged other prominent Tasmanian Aborigines, including former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission member and Amnesty campaigner Rodney Dillon, who accused Mr Mansell of trying to “control” Aboriginality to protect the power of established groups.
Mr Dillon told The Australian that rather than have Mr Mansell and other leaders “play God”, it would be better for Tasmanians claiming Aboriginality to undertake DNA testing to settle the issue “once and for all”.
“Let’s all have a DNA test on who we are: if you don’t want to have a DNA test, then don’t bother making out that you’re Aboriginal,” Mr Dillon said.
“DNA testing is pure. It’s foolproof. It would prove once and for all who is Aboriginal.
“But having a select group behaving like kings, telling people whether or not they are Aboriginal, is not right.
Read the article on the paywalled Oz, here
• Kinship and Identity: Genetic testing and Aboriginality, 2002:
http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/36-kinship-and-identity/genetic-testing-and-aboriginality
• An academic says …
Mitochondrial DNA is the one they use for ancestry.
It goes only through the maternal line.
If a woman doesn’t have any daughters the line stops.
I think most people claim ancestry through one of Manalargenna’s daughters.
I think he had three daughters.
So if there is a break in the line then MtDNA stops.
This method will exclude many Tas Aborigines … so this is not a good idea.
Rodney should do some research on this …
• And a follow …
Clyde Mansell talks about Aboriginality on Strong Voices:
http://caama.com.au/radio/community/page/2
