Essay Sample on Aboriginals: Indigenous Populations Facing Discrimination Worldwide

Introduction

The Aboriginals are an indigenous population that originates from Australia and is well known for their hunting and gathering activities which they continue until the present time. They occupy approximate 2% of Australia's population and they migrated from Southern East Asia about 30,000-50,000 years ago and are known for their nomadic life as well as excellent survival skills since time immemorial (Trollope, n.d). It is however sad that they are very much discriminated all over the world since they like to keep it to themselves especially in Australia. The evidence for this is that first of all their life expectancy is 17-20 years less than Australians and their babies have a four times higher rate of dying than non-Aborigines.

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The Maori, on the other hand, are the indigenous people of New Zealand (Harlow, n.d). Their origins have been traced to the Eastern Polynesia where they traveled using canoes and reached New Zealand shores where they settled over 1000 years ago. They make up about 14% of the population and their traditions, language and history are the main definitions of New Zealand's identity. Unlike the Aboriginals who up to date are still indigenous, the Maori adapted to the new life and environment and today they have transformed to an urban population although they still hold on to their traditions and cultural views.

The treatment of both native population can is almost the same from the colonization time where they were regarded as the lesser beings in each situation and were discriminated severely. They were secluded and regarded as outcasts considering the fact that they migrated to their present lands and were not originally born there. This has gone on for decades but in New Zealand, the Maori have adapted and blended with the other locals and were even accepted in the national legislature and most of the discriminatory laws were abolished (Harlow, n.d). The Aboriginals, however, are still discriminated to date and even in Australia, they are secluded and do not coexist with the other locals of the country. In fact, the Aboriginals that have mingled with people are either the lowest in the life status or are just drunks and other outcasts that the country does not consider really.

A similarity that can be observed about these two native populations is that they are staunch believers of ancient gods, ancestors, and spirits. Also, they each had their own superstitious perspectives and depended on religious people for advice on how to go about with life in peace and harmony. This has continued for both natives even for those that have traveled to first world countries like the United States and this is what singles them out from the rest of the population (Trollope, n.d). The treatment they face however is degrading and discriminatory at a very high level. In Australia, any decision they make regarding the Aboriginal is done in a collective manner as if the aboriginals have a unified voice and their opinion is taken little to no consideration.

On the other hand, the Maori have centralized the cultural perspective in New Zealand and traditions and events around them meaning that they have been given more respect and caliber as compared to the Aboriginals (Harlow, n.d). However, when they are in other countries like the United States, they still suffer racism like the aboriginals and are both treated in an appalling manner that they don't deserve. This issue has been looked into by many human rights bodies but despite their efforts to fight for their equality. The sad but true fact is that the Aboriginals and the Maori will continue to be viewed as ancient and therefore the fact that they are termed as native population means that this notion will never change.

References

Harlow, R. (n.d.). Maori literature and literature on Maori. Maori, 5-9. doi:10.1017/cbo9780511618697.002

Trollope, A. (n.d.). Aboriginals. Australia and New Zealand, 59-76. doi:10.1017/cbo9781107338128.004