Since the contact of the europeans the people have deal with extreme social disadvantage. Aboriginals with disabilities prior to colonization were treated no different than other members of the group. People that were affected were cared for by extended family members but were still held to maintain certain responsibilities and social roles.
In an aboriginal community the perception of disability is very different from a western view. By continuing to keep the person affected by the disability engaged and continuously help to certain roles the person would not feel as though they were unable. The person affected by a disability was not separated from the community it brought them together as a whole able bodied community. Between aboriginal communities and western communities there is a huge difference in the term disability. This term is less known in aboriginal community then in the western community. In many aboriginal communities there were beliefs that were the cause of disability and many reasons that they thought affected a person with the disability. The disability was thought to be a cause of another thing, not something that could happen naturally. It dealt with culture and myths but these reasons that were believed were not held against the family and the special person was welcomed and helped.
It was found that aboriginal people were more accepting of family members with disabilities than non-aboriginal people. In the aboriginal culture they have a natural way to include everyone in the community, and even embacing the person with the disability as though they were able bodied like the rest. Aboriginal people have a way of seeing past disability and including everyone no matter what their impairment is. Aboriginal people see their culture first then see the disability, This concept is very different then in the western culture.
The social issues that deal around disability in an aboriginal community is not seen as a disadvantage but as a gift. Each member no matter what the issue that affects them is fully included in each aspect of community. The western cultures however are less accepting of a person with disabilities, a person in the western culture is seen to be a burden or incapable. The aboriginal community has shown that they are polar opposite to the europeans and even after colonization have changed little in the ways they see members in their community no matter their disability.
Trista, social work 1006A
Source : Http://www.disability.wa.gov.au
"Aboriginal People with Disabilities." http://www.disability.wa.gov.au. Disability Services Commission, Apr. 2006. Web.
I really find it wonderful to hear that the communities would take care of the disabled persons and give them duties and responsibilities that they could manage to make them feel like they fit in more with the community, which they do and should.. it makes me really happy to hear that. I wish that was how our society worked now. I try my best to talk and act around people with disabilities the same way I would to anyone else, if they need assistance surly i would give it but I would let them ask me for it first. I think its beautiful that they look at people with disabilities as having a gift.
ReplyDelete- Chelsea L
I really enjoyed this post. It gave me a very warm feeling since Aboriginals were so accepting to one another. It didn't matter if you had a disability or not, you were still treated equally. This was such a nice post to read because a lot of the times people with disabilities are thought more in a negative way, or discriminated, and even treated very poorly. I feel that all cultures should have the same mind set of the Aboriginal culture. I really liked the line where you said "not seen as a disadvantage but as a gift". It is wonderful to see people with disabilities accepted, treated, and thought of in such a pleasant way. This gives me hope that one day everyone will be accepting towards everyone in society, and to know that no one is different.
ReplyDeleteHunter