Indigenous communities keep their cultural heritage alive by passing their knowledge, arts, ceremonies and performances from one generation to another, speaking and teaching languages, protecting cultural materials, sacred and significant sites, and objects. For Indigenous Australians, the land is the core of all spirituality and this relationship and the spirit of ‘Country’ is central to the issues that are important to Indigenous people today.” — Ngunnawal Elder, Tina Brown.
Supporting indigenous cultures
The Australian government has adopted the A$5 billion Aboriginal Development Strategy and is aware of the central role of Aboriginal culture in Australian lives, and is investing heavily in Aboriginal culture and languages. Through the government’s Indigenous Development Strategy, approximately US$21.1 million is provided to the indigenous broadcasting and media sector each year. Supported more than 45 organisations and 120 licensed broadcast services, including remote, regional and urban radio stations and remote Australia’s indigenous community television stations. Use the media to increase the influence of indigenous culture.
The Government also celebrates and preserves culture by funding cultural festivals, cultural exchange camps and programs, culture centres, and preserving and archiving community collections. One of the most significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander festivals supported by the Australian Government is the Garma festival, attracting more than 2,500 people from across Australia and overseas. Garma is organised by the Yothu Yindi Foundation and has been instrumental in leading national conversations and debates about the rights, interests and cultural recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for 19 years. The Australian Government has invested approximately $2.7 million in Garma since 2012–13. The purpose is to protect the precious local history and culture.
Supporting indigenous arts and languages
The Government recognises that Indigenous arts and languages are essential to the wellbeing and identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and play an integral role in ensuring the sustainability, vitality and strength of Indigenous communities.
Around $40 million is invested annually through the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) and the Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) programs. These programs promote the sharing of language and culture between generations and the ongoing viability of Indigenous-owned enterprises, including investing in around 80 Indigenous-owned art centres. They enrich the social, cultural and economic life of Indigenous communities and provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to generate income, gain employment, develop professional skills and participate in the nation’s economy while maintaining a continued connection to the country and culture.
Showcasing indigenous art overseas
The Australian Government supports initiatives that expose global audiences to Indigenous artists and performers. For example, the Pormpuraaw Art and Culture Centre exhibition, ‘Ghost Nets: Australian Indigenous Art, Culture and Sustainability, was on display at the Palais des Nations Building in Geneva, Switzerland, to coincide with the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in September 2017.
Additionally, the exhibition ‘Taba Naba — Australia, Oceania, Art Of The Sea People’ is the largest exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art ever shown in continental Europe. The exhibition was displayed at the Oceanographic Museum, Monaco, and explored the relationship between Australia’s Indigenous people and their environment. It was extremely successful, with 410,000 people from more than 78 countries visiting the exhibition. The exhibition also toured Paris, Geneva and Greenwich, which let the world audience understand and appreciate Australia’s indigenous culture.
I believe Australia’s protection policy for indigenous culture is effective and practical, and its implementation protects indigenous groups' interests as minorities. As we all know, the world culture under the background of globalization is gradually converging. This policy can protect Australia’s unique local culture to the greatest extent. While enriching cultural diversity, it also promotes Australia’s economic development, bringing employment and investment opportunities. To a certain extent, it can also balance social instability factors, such as the historical contradictions between indigenous and local people.