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“To Be Part of an Aboriginal Dream of Self-Determination” Aboriginal Activism in Redfern in the 1970S

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“To Be Part of an Aboriginal Dream of Self-Determination” Aboriginal Activism in Redfern in the 1970S “To be Part of an Aboriginal Dream of Self-Determination” Aboriginal activism in Redfern in the 1970s Johanna Perheentupa A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Humanities and Languages Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences August 2013 ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed …………………………………………….............. Date …………………………………………….............. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date ……………………………………………........................... AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.’ Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date …………………………………………….......................... History is an angel flying backwards to the future. (Laurie Anderson citing Walter Benjamin) Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................ i Abbreviations .................................................................................................................................... iii List of Appendices ........................................................................................................................... iv Introduction: why Redfern matters?............................................................................................... 1 Many meanings of self-determination and sovereignty........................................................... 5 Previous research on Aboriginal rights activism .................................................................... 10 Space and time in urban activism ............................................................................................. 16 On terminology ........................................................................................................................... 19 On source material ..................................................................................................................... 21 From the outside ......................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter outline ............................................................................................................................ 27 Chapter 1 “We know we cannot live in the past, but the past lives in us” Setting the context ............. 29 The Survival of Aboriginal Sydney ........................................................................................... 30 From missions to the city .......................................................................................................... 35 Life in the city .............................................................................................................................. 45 Support networks in the city ..................................................................................................... 47 Urban Aboriginality .................................................................................................................... 56 The Sixties and the Black Power movement .......................................................................... 58 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 66 Chapter 2 “What to do if arrested” – fighting for Aboriginal legal rights ................................................ 68 From streets to courts ................................................................................................................ 69 Black and white co-operation ................................................................................................... 76 Early operations .......................................................................................................................... 78 Separate versus equal development.......................................................................................... 83 Under the Whitlam government .............................................................................................. 85 Change in government policy ................................................................................................... 96 Breakaway legal services .......................................................................................................... 109 Responses to discrimination ................................................................................................... 111 Aboriginal land rights ............................................................................................................... 116 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 123 Chapter 3 “Listen, bud, why didn’t you go to hospital” — health as activism ...................................... 125 First steps towards better health ............................................................................................. 126 Black and white co-operation ................................................................................................. 134 Health in the hands of women ............................................................................................... 141 Avoiding dependency ............................................................................................................... 143 Frustrated with Labor .............................................................................................................. 147 Aiming for expansion ............................................................................................................... 152 Not only medical care .............................................................................................................. 154 Struggle for self-determination ............................................................................................... 157 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 165 Chapter 4 The Black Theatre — the cultural spearhead of Aboriginal activism ................................... 168 From sideshows to centre stage ............................................................................................. 169 Challenge through dance ......................................................................................................... 175 Basically Black.............................................................................................................................. 177 On a tour to Queensland ......................................................................................................... 183 From theatre to cultural centre ............................................................................................... 185 Meeting place ............................................................................................................................. 191 The Cake Man ............................................................................................................................. 193 Politics of the past .................................................................................................................... 199 Crisis in the Black Theatre ...................................................................................................... 201 Here Comes the Nigger .................................................................................................................. 205 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................
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