Aboriginal Reconciliation

There have been many initiatives and processes in support of the Aboriginal Spirituality and its approach to Reconciliation. The most predominant tradition through its campaigns and movements in asserting the Aboriginals is the Christian religious tradition. This can be seen through the ongoing support, the ACC, the media, protests and the formal apology for the abuse through the missionaries. This is highly effective as it recognises the wrongfulness and asserts the positivity in the process of Reconciliation. Interfaith initiatives have also been effective to a moderate extent through the Week of Prayer and the statements of both the Buddhist and Islamic communities.

The Christian groups effectively maintained and highlighted a positive
relationship in efforts of Reconciliation with the Aboriginals and in recognizing the significance of kinship, the dreaming and the spiritual connection to the land. This is evident in 1967 when the Catholic Church and representatives of the Australian Council of Churches were amongst the most prominent leaders of the campaign for the referendum to grant Aboriginal Australians citizenship, this highlights the support conveyed by the Christian groups and thus signifies on the effectiveness of the Christian group in the process of Reconciliation.

Correspondingly in 1975 various church groups supported and applauded the passing of the first land rights legislation by the Whitlam Government. In 1992 many church groups publicly welcomed the Mabo decision. Conservative political factions and various media groups began a fear campaign, churches made strong statements affirming that the Mabo decision was just, conveying to a high extent the assertion the Christian groups emphasises to the Aboriginals and the positive relationship between the Christian groups and the indigenous Australians in the process of Reconciliation.

Through the land rights movement (Wik decision, Mabo and Native title) the Christian community constantly provided its support through the media and protest mediums, this effectively portrays the Christian support and dedication in re – establishing the spiritual Aboriginal links with the land.
The Christian groups in 1998 despite major discrepancies between various political groups, farmers and miners adamantly opposed the Ten Point Plan, which they viewed as a severe and unmerited reduction on the right of Aboriginal people to formulate native title claims. Hence, this strongly affirms the relationship between Aboriginal Spiritualities and the Christian religious tradition and to a large extent promotes the Christian tradition and its positive contribution to the process of
Reconciliation.

Church Groups are also implicated in a range of issues to assist the ongoing progression of reconciliation.
For example, in 1997 following the publication of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission’s (HREOC) report Bringing Them Home church groups offered formal apologies regarding the role of missionaries in the abuse of Aboriginal people. They also strongly urged the Government to make a public apology for their role in implementing the protection and assimilation policies, and to implement the recommendations made by the HREOC. This accurately conveys the sustained recognition of the Christian tradition and the positive effort in the process of Reconciliation.

Jewish groups for example hold a week of prayer for reconciliation every year. The Week of Prayer started in 1993, with the express goal of providing an interfaith prayer, thought and reflection with the common goal of Reconciliation. In addition to the major Christian churches, the campaign includes faiths as diverse as Islam and
Buddhism

Reconciliation is an issue for which there is interfaith support from different religious traditions. In 1998 the Australian and New Zealand Union for Progressive Judaism voiced their support for the Wik decision and opposed the Ten Point Plan. In 2000 the executive Council of the Australian Jewry also urged the Australian Government to implement the recommendations made by the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Their Families. The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship have also made significant statements in support of indigenous rights and reconciliation.

In summation, the response to reconciliation through the various religious traditions have been overall highly effective as all religions traditions recognise the suffering of the Aboriginal community, as loss of land resulted in loss of identity, kinship and spiritual connection to the land through totemic identity. With the removal of this the many traditions attempted to voice their support in the process of Reconciliation. It can be deemed effective because as a result all these initiatives promote the positive assertion that the religious traditions have for the Aboriginals in the process of Reconciliation.