Albert Namatjira was assimilated into the white community in two different ways. In regards to his life, he grew up as a typical white Australian. He was raised as a Christian and attended the mission school, therefore assimilated into the white religious community. In like manner, he studied the craft of painting in the western way instead of the Aboriginal painting style. He was renowned for his western watercolour paintings and was taught by white artist Rex Battarbee, which suggests that he was assimilated into the white art forms. Albert Namatjira preserved his indigenous heritage in personal relationships and in his artworks. Personally, he maintained many of his connections with the Aranda people. After he earned money from painting, he shared all goods that he bought with his extended Aranda family.…show more content… Assimilation aimed at deserting the Aboriginal culture and enabling the Indigenous Australians to adapt the White Australian culture and expectations instead. In the case of Albert Namatjira, he was not completely assimilated, both personally and artistically. By achieving financial and social success amongst white Australian society, it can be said that Albert Namatjira achieved the goal of adapting the White Australian culture and expectations, and was assimilated into the white Australia society, however, with limitations. The goal of assimilation is not fulfilled as Albert Namatjira did not desert the Aboriginal culture, on the contrary, he still preserved the Indigenous heritage. In terms of whether the assimilation policy was a failure in the case of Albert Namatjira, it can be said that assimilation was a failure for bringing him not only success financially and socially, but also the ultimate death. The incomplete assimilation made Albert Namatjira maintained his connections with the Aranda people and eventually lead to his
