I Am My Homelands Analysis

Words: 900
Pages: 4

Introduction
The following body of text critically comments on the video ‘I am my Homelands’ (Amnesty International Australia 2011) in reflection to Rosalie Kunoth-Monks comments on the way an Aboriginal persons homeland is connected to their sense of belonging and their identity.
Summary
When discussing homelands Rosalie Kunoth-Monks talks about her time as an elder on the Alyawar/Anmatyerr homelands (Amnesty International Australia 2011). The traditional language Alyawarr is passed down through generations orally and is used by the communities Elders (Doggett 2015). Family groups living on the Alyawar/Anmatyerr homelands still live and learn through the knowledge of Elders (Doggett 2015). Through Kunoth-Monks own experience she discusses
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The video goes on to discuss how an Aboriginal person belonging to the country comes with the fulfilment of identity, responsibility, and lifespan (Amnesty International Australia 2011). Aboriginal peoples connection, and sense of belonging to to their country strengthens their identity and provides spiritual bonds to their kin and ancestors (Doggett 2015). By creating the sense of belonging Aboriginal people are able to link to their past, present, and future (Doggett 2015). Kaurna people in particular believe that humans are physically, spiritually, and emotionally intertwined with their lands (McBride 2000). Aboriginal people are an integral part of the Australian land as ‘we are the land, the land is us’ (Bayet 1994 …show more content…
She discusses how the importance of identity and a sense of belonging can be achieved by living and practicing day-to-day management of their community (Amnesty International Australia 2011). When viewing the video it is important as the viewer to critique the video of its strength and weakness. For example the video purpose is politically, however it also enables a voice for the people living on the Alyawar/Anmatyerr homelands. It is also important to note that the video only represents one group/community of Aboriginal people and cannot be taken as an overview of all Aboriginal persons point of view, as there will be no doubt cultural diversity from other Aboriginal people such as in Trigger (1995) who believes that an Aboriginal identity is made from the knowledge of their language/ language name whether fluent or