Abstract
The reviving of the presence, existence, and eugenics of the Aborigines become pivotal issue to be brought up in the literature. Since the coming of the settlers, the Aborigines have seemed to experience shifting identity; living as a nominal population over the settlers; and later on becoming the ones who are attached with the ‘exotic’ due to their uniqueness and scarcity in number compared to the majority. This condition, from being the natives who own the land into those who become the ‘rare’ in their own land, provokes crucial issues related to the Aboriginal identity, which is challenging to be further discussed. Through That Deadman Dance , Scott tries to resurrect the Aborigine’s identity, especially Noongar , in the midst of disappearing Aboriginal communities. This article is aimed at revealing the identity of Noongar people by selecting and grouping the textual data in the novel which portray the Aborigines cultural experience and their indigenity. Later on, the data were investigated based on Muecke’s concept of connectedness to approach the problem. Accordingly, the narrative presented by Scott indicates that he has offered an alternative to view Aborigine’s identity which is potentially unsettling; thus, this finding seems to challenge the prescribed identity of Noongar corresponded by the major society.
Highlights
The historical Australia as settler colonies recalls the ‘first contact’ between the Aborigines and the settlers
The Deadman Dance presents provoking and rigorous story of historical narrative of the Noongar people; and obviously some of the names of places, people, and historical events attributed to the history of early contact with frontiers in Scott’s homeland, Albany, West Australia
The story of Wunyeran was related with the story of Mokare, who was well-known as a peacekeeper between the Noongar people and early European explorers (Morrison & Collins, 2016), which allows for the interpretation of complex situation experienced by the Aborigines during the settlement
Summary
The historical Australia as settler colonies recalls the ‘first contact’ between the Aborigines and the settlers. Shofi Mahmudah Budi Utami/ JELS 6 (1) (2021) 36-51 hundreds years; becoming the subject in the midst of the current Australian context This historical line which includes the Aborigines back in history seemed to be a ‘vengeance’ by these Aboriginal communities in demanding their rights. In the situated context of Australia, it has been a struggle to locate the so-called national history as it has to deal with the ‘past’ Australia including such matters over the land rights, native title, treaty, the stolen generations and reconciliation that are still debatable (Attwood, 2005). It has been a great change within the Australian history to trace this ‘past’ by acknowledging and letting the Aborigines in the history of Australia, as a subject in a broader context of any academic disciplines including history
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