Indigenous Australians: Essential Knowledge for the Citizenship Test
Learn what you need to know about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for the Australia and Its People section of the citizenship test.
Understanding Australia's First Peoples — the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — is a fundamental part of the citizenship test and a fundamental part of understanding Australia itself.
The World's Oldest Living Culture
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived in Australia for at least 50,000 years, making them the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture. Before European settlement, hundreds of distinct language groups lived across the continent, each with their own traditions, laws, and connection to Country.
The Significance of Land
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the connection to land — often called "Country" — is spiritual, cultural, and social, not merely physical. The land holds the stories, ceremonies, and identity of each group. This deep connection to Country is central to understanding Indigenous culture.
European Settlement and Its Impact
British settlement began in 1788 with the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove. The colonisation of Australia had a devastating impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including:
- Dispossession of land
- Introduced diseases that killed large numbers of people
- Violence and conflict
- Removal of children from their families (the Stolen Generations)
The Stolen Generations refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families by government and church organisations between approximately 1910 and 1970. In 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a formal National Apology to the Stolen Generations in Parliament.
Recognition and Reconciliation
Australia is on a journey of reconciliation — building respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Key milestones include:
- 1967 Referendum: Australians voted to include Aboriginal people in the national census and allow the federal government to make laws for them. It passed with over 90% support — one of the highest "yes" votes in Australian referendum history.
- Mabo Decision (1992): The High Court recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' connection to land and overturned the legal concept of terra nullius (the idea that Australia was empty land before European settlement).
- National Apology (2008): A formal apology to the Stolen Generations delivered in Parliament.
The Torres Strait Islander Peoples
The Torres Strait Islander peoples are a distinct group from Aboriginal Australians. They live across the Torres Strait Islands, located between Australia and Papua New Guinea. They have their own cultures, traditions, and languages.
Acknowledgement of Country
You may have heard an "Acknowledgement of Country" or "Welcome to Country" at the start of meetings, events, or ceremonies in Australia. These are important cultural protocols that show respect for the Traditional Custodians of the land.
Understanding and respecting Indigenous culture is not just important for the test — it is part of what it means to be Australian.