Download This PaperDebunking Religious Practices and Assimilation: Reading Doris Kartinyeri's Kick the Tin
Indian Journal of Australian Studies, Himachal Pradesh U, vol 8, 2015-16. pp.130-39.
16 Pages Posted: 11 May 2020
Date Written: February 5, 2019
Abstract
Australian Aboriginal autobiographies have always been sites of appropriating the trauma of stolen generation. The present paper is an attempt to study Doris Kartinyeri’s Kick the Tin vis-à-vis forced assimilation caused by white Australian policy. Kartinyeri exposes the nefarious and ridiculous Australian government policy which resulted in her separation from her family right from her birth. The Aboriginal writer explores the falseness of religious practices; condemns discrimination and thus resists the integration policy. The paper seeks to closely examine how religion was used in forceful inclusion of blacks into white society.
The so-called policy of assimilation and religious bashing snatches away Aboriginal people’s family, culture and language. The autobiography gives real insights about the role of religion as a predominant force in the assimilation process. The autobiographer blames strict Christian upbringing when she finds it hard to fit into her own community. The proposed paper will dwell on the autobiographical narration of Kartinyeri and thus further explore her resistance to such religious orthodoxy. Moreover, core issues like loss of culture and language leading to her mental depression shall also be discussed.
Keywords: Doris Kartinyeri, Australian Aboriginal, Kick the Tin, Autobiography, Resistance, SSRN
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