Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

The occupation and colonisation of the land now known as Australia by the British, under the now overturned doctrine of terra nullius, were experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as an invasion that denied their occupancy of, and connection to, Country and Place.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Australia maintain a deep connection to, and responsibility for, Country and Place and have holistic values and belief systems that are connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are the Traditional Owners of Country and Place, protected in Australian law by the Native Title Act 1993, which recognises pre-existing sovereignty, continuing systems of law and customs, and connection to Country and Place.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies are diverse and have distinct cultural expressions, such as language, customs and beliefs. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural expressions, while also maintaining the right to control, protect and develop culture as Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of life reflect unique ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people belong to the world’s oldest continuous cultures. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples demonstrate resilience in the maintenance, practice and revitalisation of culture despite the many historic and enduring impacts of colonisation, and they continue to celebrate and share the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures.

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Australia has 2 distinct First Nations Peoples; each encompasses a diversity of nations across Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have occupied the Australian continent and adjacent islands from time immemorial.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have sophisticated political, economic and social organisation systems, which include but are not limited to family and kinship structures, laws, traditions, customs, land tenure systems and protocols for strong governance and authority.

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The significant and ongoing contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their histories and cultures are acknowledged locally, nationally and globally.

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