Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ History, Culture, and Knowledge

Reflection on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ History, Culture, and Knowledge
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Reflection on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ History, Culture, and Knowledge
The first time I read about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were treated during colonisation was when I pursued my Certificate III in Education Support in 2021 before I started my university studies. My course, Bachelors of Education (Primary), at Australian Catholic University has enabled me to deepen my knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals. In reality, reading what these individuals went through in the colonial and postcolonial periods was so embarrassing, which brought me to tears. They faced many struggles. The paper will reflect the content, including books, lectures, weekly tutorials, and workshops, I have learned throughout the course and show how it will affect my teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
The Impact of Colonial and Postcolonial Experiences on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
Kaye Price’s Chapter 1, A Brief History of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education in Australia, in her book, “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education. An Introduction for the Teaching Profession,” has made me appreciate how colonisation impacted Australia’s first peoples (Price, 2019). I have learned that during the colonial and postcolonial periods, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals encountered various challenges, such as inequity, disruptions, and racism. These people have faced resistance from the British since they were displaced from the land of their ancestors. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals had well-established land and water systems that facilitated the best use of natural resources. In my opinion, if these systems were not disrupted during the colonial and postcolonial periods, maybe they would have countered the effects of climate change experienced today. The resistance of Aboriginal people resulted in brutal massacres that led to the loss of lives. Others were forcibly removed from their ancestral land under the government's watch. 
Contemporary Issues, History, Context, and Policies and Their Impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
I think people should look at the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with honesty and openness. Since colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals have faced extreme hardships, including the loss of their homelands, traditional culture, denial of citizenship rights, and forceful separation of children from their parents. Aboriginal people comprise a significant percentage of Australians and their rights should be respected (Australian Human Rights Commission, n.d.). Currently, the history of injustice to these individuals appears to continue and the government has not enacted effective policies to safeguard or recognize these people. For instance, the majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders continue to suffer due to inaccessibility to education, employment, housing, and hea...