The Role of Aboriginal Artists in Preserving Indigenous Culture Introduction

The Role of Aboriginal Artists in Preserving Indigenous Culture Introduction

Culture is the way of life of any particular group of people. The cultural practices and views upheld and passed from one generation to the next as a way of preserving the culture of that specific group. The Aboriginal people are among the most notable indigenous population but at risk of extinction; thus, the need for the people including the artists to work towards preserving their indigenous culture. As a population, the aboriginal people have a relatively diverse culture with arts made by their indigenous artists being one of the most notable ways that they preserve and communicate their culture. When talking about the aboriginal art, it is essential to note that it includes carvings and painting among other creations that try to depict nature as understood by the Aboriginal people. In any case, the artwork of aboriginal artists tends to depict or represent the indigenous culture of the population; thus, it connects the aboriginal people to their nation and identity.  On this basis, this paper will focus on examining the role of indigenous aboriginal artists in preserving the indigenous culture and identity of the aboriginal people. The paper will also look into the social, cultural, and economic benefits of these arts to aboriginal people and the community at large. 

Application of Research in Educational Theory 

Educational theories focus on literacy, which is the skill and knowledge that a person gains to read, interpret, and produce artifacts and texts to enable an individual to participate fully in culture and society (Kellner & Share, 2005). According to Sefton-Green (2011), education is a critical part in the larger interdisciplinary project of cultural studies. In this case, Sefton-Green (2011) argues that the various roles that education play at macro, meso, and micro levels can inform or influence the significance of understanding cultural studies and practices of various groups of people in educational theories. In this regard, the cultural studies can be said to inform the practices and values of a person, which in turn can influence the perception of an individual towards education; thus, highlighting the significance of culture on educational theories. The Ministry of Education in Ontario notes that it arts education is essential for all students because it helps in their intellectual, social, physical, and emotional well-being and growth. The education gained relating to the arts plays a critical role in helping these students to understand and participate in various activities of their communities and society at large (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2009). With this background, Ontario Ministry of Education emphasizes on inclusion of art education for all children starting from the kindergarten level (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016). On this basis, the focus on analyzing the role of the aboriginal artists when it comes to preserving the indigenous culture of the native population can help in understanding the importance of art for preserving the culture of the people while at the same time helping in manifesting cultural identity of the people. The analysis is, therefore, significant for educational theories because it helps in understanding or highlighting the value of art for the population, which can then be incorporated in educational theories aimed for the aboriginal population. 

Application of Study in Research and Practice 

Analyzing the role of aboriginal artists in preserving the indigenous culture of aboriginal people is useful or significant for both research and practice. In research, the discussion of this research paper on the role of aboriginal artists in preserving indigenous culture of their people can prove useful in future studies on the culture of the aboriginal people. In other words, the research paper will be useful in providing useful information about cultural practices in term of art that the aboriginal people engage in or partake in. Consequently, it is essential to note that the research paper will also highlight the various challenges faced in preserving the indigenous art as well as the techniques that can be employed by the government and the society as a whole to help in promoting the Aboriginal arts and further help in preserving the indigenous culture. In this case, the research paper is significant in practice because it will highlight the various techniques that can be used to preserve art, which is part of the indigenous culture of the people to enable the government and society in preserving the culture of indigenous populations such as the aboriginal people. While incorporating course readings, the paper will greatly help in learning and appreciating the Aboriginal arts and the need for their preservation as it directly represents the indigenous culture, their way of life, and identity. 

Problem Statement 

Every community has a specific set of cultural values and practices that they strive to preserve to keep their culture alive. The aboriginal population is an indigenous group of people that have a culture that is at risk of becoming extinct if not preserved properly. In the cultural studies, media literacy, and education, it can be said that the aboriginal artists are a direct representation of the indigenous culture of the people and their identity; thus, their artwork should be preserved as a way of preserving the culture of the aboriginal population.

 Methodology 

The study on the role of aboriginal artists in preserving the indigenous culture of the population through art will embrace a qualitative approach. In this approach, the paper will rely on secondary resources such as course readings under the topic of media literacy and cultural studies and education, and available literature in online databases to get the necessary information that can help in the analysis of the thesis statement. The secondary resources that the paper will consult with provide a relatively wide area of information such as the background of indigenous arts of the population as well as how this art relates to the culture of the aboriginal people. Therefore, the course readings and other secondary literature accessed via online databases will help in getting useful information about indigenous art as well as the cultural practices of the aboriginal people; thus, helping in the analysis of the thesis statement to see the relationship between indigenous arts of the aboriginal artists and the culture of the population. 

Discussion 

A review of the course readings and other secondary sources of information reveal the existence of a relationship between the artwork of the aboriginal artists and their indigenous culture. As such, this relationship is the primary or main theme analyzed in this paper to show how it relates to cultural studies. Besides the relationship between aboriginal artists and their indigenous culture, the paper will also look at the themes of social, cultural, and economic benefits of these artworks by aboriginal artists to the aboriginal population and the community at large. As per course readings, the paper will mainly major on the theme of the relationship between Aboriginal artists to Indigenous culture. Coleman in her study of the Yolghu art found out that it was substantially true that Aboriginal art is directly related to their identity and culture and therefore should be protected and preserved in order to keep the indigenous culture alive (Coleman,2016). In this case, the finding of Coleman validates or justifies the claim of the existence of a relationship between the aboriginal artists and the indigenous culture. The artworks of the aboriginal artists can be said to derive inspiration from the culture and identity of their people. As such, these artworks are a representation or depiction of the values and cultural beliefs of the aboriginal populations; thus, connecting the artists to their indigenous aboriginal cultures, which then shows how these pieces of art by these artists can help to preserve the history and culture of the aboriginal population. 

Coleman (2016) further demonstrates the relationship that exists between the aboriginal artists, their artwork, and indigenous culture by analyzing the claim that Aboriginal people makes regarding their identity and culture as presented in their artifacts. In this case, Coleman (2016) looks at the continued prompting calls for stronger copyright legislations aimed at protecting or safeguarding the interests of the indigenous populations by protecting their art work in many postcolonial countries. The significance of the artworks made by these aboriginal artists to the Aboriginal population is among the key issues that is driving the increased emphasis on protection of pieces of art from indigenous people. Gretchen (2020) further substantiates the claim on the relationship between artworks of the aboriginal artists and their indigenous culture by focusing on the production and the meaning and motivation for these artists. According to Gretchen (2020), most of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists tend to drive motivation of their art works from their heritage. In other words, they use their heritage and culture as the backdrop that informs most of the pieces of art that they create. In this case, one needs to understand the culture and identity of these artists to understand their work because most of their artwork is an expression of their heritage. From this perspective, it is evident that the artwork of the aboriginal artists has a significant value and relationship with the indigenous culture of the people; thus, validating the promoting calls for copyrights legislations to protect the culture and heritage of these indigenous people. 

In recent years, the artwork of Aboriginal people has moved from being an ethnographic study of the people to a contemporary form of art that has an international appeal (Japingka, 2020). According to Japingka (2020), aboriginal artwork went through several turning points in the USA that led it to become contemporary art form with an international appeal. In response to this change, Aboriginal artists had to find an alternative way to keep their cultural values alive. In other words, while the Aboriginal art was gaining an international appeal as a contemporary art form, the way forward for the Aboriginal artists was to focus on creating and expressing their stories and heritage in a way that it preserves the deeper meaning and values of their indigenous culture. This approach forced even collectors in the United States to recognize and acknowledge the spiritual value and the deeper cultural meaning of the artworks that these artists created (Japingka, 2020). From this perspective, it is evident that the Aboriginal artists valued their culture; thus, they sought to find new ways to keep preserving their deeper cultural values alive even when their artwork was being embraced in the contemporary world. Therefore, the emphasis, dedication, and strive to maintain the deeper cultural values in their work demonstrates the strong relationship that the Aboriginal artists have with the indigenous culture of their people. 

Apart from the relationship that exists between the Aboriginal artists and the indigenous culture of their people, another key theme that arises from the literature was the social, cultural, and economic benefits of the art works by the Aboriginal artists to the Aboriginal people and community at large. Records from the Parliament of Australia indicate that the indigenous visual arts and crafts of the Aboriginal people presented several economic, cultural, and social benefits that extends to the indigenous populations and communities as well as to the wider Australian and International community. The social benefits are among the most notable advantages that the Aboriginal population experience associated with the art work from their Indigenous artists. The Records from the Parliament of Australia (2007) show that activities associated with indigenous art benefits the population by facilitating or enhancing social cohesion within communities as well as a wide range of gains for other sector of the indigenous society. The visual arts offered social benefits to the various indigenous groups such as women who used the ability of these art works as a form of expression to advance in the community. Women such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Dorothy Napangardi are indigenous women that have been able to excel in their communities as a results of their engagement with various activities associated with Aboriginal art (Parliament of Australia, 2007). The youth have also benefits from engaging with activities of Aboriginal art because of different projects that have focused on connecting the young generation of the Aboriginal origin to their identity and culture; thus, enabling them to develop self-esteem as well as identify with their indigenous roots. Another social benefit of aboriginal art is the art centers and organizations that it supports that can be used for various social and cultural functions. In this case, art centers have several roles to play in the society that go beyond production and displaying artworks. 

Cultural benefit is another cluster of advantages associated with Aboriginal arts. It is essential to note that most of the indigenous artists, including those of aboriginal origin, tend to manifest or express their culture in their work. The records from the Parliament of Australia notes that culture, identity, and connection to the land and their larger indigenous community of an indigenous artists can be seen in their art because they use it to express themselves. The ability of the art works to maintain and promotion the traditional culture of these indigenous people is the most notable and immeasurable cultural benefits that it offers to the indigenous people and community at large. In this case, by expressing their culture, identity, and connection to land and community in their artwork, these aboriginal artists are able to ensure that their culture is preserved for the next generation. As such, these efforts help in maintaining and promoting the cultural values, beliefs, and meanings such that the traditional culture of the people cannot become extinct (Parliament of Australia, 2007). With the storage of visual arts and other indigenous artifacts of the Aboriginal people, the aboriginal artists have facilitated the handing down of vital information and skills from one generation to the next about the cultural practices, values, and beliefs their people, which has been useful in reinforcing and strengthening the culture of the Aboriginal people. 

When it comes to the economic benefits of the artworks of the aboriginal artists to the aboriginal people and the indigenous community at large, it is essential to note that it is relatively difficult to quantify these benefits due to the absence of comprehensive data or information about it. Estimating the overall economic benefits to the nation, individual, and indigenous community associated with indigenous artworks can be challenging. However, the records from the Parliament of Australia shows that in 2002, the total national values for indigenous visual art sales was between $100 million and $300 million (Parliament of Australia, 2007). From this estimate, it is evident that the sale of indigenous art works brings about a substantial sum in terms of revenue to the nation, the aboriginal artist, and the community at large. The revenue generated from the sale of these art works to the contemporary international market can enable the nation to undertake various activities, which can translate to economic gains for the aboriginal artists and their indigenous communities at large. Besides sales, the cultural tourism is another economic benefits associated with production of aboriginal arts. According to the Parliament of Australia (2007), cultural tourism accounts for around 47,000 visitors to the Queensland with the aim of visiting displays with Aboriginal art and craft. In this case, aboriginal arts attract these cultural visitors who in turn bring about revenue to the nation and community at large. Therefore, the revenue brought by these cultural tourists and from the sale of aboriginal arts brings about economic gains that benefit the community, individuals, and nation at large. 

Conclusion 

Conclusively, every community upholds its culture as a way of life. As such, individuals from the community can strive to find ways to maintain and promote their culture to ensure that it moves from one generation to the next for it not to become extinct. It is essential to note that the cultural practices of any community, especially Indigenous people can influence their way of life such as education. In the case of the aboriginal population, the aboriginal artists have taken a center role in maintain and enhancing their culture by expressing their heritage in their works even in the current contemporary society. In this regard, one can maintain the Indigenous culture of the Aboriginal people through art has provided a platform that scholars can develop educational theories that benefit the community. In essence, this Indigenous culture preservation helps in promoting education among the Aboriginal population.

    Bibliography

Coleman, E.B. (2016). Aboriginal Art, Identity and Appropriation (1sted.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315263526.

 Gretchen M., S. (2020). Disciplining the artist. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, 103-124. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003084365-5 

Japingka. (2020, May 28). The rise of Aboriginal art in the USA - Japingka gallery. Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery. https://japingkaaboriginalart.com/aboriginal-art-in-the-usa/ 

Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2005). Toward critical media literacy: Core concepts, debates, organizations, and policy. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 26(3), 369-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596300500200169 

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2009). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: The Arts (Revised). Queen’s Printer for Ontario. 

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2016). First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Connections: Scope and Sequence of Expectations. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. 

Parliament of Australia. (2007). Chapter 3 - The benefits of Indigenous art. Home – Parliament ofAustralia. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Completed_inquiries/2004-07/indigenousarts/report/c03 

Sefton-Green, J. (2011). Cultural studies and education. Cultural Studies, 25(1), 55-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/09502386.2011.534581