To the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, I ask: who are we? The answer to our Australian identity fails to remain universal. Regardless, what honestly represents us as a country is found deep within our spoken language. What is written in articles and texts, by authors of non-fictional works, finely illustrates the characteristics of our national identity through language choices. Characteristics such as Ignorance, Discrimination and Hospitality in Australian non-fiction texts remain ubiquitous.
Ignorance is a trait that is featured in a vast number of Aboriginal Australian texts, although we are seen to be friendly people. Aboriginal Australian author, Gordon Mathews wrote a novel called ‘An Australian Son’ where the perspective of westerners is seen as being superior and in the limelight of everything. This statement can be backed up by the following quote in the novel, which states “A friend asked me why on earth I would choose to be black”. The statement signifies that to be identified as racially inferior, means to be socially defined as a person of colour.
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In the truthful story of 3 Aboriginal girls written by Aboriginal-Australian author Doris Pilkington called ‘Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence’, the cultural values of giving and compassion are displayed. In the novel, the author describes a scene where the 3 travelling girls go and beg for meals and water from various farmers of the land. This is evident with the following quote that states, “Daisy and Gracie would enter the yard and ask for food. Thankfully, food was never refused.” This statement of food and water being provided by farmers reveals how we have general sense of compassion and hospitality in our culture. The quote from the novel explains how hospitality is an ethical and noble character trait of our cultural