(The) 1967 (referendum) and all that: Narrative and myth, aborigines and Australia∗

Some of the discussion in this article also appears in a chapter we wrote for a recently published book, Nicolas Peterson and Will Sanders (eds), Citizenship and Indigenous Australians: Changing Conceptions and Possibilities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998, pp. 118–40. The argument has been significantly modified as a result of our ongoing consideration of the subject and the thoughtful and incisive critiques of our work by Esther Faye, Tom Griffiths and Julie Tisdale. We also wish to acknowledge the helpful criticisms of the two anonymous Australian Historical Studies readers.

Abstract

This article seeks to explain why the 1967 referendum with reference to Aborißines was and is regarded as important. We contend that its significance did not so much lie in the constitutional changes as in the narrative deployed by its sponsors, who attributed to the referendum a rich symbolic meaning, especially that of citizenship. We further argue that it has been mythologised recently for similar political purposes, and suggest such strategies reflect the relative weakness of Aborigines in the Australian polity.

Notes

Some of the discussion in this article also appears in a chapter we wrote for a recently published book, Nicolas Peterson and Will Sanders (eds), Citizenship and Indigenous Australians: Changing Conceptions and Possibilities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998, pp. 118–40. The argument has been significantly modified as a result of our ongoing consideration of the subject and the thoughtful and incisive critiques of our work by Esther Faye, Tom Griffiths and Julie Tisdale. We also wish to acknowledge the helpful criticisms of the two anonymous Australian Historical Studies readers.