Aboriginal Family Structure and Gender Roles Today

Aboriginal family structure strongly relies on a kinship both in the past and today. They have very close and strong family ties and relations which consists of not only immediate family members, but extended family members as well (4). Family is of utter importance in Aboriginal society, due to the belief that family and kin members help each other in times of need as well as in dealing with the discrimination and racism found in urban Australia (4).

Marriage

Traditional marriage in Aboriginal society consisted of arrangements between two families, and interchanging a gift to solidify to the agreement (1) . In addition to this, there was a wide gap in age differences between the couple as well as many polygamist relationships (6). However due to outside influences that came about with European colonization, marriage beliefs has changed significantly. Marriage today is different in a variety of factors however. For starters, agreements and promises are not as forced and strong as that in traditional Aboriginal society. Aboriginal females do not marry as young and actually marry a “promised” husband after finishing and/ or leaving schooling. Because of this, the age gap between couples has shrunk greatly. In addition to this, females can resist a “promised” marriage and choose a husband of their own (2). Polygamy, however has decreased greatly as well but not has entirely disappeared. Some men in Aboriginal Kins do have second or third wives as they grow older (2).  In a marriage however, a female does still leave her biological kin and joins her spouse’s kin (4).

Roles

As stated before family is of utter importance in Aboriginal Society and consists of both immediate and extended family members. Unlike the nuclear family found in many areas of the world, Aboriginal family dynamic differs greatly. Immediate and extended families often live together or in extremely close proximity's (4).Child rearing also does not only consist of individual parents caring and watching for a child.  Often grandparents and other family members are involved in child rearing and caring for the household (3). Caring for children and the family is a role for every family member regardless of the gender and age.

Now each gender and age has distinct roles in aboriginal society as well.  Older children as well are often required to look after younger siblings and help in the household or financially in this family dynamic (4). The elders are also responsible in child care, but also responsible in providing passing and maintaining cultural traditions. The elders, like in many cultures are viewed as one of the wisest individuals in a kinship (3).  Though gender differences and responsibilities have changed, Aboriginal women do value child bearing greatly (3). They often prefer a motherly position rather than a marital position and often can be involved in outside of marriage child bearing (3). Men do gather and try to sustain the family by hunting and fishing but the population of Aborigine men has declined due to mortality and high prison and criminal rates (3). 

                                              

                                           (5)  Immediate Australian Aboriginal Family

1. Australian Law Reform Committee
n.d Aboriginal Marriages and Family Structures Marriage in Traditional Aboriginal Societies. Electronic Document,  http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/12.%20Aboriginal%20Marriages%20and%20Family%20Structures/marriage-traditional-aboriginal-societie, Accessed February 10, 2015.
2. Australian Law Reform Committee
n.d Aboriginal Marriages and Family Structures Marriages in Aboriginal Societies Today. Electronic Document,  http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/12.%20Aboriginal%20Marriages%20and%20Family%20Structures/marriages-aboriginal-societies-today, Accessed February 10, 2015.
3. Bourke, Eleanor
1993 The First Australians: Kinship, Family and Identity. Electronic Document, http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/fm1/fm35eb.html, Accessed February 11, 2015.
4. Pattel, N.
2007 Aboriginal Families, Cultural Context and Therapy. Counselling, Psychotherapy, and Health, 3(1).
5. People Assisting Parents Association
n.d Origin of Australian Aboriginal People. Electronic Document, http://www.pa-pa.ca/Australia.html, Accessed Febuary 10, 2015
6. Smith, Stephanie.
2002 Aboriginal Benchbook for Western Australian Courts: AIJA Model Indigenous Benchbook Project.Carlton. Carlton: Australian Institute of Judicial Administration.