Aboriginal Concepts of the Family

Abstract

The Aboriginal family unit has seen many changes since European invasion. Like families all over the world, the Aboriginal family is the place where social behaviour is constructed, interpreted and transmitted from one generation to another. This is a process which has continued since the invasion of white man. Aboriginal people see the family as a place of nurturing, with the ability to provide and teach. When one or both of these factors is not functioning adequately, a family breakdown can occur.