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COMM2411 - Social Relations

Assesment 3
Tutor, Danielle Kirby
S3328308


AboriginaI stereotypes as communicated through the AustraIian two doIIar coin.

According to the Australian mint (in its inception, the deign brief for Australia's two dollar
coin was for designers to "include a representation of the head and shoulders of a traditional
Australian Aboriginal, a representation of the Southern Cross and a representation of Australian
flora." (Royal Australian Mint, FAQ)

The final design was "prepared by Mr Horst Hahne", and Australian designer employed by
the Australian mint since its establishment in 1965. (Museum Victoria, "Royal Mint") The
Coin contains all the three aforementioned elements, in the from of an "Aboriginal elder", the
Southern Cross star constellation, and a plant called a "Xanthorrhoea".

The plant, Xanthorrhoea, is also colloquially known as a "black boy", which also is a derogatory
term for Australian Aborigines. (Plant Encyclopaedia, plantcare.com)

The Australian mint notes that the "Aboriginal Elder" is "not intended to depict any person
in particular" however also mentions was created with "inspiration taken from a drawing by
Mr Ainslie Roberts." The "Elder" depicted is believed to be an image painted by Roberts' of
Gwoya Jungarai (nb, this name is often spelled in various ways). The coins introduction in 1988,
however, was not the first time that Gwoya Jungarai's image had been used in depictions of
Aboriginal Australians.


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An image of Jungarai was first used on the front page of Walkabout Magazine, a tourism
magazine in 1935, which quickly became an icon. Jungarai was, according to the man
responsible for the image Charles Holmes, (a tourism executive), "The most magnificent
specimen of aboriginal manhood". (Jillian E Barnes, page 83, "Resisting the captured image:
how Gwoja Tjungurrayi, 'One Pound Jimmy', escaped the 'Stone Age" ANU press, Published
December 2007)

The image however was not without controversy. Barnes states that "Holmes supported
the principle of 'White Australia'." and actively "sought to foster the belief that the Australian
population was already 97% white British stock and the 'effacement' of the remaining
62,000 'full-bloods' or 'wild savages' was assured.". (Barnes, 92)

The actual photographer, Roy Dunstan, reportedly "managed poses, expressions and settings",
and whilst Holmes view is quite radical, the final image instead chooses to portray what is
known as a "Noble Savage". (Barnes, 92) which Holmes ultimately decided to place on the
cover of Walkabout to "mark the progress made by settler Australians during the first fifty years
of federation." (Barnes, 95)

According to Jillian E Barnes, Jungarai's image "during the following 30 years . played a
significant role in the definition of Australian Aboriginality."

This same image of Jungarai arose again in 1950 when it was used on an Australian Stamp.
Underneath the stamp the generic word "Aborigne" appeared, as apposed to Jungarai's name.

This is likely due to the fact that Jungarai was not actually a figure of great public importance,

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or any real notability. n fact, it was only when avid stamp collectors sought to find out who the
portrait was, that Jungarai's name resurfaced. Holmes lead a four year documented 'hunt'. Upon
finding Jungarai's once more, Holmes took a series of photos to 'follow' up those from the 1935
Walkabout mage. (Barnes, 106) The images that were published showed Jungarai in a similar
pose and state as the original, however later it was revealed that these images too were staged.
The original un-cropped photos show Jungarai holding his work clothes (for Jungarai now
worked as at a cattle station) beside him. Though Holmes never responded directly to these
images and its censorship, Holmes had previously made claims in regard to earlier images that
he saw Jungarai as a "'symbol of a vanishing race'."

Barnes concluded that Holmes' images were "a powerful form of self-justification for
colonisation." (Barnes, 119) Holmes' images did not reflect Jungarai's life or personal
achievements and growth, but instead communicated a very particular narrow view of
a "European idea of 'primitive' man". Barnes argues these images "reinforced negative
stereotypes of Aboriginal men and fostered a belief in British superiority/ndigenous inferiority
when tourists were first being encouraged to travel to the inland."

Jungarai for the bulk of his lifetime has been simply known as "One Pound Jimmy". (Barnes,
108) According to his son, Cliffard Possum, Jungarai established himself as a well respected
and knowledgeable guide for "Aboriginal enthusiasts" The name "One pound Jimmy" while
contended, supposedly derives from the fact that "Jimmy" would charge a substation fee for his
guidance (as one pound represented two weeks work as a stockman in the area). This too then
may suggest the origins of his use of the two dollar coin, as 'one pound' was the equivalent of
two dollars.


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t was in these circumstances that in 1954, "One Pound Jimmy" met Ainslie Roberts. Roberts
was an advertising executive, turned painter, on a 'break' from work searching for inspiration.
Deborah Rose Bird states that Roberts' "interactions with Aborigines and opportunities to
gain an understanding of myth and landscape, [were] formative." Robert's went on to also
say himself that he saw Australian Aborigines as " 'very old' and 'very nearly extinct'" and
that "he wanted his paintings to be 'speaking for an ancient culture'." (Deborah Bird Rose,
Page 50, "The redemptive frontier: a long road to nowhere" ANU press, Published 2005.) Yet,
with this apparent admiration, and sympathy for "One Pound Jimmy" and 'his' people Roberts
reportedly "did not ask One Pound Jimmy. about the place, the stones." in respect to the
images he was painting. Rose claims that, Jimmy merely facilitated the travel, but did did
no "journey" with him.

And so, despite Robert's best intentions it can still be said that despite his seeming nobility,
Rose argues that (Aboriginal) identity is not "built around synthesis and transformation" and thus
Roberts' western paintings perhaps just further aided to the stereotyping of a landscape and
people.

Historically several key dates can be clearly marked during this period. Since federation in 1901,
Australia was under a constitution that stated "aboriginal natives shall not be counted". ("Fact
sheet 150 The 1967 Referendum". National Archives of Australia. <http://www.naa.gov.au/
about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx.>") This clause, however, was revoked (with 90%
support) under a monumental referendum in 1967. t was therefor national policy that in pre-
1967 Australia that Aboriginal Australians were classed as part of the 'flora and fauna' act.
Despite Australia decimalisation and mostly all other coins being issued the previous year,
the two dollar coin was not to be introduced until 1988. Yet, looking back to the design brief,

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a "representation of Australian flora" is required next to a "traditional Australian Aboriginal",
a very backwards statement. All other coins of the Australian currency posses fauna as
their central theme. Whilst it would be hard to argue stereotypes are therefore transmitted
in such a 'coincidence' (especially with such a disparity in years), feel it must be taken in to
consideration, and noted as a curiosity.

n 1988, the year of the 2 dollar coins release, Australia Day was marked by a large protest
march that sought to raise awareness of indigenous rights and general aboriginal awareness
in the supposed newly 'inclusive' Australia. "Celebrations focused on the discovery of Australia
with a re-enactment of the arrival of the first fleet [from exactly 200 years prior]. However, the
Aboriginal protest was a reminder that Australia had been inhabited at least 40,000 years
before European arrival." ("ndigenous Protest, 1988 Australian Bicentenary" viewed May 2011
<http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/2835/indigenous-protest-1988-australian-
bicentenary>)

The Oxford Dictionary defines a stereotype as "a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image
or idea of a particular type of person or thing" (and also very ironically "a relief printing plate cast
in a mold") The Australian Two Dollar coin exemplifies such a definition. The Royal australia
mint fails to identify the individual depicted, or even give justification for using a "generic"
image. Whilst the individual has been 'identified', his story is false recognition, and "unwanted
association". (Barnes 114) t is an image that in various forms, has been fixed in Australian
consciousness since federation. An image which communicates not only an oversimplified
depiction of an individual and people, but a time of great misrepresentation despite any
political and societal reform.


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All other coins contain well recognised figures (being the Queen of England or Australian
animals), and all notes contain well marked notable individuals (including Aboriginal Australian
scholar, David Unaipon).



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"The Royal Australian Mint", viewed 20 May 2011, <http://www.ramint.gov.au/faq/ >

Museum Victoria, viewed May 2011 <http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/2042/
horst-hahne-coin-engraver-royal-australian-mint>

Plantcare.com, viewed may 2011<,http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/black-boy-
1770.aspx>

Jillian E Barnes, "Resisting the captured image: how Gwoja Tjungurrayi, 'One Pound Jimmy',
escaped the 'Stone Age" ANU press, Published December 2007

Deborah Bird Rose, "The redemptive frontier: a long road to nowhere" p50 ANU press,
Published 2005.

"Our Currency", Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, viewed Mat 2011 <http://
www.dfat.gov.au/facts/currency.html>

"ndigenous Protest, 1988 Australian Bicentenary" viewed May 2011 <http://
museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/2835/indigenous-protest-1988-australian-
bicentenary>

"Fact sheet 150 The 1967 Referendum". National Archives of Australia.
<http://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx.>"

"Aboriginal History Timeline" Creative Spirits, Viewed May 2011 <http://www.creativespirits.info/
aboriginalculture/history/aboriginal-history-timeline-late-20th.html>