"Aboriginal" or "aboriginal"?

I was told off yesterday for using "aboriginal" instead of "Aboriginal". The person who did this told me that using "aboriginal" with a small "a" was "disrespectful" and I should be "using a capital".

Really? I sent a message to my friend M... who is aboriginal, very aboriginal. What did he think? Had I been doing the wrong thing for years?

The answer came back very smartly, "FFS doesn't she know the difference between an adjective and a noun?" 

Apart from the capitals at the beginning, uncharacteristic of M..., that had been my thinking too. I am "white", not "White" and M.... sees himself as "aboriginal" not "Aboriginal". If M... wanted capital letters then he would use Barngarla/Wirangu. Those are tribal names. 

I think V...'s comment about "disrespectful" comes from something else altogether. She likes to think of herself as a strong supporter of all things relating to aboriginal people and culture. She believes she knows a great deal about what they want "because (she) has worked with them". Her support for the proposal for a "Voice" to be enshrined in our Constitution is absolute. Anyone who questions any aspect of it at all is "wrong".

It is good that someone feels so passionately about these things and sees themselves as a force for good. I can admire her for it even when I believe my responses, such as the one above, are more cautious.

Later in the day I was talking to M....'s sister. She has retired but still calls in at a small unit for very elderly aboriginal people on a regular basis. There was a new resident, a non-speaker. The stroke which has deprived this once proud man of his speech has also left him very depressed. Mt.... was wondering what could be done to help him. We have come up with some ideas but I was glad of Mt...'s input so I was doing something appropriate. It was good to know that this elderly man objects to the use of the term "uncle" when there are other men who see it differently. ("Uncle" and "Aunty" are used not to denote relationship but status within the community in some circumstances.)

Is it time to stop making assumptions about how aboriginal people wish to be treated and really listen to them? The Voice, if it attempts to represent a view rather than many views, will fail as so many other attempts have failed before.