Indigenous Australians after European Colonisation

James Cook European settlement of the Australian continent began with Captain James Cook’s visit and claim of possession in 1770. This was followed by the establishment of a penal settlement when what is now known as the First Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. (There were some visitors earlier than this – Dutch vessels on their way to Indonesia 
were wrecked on the WA coastline (1629). It is thought that some survivors may have assimilated into Indigenous society of the time.)

Settlement The first official British settlement in WA was in Albany in 1826. Three years later the part of the continent west of longitude 129 was proclaimed a British colony, 41 years after the First Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove. For Indigenous people, these settlements ended a period of more than 65,000 years as the sole inhabitants of the country that became known world-wide as Australia.

Settlement Non-Indigenous people from around the world have since migrated to the continent to create a predominantly English-speaking country considered as a leader in almost all spheres of modern life. But these developments have not come without a price for Indigenous people – their population, culture, spirituality and homelands have been under threat ever since. European settlement was established through first conquering and killing Indigenous people. It is believed that in the first 100 years of European settlement, 20,000 Indigenous people were killed by the colonial forces.

Terra Nulius At the time of the arrival of the First Fleet in NSW in 1788, the British considered Australia to be ‘Terra Nullius’ This simply meant - the land belonged to no one!

Treated as pests Unfortunately in many parts of the country, aboriginal people where treated worse than feral animals. Farmers and landowners would ride into camps shooting men, women, children and babies for the sport of it. While this was still considered murder, it mostly went unreported. Mounted police engaging Indigenous Australians during the Slaughterhouse Creek Massacre of 1838

Gippsland squatter Henry Meyrick wrote in a letter home to his relatives in England in 1846: The blacks are very quiet here now, poor wretches. No wild beast of the forest was ever hunted down with such unsparing perseverance as they are. Men, women and children are shot whenever they can be met with … I have protested against it at every station I have been in Gippsland, in the strongest language, but these things are kept very secret as the penalty would certainly be hanging … For myself, if I caught a black actually killing my sheep, I would shoot him with as little remorse as I would a wild dog, but no consideration on earth would induce me to ride into a camp and fire on them indiscriminately, as is the custom whenever the smoke is seen. They [the Aborigines] will very shortly be extinct. It is impossible to say how many have been shot, but I am convinced that not less than 450 have been murdered altogether.

Stolen generations Aboriginal people were often forcibly moved from their land if it was of value to settlers. Children who had mixed blood, were routinely taken from their parents and moved to orphanages across the country (the stolen generations)

Now the minority A lot of people in more populated areas of Australian were put onto reservations and missions operated by the government and the church. Today aboriginal people make up less than 1% of the population, they survived in larger numbers in more remote country areas.

Rectifying the wrongs Aboriginal history is unfortunately a very sad one, however in 1967 they were allowed to vote (previous to this they could not vote as they were officially recognised at Fauna – native animals).

Mabo In 1992 the landmark ‘Mabo’ case recognized native title of the first time’. This case disputed the legal principal of ‘Terra Nullius’, by which the British legally occupied Australia. The British Government successfully argued that the aborigines did not have a civilised society, until it was overturned in 1992.

Mabo changing attitudes Some land has since been returned to the traditional owners. Increasingly Indigenous Australians are being acknowledged as the traditional owners of the land and as having great knowledge of the environment.

Reconciliation In 1999, then Prime Minister John Howard passed a seven-point Motion of Reconciliation – a nationally significant step forward despite the controversial expression of “deep and sincere regret” for past injustices, hurt and trauma imposed on Indigenous people. The expression was publicly debated because of a call to the Prime Minister from many for a straight “sorry”.

Reconciliation - Sorry Day The National Sorry Day followed this step for reconciliation. On 13 February 2008, the Commonwealth parliament passed a motion that formally apologised to the Stolen Generations. The then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tabled the motion, apologising to Indigenous Australians for "for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKWfiFp24rA

Today Contemporary Aboriginal groups are involved in preserving their language, art, culture and spirituality. Eg. The Bunjil Wurundjeri Aboriginal Dance Group performs ritual dances that tell stories of their strong links with the land in the Keilor area.

Today Indigenous Australians are politicians, teachers, technicians, painters, singers, musicians, athletes, scientists, environmentalists etc.. Increasing opportunities enable all aboriginals to enter the spot light in all walks of life, becoming the valuable members in society that they are.

Task … From the history we have just explored draw a flow chart showing your understanding of Indigenous Australians since European settlement European settlement Today