1. Missions and Reserves

2. From the 1820’s
Governments and churches began establishing reserves and mission stations.
By the second half of the 19th Century, many of the Aborigines in the eastern colonies had been rounded up and placed there.

3. The system Reserves – controlled by the government
Missions – controlled by the church

4. Mission stations were ideal for the missionaries’ purpose:
to evangelise,
to civilise, and
to protect the indigenous people from the negative influences of white society.

5. Different denominations began working in various regions
Methodists in Qld. and N.T.
Catholics in W.A.
Anglicans in all these areas.

6. Anglican and Protestant missions:
with the official support of the colonial administrators, claimed the more accessible and hospitable lands in N.S.W. and Victoria.

7. Missionaries were dedicated and self-sacrificing workers.
Many lived on fringes of country towns
In hot, dusty conditions
With nothing but crude huts for shelter
Some were from the major bush ministries (eg. Aust. Inland Mission)

8. Different attitudes to different races.
Missionaries always treated white settlers with respect, as equals.
However they often treated Aboriginal people with paternalism, as though they were children.

9. Missionaries believed Aboriginal culture to be inferior. Made them:
Give up nomadic lifestyle to take up permanent homes and jobs.
Forced them into strictly regimented, dehumanising lifestyle without any democratic rights.
Broke up families

10. Stolen Generation
To ‘civilise’ children they were often separated from parents, at times forcibly and permanently.
Children were brought up in white families or white institutions.
Were trained as servants or labourers.

11. The church today has renounced this cruel practice,
but less than a century ago,
many Christians believed that it was a kind way of adjusting Aboriginal children into white society.

12. Missionaries objected to Aboriginal
Child rearing practices
To women fighting
Nakedness
Standards of cleanliness
Mortuary practices

13. Thus missionaries were against the central features
Of Aboriginal society
Its economy
Patterns of social behaviour
And most of all, its religious values.

14. Without exception, all missionaries tried to
Convince adult Aborigines that their way of life and beliefs were sinful even when they were tolerated.
convert Aborigines to Christianity but, without exception

15. Missionaries
diverted most of their resources to converting the young.

16. Yet even with so much abuse
A number of missionaries recognised the value of many aspects of Aboriginal culture.
In particular their spiritual desires, and their highly developed religious ceremonies and moral codes.

17. A few Missionaries
Allowed Aboriginal people to adopt Christianity without having to give up their traditional hunting and gathering practices.

18. Some Missionaries
Used Pacific Islanders as part of their team as they were in a better position to understand the needs of Aboriginal people.

19. Tolerant Missionaries
Encountered a great deal of hostility from other whites –
including fellow missionaries,
local farmers and townspeople,
government officials
and journalists.