History of Aboriginals of Australia
Aboriginals of Australia – a brief story takes us to a unique world and place. Aboriginal people of Australia experience oppression in a world that is far from their way of living since 1788 when the Europeans invaded Australia.
Their depression started when a significant amount of strangers arrived and carried diseases with them, which almost eliminated the population of tribes of Sydney. There were around 750,000 Aboriginal people on the island continent i.e. Australia. However, the colonists believe that the region is “no-one’s land” and declared accordingly by Lt James Cook.
If we say, 400 different nations owned land at the time of this claim; it wouldn’t be a great surprise for many of you. Even when the first fleet arrived in Sydney, Captain Philips felt astounded by the theory of “no-one’s land” meaning terra nullius.
1. Occupants of Island Continent
The Aboriginal people occupied Northern Sydney over thousands of years. Then the Europeans invaded Australia. As the Aboriginal people lived near the coasts and harbours, they used to fish and hunt in the waters and harvested from the bushes and hinterlands around. As the Aboriginals of Australia were self-sufficient and independent there was no need for them to travel far from their lands. They developed trades with other tribal groups and the land displayed an abundance in resources. To ensure their safety of life they just need to work 4-5 hours a day. You must be thinking that they have quite a lot of leisure time. Yes, they do have and it resulted in the development of complex rituals, customs, languages, spirituality, and the law. It became clear, the Aboriginals of Australia connected deeply with their land.
2. Arrival and Discoveries of Europeans
With the arrival of Lt James Cook, the depression of this ancient way of life and Aboriginal people started. They sent Cook to take possession of the Southern continent if it was uninhabited or with the consent of the natives, it has to be taken either way. He arrived in 1770 in New South Wales of the present era and declared it the property of Britain’s King George III.
He presented an ignorant personality and ignored the fact that the area is well populated. His failure in gaining the consent of natives resulted in the declaration of “terra nullius; no one’s land”
The appearance of the first fleet followed by the arrival of Cook under the leadership of Captain Arthur Philips in January 1788 who wanted to establish a penal colony and take control of the region. The first ownership by Europeans originated with the arrival of a group of men from HMS Sirius. They travelled to the destination to clear the land to gain access to the freshwater. By 26 January 1788, the first fleet has found its way and landed there on Sydney harbour.
3. What is Aboriginal Life Through The Eyes Of Europeans?
The Europeans view of the life of Aboriginal people is quite interesting and unique. The Europeans invaded Australia and discovered that the Aboriginals of Australia didn’t have any fixed habitations. They can sleep in the Caverns of rocks lighting a fire in the middle of a miserable Wigwam made from the bark of trees. Their habitats became inhabited by the different tribes and it cannot be considered as their constant huts or lodgings.
Isn’t the ancient way of life of Aboriginals in Australia astounding and interesting to know?
4. Affinities With The Land
What is the thing that the modern people and Europeans failed to understand or discover from the Aboriginal people? They failed to discover that these people lived close to nature and used to protect it, which the Australians have begun to grasp now. Wisdom and skills of Aboriginals of Australia used and protected to its maximum. The killings of animals for food and building the shelters for themselves, they carried out in the perfect balance. There was an abundance of freshwater, food, and shelter. The Aboriginal people had everything they needed for a healthy and maintained life.
The British arrival became marked with the arrival of a shortage of food, depletion of fishes, reduced kangaroo population, clearance of land, and polluted water.
5. Diseases
A fatal blow to the Aboriginal people involved the common diseases in Europe and Asia that arrived with the colonials. The Aboriginals of Australia lived in isolation and this protected them from the diseases typically evident in the European countries. The Aboriginals were not resistant to viruses like smallpox, influenza, and syphilis and commenced to struggle after the arrival of the colonists in Australia.
These deadly viruses brought destruction to the Aboriginal people. Smallpox wiped off half of the population and the vibrant Aboriginals fell silent now. This ancient way of life outclassed the British way in terms of many things and the colonials brought massive destruction after their arrival.
Aboriginals after the destruction of half of their population were now on the mercy of white food and clothing. They used alcohol as a means of trade. The strange and unique flora and fauna became eradicated to promote farming and grazing, and this is where the ancient significance died and no one is willing to bring the true essence and archaeology of Aboriginals back.
6. Let’s Rediscover History
Fearless stories, strange myths, unique dances, legends, and the awe-struck mountain, hills valleys, waterways allow us to dream about Aboriginal history.
The metropolitan Sydney holds a lot of Aboriginal sites which are under a threat. Remember if we destroy their history this time there is no coming back to it. It’s gone forever! Lane Cove, Ku-ring-gai, Strathfield, Northern Beaches, North Sydney, Willoughby hold the evidence of Aboriginal people. We can discover the traditional culture and the ancient way of life of Aboriginals of Australia. Let’s save the history and rediscover the significance and essence of the Aboriginals.
Conclusion
Aboriginals of Australia – A brief story summarised the exceptional history and culture of the Aboriginal people. Aboriginals of Australia and their ancient way of life is always a pleasure to know and hear about. The Aboriginals hold some important parts of the wide history of the island continent. Their past evidence teaches us about the method of spending your life healthily and with energy.
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Main Image Source : Pixabay
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