Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History and Culture

Who actually possessed Australia first?

The history of how Australia was found and who had the rights to it is a complex history. In 1770 when the British ship arrived on the Eastern soil of Australia land, Captain James Cook claimed the entire East Coast of the land that is now known as Australia for the British Empire (Aboriginal Heritage, 2013). Children in school have been taught that Captain Cook ‘discovery’ of Australia was when history of Australia first started. However the land already had Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on the land for hundreds of years claiming it as their own. Captain Cook already knew that there were natives on the land however he completely discouraged that when he announced he ‘discovered’ Australia (MacIntyre, 2009 p.27).

Aboriginal people descriptions from the Europeans are often known as ‘savage’ and ‘wretched’ people but during Cook’s time on the land he wrote about the natives being happier than the Europeans:

“From what I have said of the Natives of New Holland, they may appear to some to be the most wretched people upon Earth, but in reality they are far more happier than we Europeans; being wholy unacquainted not only with the superfluous but the necessary Conveniences so much sought after in Europe, they are happy in not knowing the use of them.” (MacIntyre, 2009. P.28)

In most classes today the mention of Indigenous people who are the first ever known people today to have founded Australia, is very scarce as people did not care about the viewpoints of the Aboriginal people until the late 20^th century. Today the idea of Captain Cook discovered Australia strikes many people as a false claim as people are questioning, ‘how can you find something that is already known? (MacIntyre, 2009. p.27).

Ever since the Europeans landed, Indigenous Australian have fought, and are still fighting, for their land and the lives of their ancestor who land was stolen by the Europeans to expend their empire more than 200 years ago. As father Dave Passi said in 1990;

“It is my father’s land, my grandfather’s land, my grandmother’s land. I am related to it, it give me my identity. If I don’t fight for it, then I will be moved out of it and [it] will be the loss of my identity.” (australianmuseum, 2012)

With that being said, today many Indigenous people have been demanding their claim for the right to their land that hold a spiritual connection to their ancestors. Aboriginal people who land is sacred to them should have the right to decide what will happen with the land. A cartoon by Bill Leak of the European arrival to Australia was done in 2004 originally founded on the National Museum Australia website.

 The cartoon display a funny point of view of the Aboriginal people rejecting the Europeans access to their land and the Europeans calling them 'Inhumane'. Now isn't that the 'kettle calling the pot black'? Why would it be inhumane for the Aboriginals to reject what the Europeans will do to their land when Indigenous people were the first and not the Europeans that discover Australia?

The view to many Europeans is that Captain Cook was the first person that discover Australia. However from the viewpoint of others such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descendant it was actually their ancestors who discover and should hold the rights to the land now known as Australia. The question of who possessed Australia first is an important part of Australia history for current generation and future generation to understand that Australia has a complex history.

The video below is a documentary on Aboriginal people reaction to the Europeans and how they are still teaching their children today on their native culture.

Reference List:

 Aboriginal Heritage. (2013). A Brief Aboriginal History. Retrieved 5 June 2013 from http://www.aboriginalheritage.org/history/history/

Leak, B. (2004). Cartoon Perspectives. Retrieved 5 June 2013 from http://www.nma.gov.au/education-kids/classroom_learning/multimedia/interactives/cartoons_on_australia_day_2004/australia_day_2004_cartoon_perspectives

RuniTravel. (2011). Abriignal Bush Law - 1 or 2 - My Country Australia - BBC Culture Documentary. Retrieved 5 June 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEWFKE59JFw

MacIntyre, S. (2009). A concise history of Australia. (3rded.). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.