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European discovery and colonization 

Captain James Cook did not "discover" Australia in the sense of being the first human to see it. He was the first European to chart and map the eastern coastline of the continent. In 1770, while on his first voyage, he and his crew, including the botanist Joseph Banks, made landfall near Point Hicks and then sailed north, charting the coastline and eventually claiming the eastern portion for Great Britain, which he named New South Wales.

After European arrival in Australia, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations experienced a drastic decline due to disease, violence, and the loss of their traditional lands and way of life. European settlement resulted in a population reduction of up to 90% between 1788 and 1900. 

"...without laying claim to this country by conquest, without even pleading the mockery of cession or the cheatery of sale, we have unhesitantly entered upon, occupied, and dispossed of its lands spreading forth a new population over its surface and driving before us the original inhabitants... All that they have is in succession taken away from them - their possessions their freedom and all that they receive in return is obloquy and contempt and degradation and oppression..." Edward John Eyre 1840

Unfortuneately this has pattern was similar in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. The two indigenous populations here in Australia are the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islanders.  The aboriginals populated the mainland and the Torres Strait Islanders populated the islanda north of the mainland between the mainland and Papua New Guinea. Today they are a minority. We visited a Dreamtime Cultural Center and heard our first didgeridoo.  It was amazing.  Unfortuneately women in the aboriginal cultural are not suppossed to play them.  Elder Wright also go to try throwing a boomerang.  He did pretty well.  FYI curved boomerangs are not and have never been used for hunting.  The ones we are familiar with that come back to you if you throw them correctly are used for sports.

Members of the Church seem to move back and forth from Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa. Australia has people from all around the world settling here.  Australian citizenship is however getting harder to obtaiin. I love the aboriginal and torres strait art and music.

We have a Torres Strait decendent in our ward and he is wonderful.  He makes the most beautiful beaded necklaces.  I may try and get him to teach me how to do it.

Love from us here downunder.

Comments

  1. ColleenJune 8, 2025 at 6:22 AM

    Thanks for the history, Kathy. It gives an important perspective.

    ReplyDelete

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