From my understanding the justification for possession of Australian land was based on the notion that "it wasn't being used by anyone anyway". Which was partly true, as the indigenous population did not "use" the land in the way white European settlers intended to use it. The other issue encountered by white settlers was that even if some were well intentioned, and wished to enter into trade agreements with the indigenous population relating to use of land, there were no recognisable indigenous leadership to deal with. There were however, a range of strategies that could have been adopted, through diplomatic and respectful measures, to find solutions where both the indigenous and european settlers could have reached satisfactory arrangements. But instead, the europeans decided to label the local population as "unreasonable savages" who could not be engaged. This turned into violence and degredation of indigenous people, the consequences of which are still apparent today.

An interesting article, but full of too many questions, and not enough answers. There is no doubt that there has been severe change to the way of life of indigenous people since colonisation. However, consider in context that most peoples around the world have changed significantly during the same time period. Even if you look at the coloniser, England, it is hardly recognisable as the same country that sought to expand the Empire. So I argue that Australian Aboriginies (and other indigenous cultures) are not the only ones that have gone through vast change in the last 200-odd years. Europe itself has a long history of invasion and counter-invasion, resulting in the mingling of cultures and languages across and beyond the continent. It has also been subject to invasion and settlement of non-european peoples (most of whom have at some later point in history been driven out, but not before their cultural mark was left on the countries in question). So rather than the impact on Australian aboriginies being a result of the "evil" europeans, maybe its just the way of the world, part of the process of evolution. I'm not entirely convinced, but even a cursory study of world history both modern and ancient would suggest that this is the case.

I think the issue should be one of respect and inclusion. People collectively are affected by exclusion and denial as are individuals; we are social animals who need to be considered part of the pack. Poverty, violence, abuse and self-destruction are the predictable consequences of suffering such an injustice and then being ignored in your own country. I believe Aboriginal people need to regain their lost pride, so what can we do?

You don't hear the call for a Treaty much these days, but this is the start. This process would hope to go back to the point that "Terra Nullis" was enacted and redo this historical injustice. From this point, the Aboriginal people would reappear on the world stage, who were rubbed out by greedy British hands not so long ago. A Treaty may be symbolic, but our mind works by building models of the external world. And most of our pain and depression comes from the cognitive dissonance between our reality, and the reality.

The other movement I would like to see is the mainstreaming of Aboriginal culture. Not just suburb and street names, but real changes in our language and customs. We should be incredibly proud to assume more Aboriginal culture, it has a lot to offer. These people were drawing art while our ancestors were still hitting each other with rocks. While being nomadic helped, their 'family' style system of inter and intra tribal relations is revolutionary, and badly needed in our souless, materialistic, empty lives. We have so much to learn from Aboriginal culture, instead we have tried our best to destroy it. You would think we'd learnt something from the Conquistadors.

If we don't assume more Aboriginal customs, we are not Australian, but migrants we'll remain. And colonists, white settlers, usurpers and pillagers.

The English who colonised Australia were the descendants of people who had ,long since, been colonised over and over themselves. It is the history of the world.
I understand that before colonisation, the native tribes had their own territory and only their own territory, they were not free to intrude on the lands of other tribes without causing warfare.
This article is simply trying to glorify the 'black armband' history theory.
Look at what is happening now and for a long time in the past in Aboriginal communities.
The Aboriginal society is suffering from the depredations of their own. Yet the white 'tribe' still gets the blame.

mickijo,

way to completely over simplify a complex situation. By no means are the causes of the current problems afflicting aboriginal communities soley attributable to aboriginals.

There are many examples of whites getting in on the act as well. See the stories about white miners paying underaged aborginal girls for sex. Or the booze runners.

Hey here's an idea lets actually fix the problems. Make sure there are enough police, health professionals and so on. Don't include insane exemptions to the no booze rules (remember, if you're on land you can't drink, but if you go and stand in the river, go for it!). Don't dump 8000 people back onto welfare. Don't screw over the programmes that are actually working. Don't send those communities that are working and doing the right thing back to the bad old days.

Country Gal,
Was there a point you were trying to make in your post if so I'd like to hear it. Aboriginal people were the inhabitants of Australia at the time of English settlement they claimed the land under the pretence of the land not being occupied [a lie] the Mabo Decision followed by the Wik Decision corrected the situation partially but Howard has found a way around that by declaring a "state of emergency" in N.T.

Tories have no notion to help Aboriginals, merely to help themselves and their mining mates into land that would otherwise be protected land, they are so predictable.