Thats right Robert, colonialism is a fact and its not going to go away. The highly advanced technological Western world is not going to suddenly start living the way of ancient tribes using primitive methods. The Aborigines must adapt to our ways not the other way around.

I'm white but I was never given land, my spouse and I had to earn money and buy land and a house ourselves.

There are also Spaniards and Asian families who came to Australia without land and have worked hard and bought their own land and homes.
The Aborigines have the same opportunities as immigrants to learn English get an education and be able to afford land and houses.
The smart Aboriginies have done likewise.

Many countries and people throuhout history including the British themselves have had thier lands overrun and taken. Try arguing land rights with William the Conqueror, Ghenkis Khan or Julius Ceasar.

How would the Aborigines have fought off the Japanese? Sooner or later with only spears as weapons they were bound to be conquered by any superior force that came along.

Well said savage pencil... a fairly ridiculous assertion that one pynchme, that other cultures are "beyond our comprehension"...

the author contributes nothing to a well-worn debate, mere mouthing of platitudes and politically correct slogans that would resonate well in the halls of academia but are of course as useless as tits on a bull in the real world, where people want to solve problems of inequality in aboriginal health, family violence etc, and not please the armies of sociologists who make their livings from the suffering of the people they are supposed to be helping

Now that a few commentators have responded; a few thoughts in return.

So, some claim that the *complexity of the Aboriginal culture is not beyond some folks' comprehension. One wonders then why after two hundred years of contact so many of us still know so little about it. It's either a lack of capacity to understand or limited knowledge, or a pig headed determination not to respect others and other ways of being. For example, how does a feather from Papua New Ginuea end up in a ceremonial something-or-other at the opposite end of Australia ? Maybe there was more economic and social complexity than we first thought.

2. Civilization. Now, now Pencil - are you relying on people being too lazy or disinterested to go look up and reflect on the many meanings and usages of the word 'civilization' ?

You see, to me it's about complex social institutions and shared culture )as in knowledge, handed down from one generation to another). We talk of ancient civilizations don't we. To me it's also about values and noble acts and empathy towards others.

Try to imagine a society where the word 'civilization' and whatever ideas you attach to it now - didn't exist; where there was no such concept.

Anyway, on a lighter note:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTduy7Qkvk8&NR=1