you have a total lack of understanding of aboriginal people and their problems.
Paul1405,
The real issue here is that I do know & that doesn't suit your agenda.
My remark re living in Australia was actually directed at the likes you but you realised that, hence you're staying stumm on it !
It's called hypocrisy !
Put your money where your mouth is & hand back the land you reside on to the Indigenous.
Or, at least leave it to them in your will. Now that would be a real understanding of aboriginal people and their problems.

Hi Foxy,

Had a read of your earlier link from 'The Conversation' Australia's post war shift away from the confines of "Mother England" and our embarrassing of a whole new world. Few of us today identify in any significant way with Britain, a bit like that best mate and constant companion in primary school, who by the time of high school has just become another face in the crowd, that's Britain for 21st century Australia.

Australia has become such a diverse and cosmopolitan society its almost impossible to identity, other than in general terms, what it is to be Australian. Little Johnny Howard thought it was wearing green and gold trackie dacks, and shouting "You beauty!", I think he got it wrong.

Foxy you mentioned Georg Forster, the son of Johann Reinhold Forster, two extremely notable gentlemen who accompanied Cook on his second voyage. J R Forster was probably the leading naturalist of his day. Forster snr had this to say about the killing of native people in the Pacific, by members of the Cook expedition;

"Accustomed to face an enemy, they breathe nothing but war. By force of habit even killing is become so much their passion, that we have seen instances during our voyage where they have expressed horrid eagerness to fire upon the natives on the slightest pretence."

Cook was a man of violence, he routinely had men flogged for slight infringements.

William Judge, 12 lashes, offensive language to an officer.
Henry Stephens, 12 lashes, refusing to eat fresh beef.
Thomas Dunster, 12 lashes, refusing to eat fresh beef.
Robert Anderson, 12 lashes, attempting to desert.

Many others.

The person who fired the fatal shot killing Te Maro; Nothing.

cont

cont

Back in my school days, I recall taking out the History prize one year, it was a copy of Manning Clark's 'A History of Australia'. The exploits of Captain Cook featured prominently in my studies.
I think I should return that prize, as I have since learnt I knew nothing of the history of Australia, at that time, and even less about James Cook the man. What I did know was mostly a collection of facts, and glossy rubbish. I suppose I knew a bit more of the facts and glossy rubbish than the next bloke, so I'm better to keep the prize (still got it).

Indy, I spent many years living in the proximity of Redfern (Australia's largest Aboriginal community). Does that qualify me as 40 years of living in indigenous communities? Must do.

What a lot of yabber over something that will definitely happen all over Australia, no matter what a few Marxist, self-hating dropkicks think.

Paul,

You're still confusing political sovereignty and land tenure. If you can find them, have a look at Prof. Hugh Kawharu's two books, on on the Treaty of Waitangi (i.e. re political sovereignty: in latin - 'res') and the other on Maori Land Tenure (in latin - 'terra'): notice that there isn't really much cross-over.

Living in an Aboriginal settlement (I'm avoiding the weasel-word 'community') can be very intense. Probably Individual, and certainly Big Nana, have been the one and only non-Aboriginal or non-Indigenous person in settlements for weeks or months at a time. As outsiders, they would have been conscious and puzzled every day over how and why people did this or that, trying to understand and put some 'crazy' behaviour into a meaningful context. Every day, and all day.

A bit different from living in or near the same suburb as Indigenous people. My father was born and lived in Redfern - so what ? My mum's father lived and died in Redfern - so what ? Did that make them authorities on Indigenous life ? I don't think so.

With respect, you would probably know far, far more about Maori life than about Australian Indigenous life. Immersion in one, and simple observation of the other, can be two very different activities.

Cheers,

Joe