Hi Paul,

I don't think that you, me or anyone here is trying
to put Captain James Cook in a bad light.

We're merely discussing history and what we know.

Many of us believe what we were taught in school.
And still do. Some of us rarely question.

And as we know - the moment the historian begins to
look critically at motivation, circumstances, context,
or any other such considerations, the product becomes
unacceptable for one or another group of readers.

I think it was Winston Churchill who was supposedly to
have said - "History is always written by the victors."

When two cultures clash the loser is obliterated and
the winner writes the history books which glorify their
own cause and disparage the conquered foe.

As Napoleon once said - "What is history but a fable
agreed upon?"

However, learning history about our First peoples and
their cultures allows students to develop respect for
diversity and understanding of cultural difference.

It provides all student with a rich and well rounded knowledge
of Australian history.

I find it strange how some will readily accept the white
history of this country - with or without evidence, but
demand evidence only from the blacks. Surely there's always
two sides to hear and learn from?

FOXY,

"...from the blacks."

Tut! Tut! That will never do, you cannot exclude the brown, slightly tanned and white Indigenous First People from the discussion.

Lunacy continues in Victoria. Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen tweeted: "Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror".

"Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive.

“COVID-19 or Cook 1770?”

And that's one of their public servants. Pig ignorant and too stupid to know that Cook had nothing to do with settlement, and was dead long before it happened.

Been a big couple of weeks of celebration for the Forums 'Usual Suspects', the Fuhrers birthday 20th, Queenie's birthday 21st, Turkey Invasion Day 25th, and Cookie poping in 29th. Hope you guys have not over indulged in cake and candles.

Hi Joe, you do seem to have a set against Aboriginal people, sure they are vulnerable, they make an easy target, and have been for the past 250 years. Its easy to throw glib remarks around about them, it must get nodding applause from the forums red necked Nazi brigade. Well Joe, the wife had a catch up with a La Perouse elder some years back, you will be disappointed to find he was a man in his sixties, not a young 20/30 year old as you portray them to be. They had a very informative exchange of beliefs that exists within both cultures. The wife was particularly interested to hear the oral account of Polynesian contact with Aboriginals, going back several hundred years.

Thanks Foxy, yes the Hawaiians did believe a persons "mana" resided in their bones. I recall in Hawaii being told how on the death of a chief, a clan would go to some extraordinary lengths to hide the body, as other chiefs would try to steal the corpse, and thus obtain that persons "mana". Burials were in such odd places as old lava tubes or in a cave on the side of a cliff. In the Cook episode the Hawaiians did return some bones to Cook's crew, and they buried them at sea.
Hawaii has a fascinating history, Bishop Museum in Honolulu is 7 floors of everything Polynesian. The Polynesian Cultural Centre, although very touristy was well worth the experience. Peal Harbour I found oh well, been there and that's about it. An interesting figure from Hawaiian history is Kamehameha I, he is credited with the honour of unifying the Hawaiian Islands under his kingship. Not a fellow to be crossed, the consequences could be rather tragic.

Paul and Foxy,

You two are as thick as couple of bricks. Joe's wife was an Aboriginal woman, and he knows more about Aboriginals than you two know about yourselves. Joe is known and respected in SA. You two know nothing; you just make fools of yourselves.

ttbn,
C'mon, they've read all the books, they "know" the truth !
I have an account of the first contact with Europeans & Islanders that was printed in 1795.
I have read several later ones & they differ greatly & the tables were turned 180 Degrees !
Another account was written by a Surgeon where the White Magistrate was a literal Devil who enjoyed shooting four Aborigines, yet the report by one of the Marines clearly states how he & three fellow Marines shot these four Aborigines whom they distinctly recognised as attackers on the camp.
Some Missionaries deliberately convoluted stories simply to score favours with indigenous tribal elders.