STAGE ONE – THE FIRST FLEET ARRIVES

Before British settlement, more than 500 Indigenous nations inhabited the Australian continent; approximately 750,000 people in total. They had been in Australia for over 60,000 years, making them the world’s most ancient surviving society. Indigenous people enjoyed a tribal, nomadic life, and had an especially close relationship with the land and nature.

In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook sailed to Australia and claimed possession of the east coast of Australia for the British Crown. Due to overcrowding in British prisons and a British desire to spread their empire, it was decided that Australia would be set up as a prisoner colony. In 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip and 1500 convicts, crew, marines and civilians arrived at Sydney Cove.

STAGE TWO – THE WHITE TAKEOVER

Because Indigenous Australians did not farm the land and had not set up permanent settlements, Britain declared Australia ‘Terra Nullius’ meaning ‘Nobody’s land’. This gave the British settlers the right to take over whatever land they wished. They did just this as they spread across Australia. Many Aboriginal people fought for their land and their rights, and small battles between them and the colonisers took place. However, the Indigenous Australians, fighting with clubs and spears, were no match for the European cavalry or guns, and were defeated time and time again.

As a result, the land of the Indigenous Australians was taken over. The European settlers used this land for farming and building on. They did not hesitate in destroying the natural environment or introducing new species of animals, which ate many of the plants that the Aboriginals traditionally feasted on.

Many Indigenous Australians died from the new diseases, such as the flu, smallpox and measles that the Europeans introduced to them. They were also given alcohol, which they were not used to and which often made them very sick. More than this, however, many Aboriginals were killed deliberately.

THE COLONISATION OF AUSTRALIA

There are stories of the British rounding up Aboriginals and raping them, shooting them, or forcing them to jump off cliffs. It is also reported that some settlers used to offer them food that had been laced with poison in order to kill off whole tribes at a time.

Overall, it is estimated that in just 112 years, between 1788 and 1990, that the population of Indigenous Australians was reduced by over 90%.

STAGE THREE – THE STOLEN GENERATION

Between 1910 and 1970, the Australian government made an effort to wipe out the remaining Aboriginal population by breeding them out. To do this, they removed Aboriginal children from their families, and placed them in the care of white people.

They would be given new names, have to learn our language and be part of our culture. These children were often treated very harshly, were given little to no love, and were physically, emotionally and sexually abused. Many of those children stolen, as well as their parents, never fully recovered from the grief and trauma of being separated from their families.

STAGE FOUR – THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

Today, the new generations of Indigenous Australians are still feeling the pain of the past. They are still coping with the racism, the unequal treatment, the alcohol, drug and social problems, and the effects of having their land and their rights robbed from them 228 years ago. The question of how to move forward seems to have no real answer.