Aboriginal Australian History
A short account of the history of Aboriginal Australian peoples.
The indigenous people of Australia represent some of the oldest continuous cultures in the world. Their ancestors are thought to have migrated out of Africa and through Asia by around 65,000 BCE, but the real date may be much older. Once they reached Australia, these families spread and diversified over countless generations. Each group spoke different languages, practiced different arts, and told different stories. They did not keep written languages but instead stored their literature in human memory. One shared element of many Aboriginal cultures is the creation story of the Dreamtime. This layer of myth and knowledge, told through stories and natural landscapes, is still recognized and preserved today. Most pre-colonial people followed a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle, moving from one territory to the next as resources permitted. In this way, Australian people lived in harmony with their ecosystems for thousands of years.
These ancient patterns of life were interrupted in 1770, when British Captain James Cook reached Australian harbors. In his wake came new diseases and a colonial mindset that saw little value in native customs. The British considered Australia to be terra nullius, or no man’s land. By 1788, the First Fleet had arrived bearing convicts and their overseers. The settlers chose the best plots of land they could find, without regard for their original owners. For Aboriginal people, the invasion proved disastrous. Outbreaks of diseases like smallpox made organized resistance nearly impossible. Those who did resist were met with violence, including the use of firearms and poison. The British settlers gradually removed native people from their lands and promoted harmful alcohol addiction. Whole cultures, particularly in the south, were wiped out as a consequence.
The next two centuries saw only gradual improvement in the average lives of Aboriginal Australians. Poisoning and mass killings continued into the early 20th century. Recent decades, however, have seen a greater respect and appreciation for indigenous Australian cultures. Aboriginal people gained full voting rights in 1965. In 1968, the government recognized their right to equal pay for work, though their finances were managed by government agency until 1972. Most of these achievements came about through indigenous protests, strikes, and activism. Today, many communities are still recovering from centuries of racism, suppression, and addiction, but modern Australia is more accepting of indigenous rights and culture. Instead of teaching children to forget their ancient past, activists now work to preserve their stories and skills for future generations.
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Cultural Overview | Geography | History | Daily Life | Society | Economy | Beliefs | Arts & Music
References
Bourke, Colin, Eleanor Bourke, and Bill Edwards, eds. Aboriginal Australia: An Introductory Reader in Aboriginal Studies. University of Queensland Press. 1994.
Broome, Richard. Aboriginal Australians: A History Since 1788. Allen & Unwin. 2010.
“Census: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population.” Australian Bureau of Statistics, Commonwealth of Australia, 27 June 2017, www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/MediaRealesesByCatalogue/02D50FAA9987D6B7CA25814800087E03?OpenDocument.
Clarke, Francis Gordon. The History of Australia. Greenwood Press. 2002.
“The World Factbook: Australia.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 6 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html.
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