| Tasmanian Aborigines |
Article Index for Tasmanian |
Shopping Tasmanian |
Website Links For Tasmanian |
Information AboutTasmanian Aborigines |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT TASMANIAN ABORIGINES | |
| indigenous peoples of australia | |
| tasmania | |
| australian aboriginal culture | |
| aborigine, tasmanian | |
|
The Tasmanian Aboriginals are the Indigenous People of the island state of Tasmania , Australia . 20th century historians previously held that they had become extinct with the death of Truganini in 1876 , but this is no longer the accepted view. Present-day Tasmanian Aborigines claim heritage from several groups:
HISTORY Before European Settlement People are thought to have first crossed into Tasmania approximately 60,000 - 40,000 years ago via a land bridge between mainland Australia and the island during an Ice Age . When sea levels rose, the people were left entirely isolated for approximately 13,000 years until European explorers arrived during the late 18th Century . The Tasmanian Aboriginals were Hunter-gatherer s and almost entirely Nomad ic, but this does not mean their society was simple. At the time of invasion by European settlers, there are thought to have been four to six thousand indigenous inhabitants, forming nine tribes. A tribe consisted of 8 or 9 bands of 40-70 people who lived in adjoining territories, shared the same language and culture, socialized, intermarried and fought wars against other tribes. Each tribe possessed technology adapted to their region. The Tasmanians built Raft s and Catamaran s to fish and travel, and had skill in Weaving and Tool-making . Although they habitually went naked, animal grease, simple Necklace s and Ochre were used for for adornment, while sewn skins were used for clothing during the cold Winter s. Trade routes connected the nine tribes as a whole. The Tasmanians spoke nine Tasmanian Language (one for each tribe), of which little is known. They are probably closest related to the Australian Aboriginal Languages . Fanny Cochrane Smith , the last speaker of any Tasmanian tongue, recorded some songs before her death in 1905. Aboriginal Tasmanian Tribes as of 1803 Region in brackets.
After European Settlement The Tasmanians, estimated to number between 4,000 and 6,000 people in 1803 , was reduced to a population of around 300 by 1833 mainly due to the actions of white settlers who came to Australia from the United Kingdom , combined with disease and cultural disruption. The Black War and subsequent Black Line were turning points in the relationship with European settlers. Even though the tribes managed to avoid capture during these events, they were shaken by the size of the campaigns against them. George Augustus Robinson , a Christian missionary, befriended Truganini, learned some of the local language and in 1833 managed to persuade the remaining peoples to move to a new settlement on Flinders Island , where he promised a modern and comfortable environment, and that they would be relocated to the Tasmanian mainland as soon as possible. Once on Flinders Island, Robinson abandoned the Aborigines. Of the 300 people who arrived with Robinson, 250 died in the following 14 years in conditions more akin to a prison. In 1847 , the 47 survivors were transferred to their final settlement at Oyster Cove , where — no longer perceived as a threat — they were often dressed up and paraded on official engagements. In 1859 their numbers were estimated at around a dozen; the last survivor died in 1876 . seated right]] H. G. Wells , in his famous preface to '' The War Of The Worlds '', which was published in 1898 , wrote: "We must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only upon animals such as the vanished bison and dodo, but also upon its own inferior races. The Tasmanians, in spite of their human likeness, were entirely swept out of existence in a war of extermination waged by European immigrants, in the space of fifty years." The remains of the Oyster Cove people were treated with much disrespect during the 1860s , with many museums claiming body parts for their collections, even though one of the central traits of Aboriginal belief is that a soul can only be at rest when laid in its homeland. In one case, the Royal Society of Tasmania received permission to exhume the body of Truganini in 1878 on condition that it was ''"decently deposited in a secure resting place accessible by special permission to scientific men for scientific purposes."'' Her skeleton was on display in the Tasmanian Museum until 1947 . Other cases included the removal of the skull and scrotum — for a tobacco pouch — of William Lanne, known as King Billy, on his death in 1869 . Body parts and ornaments are still being returned from collections today, with the Royal College Of Surgeons returning samples of Truganini's skin and hair in 2002 . On 13th August, 1997 a Statement of Apology (specific to removal of children) was issued - which was unanimously supported by the Tasmanian Parliament - the wording of the sentence was "That this house, on behalf of all Tasmanian... expresses its deep and sincere regret at the hurt and distress caused by past policies under which Aboriginal children were removed from their families and homes; apologises to the Aboriginal people for those past actions and reaffirms its support for reconciliation between all Australians." There are many people currently working in the community, academia, various levels of government and NGOs to strengthen Tasmanian Aboriginal culture and conditions. WHO IS AN ABORIGINE? While all agree that a tragedy has occurred, the fate, state and mandate of Tasmanian Aborigines has been particularly controversial in recent years. 20th Century historians commonly viewed the Tasmanian Aborigine as Extinct due to the absence of any "full blood" Tasmanian Aborigines after the death of Truganini in 1876. Up until the mid 1970s , this view was widely accepted in white Australia, but the appearance of vocal campaigners for the Aboriginal cause such as Michael Mansell changed this view dramatically, to the point where it is now widely accepted within the Tasmanian community that some 15,000 people have Aboriginal heritage. Almost all of the Tasmanian Aboriginal peoples today are descendants of several women: two being Fanny Cochrane Smith and Dolly Dalrymple. Fanny Cochrane was born in the Wybaleena camp on Flinders Island and went on to raise 11 children. Dolly Dalrymple had 10 children and was the first Aboriginal woman to marry a European settler. The legitimacy of certain claims to ancestry by the Lia Pootah (those not of Flinders Island descent) has been disputed by Aborigines of the Palawa. Interwoven are controversies about the nature of Aboriginal identity, Aboriginal self-determination, government funding, recent ). More recently there have been moves to introduce DNA testing to establish a family history with the Palawa, so as to establish who is eligible to vote and participate in local Aboriginal politics and be involved with local issues such as native title claims. This has drawn an angry reaction from many quarters, as some people also claim a Spiritual connection as well as, and more importantly,a distinct genetic link. In June 2005, the Legislative Council extended the Aboriginal Lands Act to define aboriginality. The bill was passed to allow Aboriginal Lands Council elections to commence, after uncertainty over who was aboriginal, and thus eligible to vote. Under the bill, a person can claim Tasmanian Aboriginality if they meet the following criteria:
SOME PROMINENT TASMANIAN ABORIGINES
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|