Then & Now - European Settlement

Now - Social Aspect

Logo from the 2013 AFL Indigenous Round

Australia is a fairly multicultural country, but there is still racism today and that racism can be traced from generation to generation all the way to the first white settlers. Through the years the Aboriginal natives have been to the verge of extinction and back, but little of their culture remains today. The many tribes reduced to only a few. As more settlers appeared on Australian shores, more of the Aboriginal culture disappeared. Now days the Indigenous people are intergrated into our society. Australia is no longer just a "white man's country" but a country that accepts the original owners of the land, celebrates their culture and apologises for the misgivings of their people at the hands of our ancestors.

Then & Now - European Settlement

Then - Social Aspect

Socially, Australia was a much different place to what we know now.

A plaque in memory of the Indigenous people
who lost their lives during the Myall Creek Massacre 

When the white settlers from England, first came to Australia they wanted friendly negotiations with the native population. This peaceful period of time only lasted 12 - 15 after the landing of the First Fleet. After these months conflict arose between the 2 sides. This came around when some white settlers took shots at some Aboriginals who had stolen some shovels from the colony. As winter rolled in the conflict grew worse. The settlers would hunt the kangaroos, which was both a food and clothing source to the Aboriginal communities.   By the following year the conflict became brutal with multiple deaths on both sides. As the years went by Aboriginals were pretty much hunted into extinction. From 1834 to 1928 there were multiple massacres of Aboriginals. One of the most famous was the Myall Creek Massacre were Indigenous women, children and elderly men were shot and hacked to death.
Aboriginals have always looked down upon from the beginning, thought of as animals and treated as such by the white settlers some of us call our ancestors.

~ Cat ~

References 

Big Ideas Textbook
First Australians TV Show - Episode: "They have come to stay"

Then & Now - European Settlement

Now - Political Aspect

255 years have past since the First Fleet landed in Sydney Cove. Many changes have occurred since then, some improving Melbourne for the better, while others for the worst.

Drawing of David Unaipon

$50 note featuring David Unaipon

  As mentioned in the last post, things turned bad for the Aboriginals when John McIntyre was killed. As time went on the First Australians were pushed to the outside of society and nearly hunted to extinction. Over the next hundred years as Australia was colonized by the Europeans, the Aboriginals had their land and their rights stolen from them. As Melbourne grew from the small landing point in the Colony of Victoria, the Aboriginal lands turned to suburban areas. Gradually the Aboriginals have been given their rights, moved up from animals to the level of "white trash" in the minds of the Europeans and integrated more into our society. Though these changes have occurred the First Australians are always on the outside, always trying to claim back what was theirs. As the years have gone by more and more Aboriginals have politicians, such as David Unaipon who appears on our $50 note.

~ Cat ~

References 

http://www.creativespirits.info/resources/movies/the-last-wave
http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/famous-aboriginal-people-role-models
http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/3604088-3x2-940x627.jpg
http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/forging/images/fifty_note.jpg

Then & Now - European Settlement

Then - Political Aspect

The politics in Melbourne are very different from the politics of the 1700s.

A typical picture of Pemulwuy 

Back in the 1700s all the way up till now the Aboriginal community hasn't had a fair go in the terms of politics.
As soon as the 'death spear' thrown by the Aboriginal Pemulwuy hit John McIntyre, who was Governor Arthur Phillip's gamekeeper, the First Australians have been declined and denied the right to have a say.
It was now that the fight for something blew into epic proportions. There were skirmishes throughout Australia.
The impact of the European settlers politically are still present here today, with the Aboriginals pushed to the outside barely managing to keep a firm hold on their ancient culture. The Aboriginals are still viewed as apart of the bottom of the social ladder, just as they were 200 years ago.

~ Cat ~

References

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/pemulwuy-13147

http://www.historyofaboriginalsydney.edu.au/west/1790s