Frontier or History Wars?

The nature of the settlement of the British in the 18^th century is widely debated amongst historians. A lack of historical evidence makes it extremely difficult to completely understand the nature and extent of Aboriginal resistance to European settlement. In addition, as there are limited recounts and reports from eye witnesses available on this topic, historians are left to rely on oral histories and testimonies from individuals who experienced these events first hand. These recounts can often be inaccurate, distorted or incomplete. Similarly, most histories are often recounted by British settlers and as a result, their accounts can be biased and tend to give a broad, falsely positive overview of settlement in Australia and the subsequent treatment of Aborigines.

Frontier violence causes intense debate between historians because incorrect recounts of frontier history may leave important aspects of Australian’s past unknown and undiscovered. For example, the Aboriginal population is an important part of Australia's history and this needs to be acknowledged appropriately and accordingly. As Europeans believed that occupying the land automatically assumed ownership, they arrived in Australia, in what they believed was a ‘peaceful and respectful’ manner. However, as later land rights court verdicts and national reconciliation decisions have otherwise stated, the British chose to occupy and dispossess land that already rightfully belonged to previous Aboriginal inhabitants. In addition, a  large number of Aboriginals were killed in order to gain land. Furthermore, as Bain Attwood writes, racial discrimination and violence that destroyed many Aboriginal communities subsequently occurred. He also states that many facts are often left out of Australian settlement history as preference towards a less 'problematic' settlement history.

Australia's identity lies with our history. It is vital to the inhabitants of this country that incorrect viewpoints on European settlement are eradicated and the reputation of Aborigines is restored, as well as their rightful place in Australia's history. 

 

Aborigines hunting and gathering 

Source: 'Australia's Convict Past' by Robert Coupe 

New Holland Publishers, Australia Pty Ltd (2002).