There were around 300,000 aborigines in about 250 tribal groups before the first white settlers came. Each group had its own territory, traditions, beliefs and language.

The aborigine people had never seen white people until Captain James Cook landed in Botany Bay in 1770. 

At first the Aborigines were friendly towards the visitors but were very confused at the way white foreigners behaved:

• The foreigners walked on aborigine sacred sites and dug up aborigine graves

• they bossed each other around and beat and hang people

• they chop down trees and took food without asking

• they did not share their belongings

When the aborigines first saw the white settlers they thought they were the spirits of their dead ancestors . In actual fact these were the first European settlers led by Captain Arthur Phillip.

When the aborigines realised that the white men were not the spirits of their dead ancestors and that the settlers were taking more and more of their land and destroying the trees and wild life they began to fight back. The aborigines killed a number of the settlers in an attack. The settlers reacted by slaughtering and poisoning the aborigines and systematically destroying the land and wild animals they lived on.

The settlers also brought diseases the aborigines had never had before. Aborigines caught smallpox and even the common cold and died in great numbers. Within two years smallpox had killed almost half the aborigine population around Sydney.

The British colonists declared that before their arrival all of the continent as  'uninhabited by humans' (terra nullius). They used this as justification for taking whatever they wanted.

The killing and exploitation of aborigines by whites continued well into the twentieth century. The aboriginal population declined from the original 300,000 when the first white settlers arrived to only about 60,000 people. 

Aborigines were second class citizens in their own land and only got the right to vote in 1967.

Much progress has been made over recent years to try to right the wrongs of the past. Where possible the government has been returning land to their traditional owners and encouraging Aborigines to rebuild their culture and lives.

They however still are the single most disadvantaged group of people in Australia.

Some points to be aware of:

Visitor permits are required to enter some Aboriginal-owned land, mostly in northern and central Australia and some parts of South Australia and Western Australia.

In remote communities, people may speak English as a second language and may not read or write it. Some people speak two or three Aboriginal languages – and then some English.

Indigenous people don’t necessarily use the same verbal and body language as non-Indigenous people. They may not make immediate eye contact with you. It’s best to wait until they want to speak rather than speaking first. Let your presence be noticed before engaging in conversation.

Access to Dreaming stories and cultural practices may be restricted to certain people or groups. Ceremonies may be closed to outsiders or segregated by sex. Accepting such rules, rather than questioning them, is the polite alternative.

Images of recently deceased people are not displayed and their names are not spoken. When a senior person dies, an area may be closed for some time.

Respect people’s privacy and their wishes concerning their land. If a community asks you to avoid a certain area or not to photograph it, please follow their wishes.

Always ask before photographing a person, group or residence and offer to return copies of photos, if requested. Many sites have been photographed by professionals who observe all the cultural rules – so maybe buy a postcard instead.

Never touch rock art or engravings. Apart from the cultural sensitivity involved, they are fragile and easily damaged.

Some Indigenous communities ban alcohol.

When buying souvenirs, look for Aboriginal authenticity labels to help Indigenous people to preserve and protect their heritage. Don’t accept labels saying things like “Indigenous inspired”.

Certain parts of Aboriginal land are considered more significant that others and are referred to as “sacred sites”. When visiting areas near these, ask about appropriate behaviour. Keep to dedicated camping areas, read signs carefully, stay on tracks and boardwalks and comply with other requests. The significance of sites is not always apparent to outsiders.

In Aboriginal law and religion, the sexes are often segregated or given gender-specific roles. To avoid giving offence to the Aboriginal custodians, ask beforehand about your planned itinerary. Reputable tourism operators are sensitive to these issues and plan their tours so as not to clash with cultural sensitivities.

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