THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS

1. The British arrived in Australia in what year?  How does this year correspond to their colonies and activities elsewhere in the Empire?

They arrived the 25^th January 1788. Back then, they had already lost the 13 colonies in United States (1776) but they had just began their colonization of Asia.

2. What was the original landing site of their arrival called by the Aborigines and what was it renamed by the British?

In the East Coast. In a place called Warang by the aborigines and called Sidney by the British.

3.  Who was on the British ship and what was their interest in Australia at the time?

About 1,300 people. Half were convicts and the rest were soldiers. Arthur Phillip, Captain of the First Ship, decided to take humans, animals and supplies. There were 44 sheep, 4 cows, 1 bull, his own greyhounds, wine, seeds. He transported all this in order to begin the building of a new colony. He was named Governor under the instructions of endeavoring by all possible means an intercourse with the natives and conciliating their affections.

People were ordered to remain on the boat until dawn. At first light they were ordered to disembark. Within 2/3 days of landing, they were dancing hand in hand with the natives.

However, it was almost impossible that they would carry on their plans with the peace they intended.

They would in the end take the native’s land on the ground of believing they were simply animals. They wanted to take convicts that were crowding the jails in England.

4.  What was the Dreaming or Dreamtime in Aboriginal spirituality?

Before the Dreaming, the Australian Continent was a flat place. Then, came the spirits from the sky, came within the sea and emerged within the earth. With their arrival, the Dreaming started and life was born. In the North of Australia, humanity was given birth. In Central Australia, the marriage laws were brought to life. On the East Coast, the landscape was shaped. When it was all completed, the spirits went to a mountain and looked at the sky. As they moved across the land, rivers were created and the earth was shaped. In everything the spirits touched they left their essence making the land sacred to those who honored them. These were the First Australians.

5. Who was the Aborigine who took on a significant role among the settlers and, later, in England itself?

His name was Bennelong.

6.  How would you characterize his situation, or, what do you think he was thinking he was going to accomplish?

Bennelong survived the epidemic that took place in Sidney and he was kidnapped along with another man. They were taken to the Governor’s House to function as interpreters and to explain the british intentions to the aborigines. He managed to scape after a while and to return to his former way of living. However, in 1790 Phillip was determined to establish friendly relationships with the natives. He went to a spot were Bennelong had been seen. Phillip is wounded as a revenge.

Bennelong and his wife decide to go back to the Governor’s House and this is evaluated by the natives as a sign of the good will of the british. It brings a bit of understanding to the situation.

Bennelong and a little boy go voluntarily to England in 1793. To some, he just worked as a trophy of what the british had accomplished back in the colony. He was the proof of that.

To others, this was used by Bennelong as an opportunity to infiltrate perfectly in the british society. In 1794, the little boy dies from pneumonia and Bennelong is left all alone and on the verge of dying himself.

He eventually lost his position of authority back in his tribe and he asked whether he could return to his home land. He eventually did and became an alcoholic. In the end, he managed to leave the Governor’s House and return to his old habits. In 1813 he died.

He was evaluated as a peace-maker and a leader to the natives. He had strong political skills.

7.  How does the British Australian experience of colonization differ and how does it overlap with their previous attempts in North America, which includes Canada, and India?

In Australia, the aborigines and the british were trying to comprehend each other despite the incidents of cruel violence that did take place. There was a friendship built in some cases, a true relationship and the natives were actually very fond of the white people, which did not happen in the other colonies.

Actually, in Australia the descendents of the first Australians are still fighting for their land rights.

8. Bonus Question: What do you do with a drunken sailor?

Just like the song says,

“1. Put him in the long boat till he's sober,

2. Keep him there and make 'im bale 'er.
3. Shave his belly with a rusty razor.
4. Put him in bed with the captain's daughter.”