Aboriginal South Australians
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Comment: This article isn't quite ready for prime-time yet. The "Colonial intent" and "Early treatment" sections are unsourced, and it skips over the Frontier Wars entirely. The Protector of Aborigines section is a tidbit about only one Protector: Moorhouse. "Peoples" and "Settlements" are unsourced, and most of the Native Title section is about land held under statutory land rights instead. The "Modern aboriginal life" section is unsourced. The Drover's Wife (talk) 22:00, 25 December 2017 (UTC)
The Aboriginal peoples of South Australia are the aboriginal Australians who lived in South Australia prior to European colonisation of Australia, their descendants and ancestors.
Colonial intent
Unlike some other colonies in Australia, the British settlement of South Australia did not assume the principle of terra nullius at the time the colonists arrived. The South Australia Act 1834 described the land as "waste" and "uninhabited", but the Letters Patent establishing the Province of South Australia issued in February 1836 "Provided Always that nothing in those our Letters Patent contained shall affect or be construed to affect the rights of any Aboriginal Natives of the said Province to the actual occupation or enjoyment in their own Persons or in the Persons of their Descendants of any Lands therein now actually occupied or enjoyed by such Natives"[1] The Proclamation of South Australia read out on Proclamation Day, 28 December 1836, at the founding of the permanent settlement that became Adelaide granted Aboriginal people and British settlers equal protection and rights as British Subjects under the law.[2]
Early treatment
Despite the goals of the government providing for the Aboriginal inhabitants, the first century of white settlement did not always conform to this ideal. Initially, much "waste" land was taken up by large sheep stations grazing sheep at low stocking rates. As the colony's population grew, "settlement" proceeded by an orderly release of land to white settlers expanding out from Adelaide. However, land was not provided in the new releases for the Aborigines being displaced. Both of these expansions led to conflict of various kinds between colonists and Aborigines, as well as trade and employment.
Protector of Aborigines
Matthew Moorhouse was appointed in 1839 as the Protector of Aborigines. His role included protecting the interests of Aborigines, identifying the tribes, learning their language, and teaching them "the arts of civilization", including reading, writing and cultivation. He was also to give them a knowledge of the Christian religion.[3]
Peoples
The following groups' lands include at least partly South Australian territory: Adnyamathanha, Akenta, Amarak, Bungandidj, Diyari, Erawirung, Kaurna, Kokatha Mula, Maralinga Tjarutja, Mirning, Mulbarapa, Narungga, Ngaanyatjarra, Ngadjuri, Ngarrindjeri, Nukunu, Parnkalla, Peramangk, Pitjantjatjara, Ramindjeri, Spinifex people, Warki.
Settlements
As Europeans spread across South Australia, a number of Christian missionaries set up mission stations to reach out to Aborigines. Many of these have become Aboriginal towns and settlements in later years.
Stolen generations
Native title
Despite the inequalities that eventuated during the early years of European settlement, some areas of the state are now subject to Native title of varying kinds and degrees. This ranges from freehold ownership to the right to access Crown Land in their former range. The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981 grants rights over about 10% of South Australia in the northwest of the state, including a former "Aboriginal reserve" and three cattle stations.[4]
Prominent individuals
David Unaipon is a Ngarrindjeri man who appears on the $50 note for his inventions and contributions to society.
South Australia is the only state of Australia to have appointed an aboriginal Governor of South Australia. Sir Douglas Nicholls was appointed in December 1977. Nicholls was from the Yorta Yorta people of what is now northern Victoria.[5]
Modern aboriginal life
In the 21st century, Aborigines live in South Australia in a number of settings ranging from complete integration to English-speaking culture to near-traditional life in traditional homelands speaking predominantly the pre-European languages. Some of these live in or loosely associate with Aboriginal communities based on former mission stations such as Pukatja (formerly Ernabella). The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands are now freehold Aboriginal land in the northwest of the state, with limited access to tourists and visitors, created by the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981.
The Kaurna language of the Adelaide Plains had become virtually extinct, but is now being revived and taught to children in Kaurna Aboriginal schools.
References
- ^ William the Fourth (19 February 1836), Letters patent establishing the Province of South Australia (PDF), retrieved 3 January 2016
- ^ "Proclamation of South Australia". Documenting a Democracy. Museum of Australian Democracy. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ 'Moorhouse, Matthew (1813–1876)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/moorhouse-matthew-4239/text6843, published first in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 4 January 2016.
- ^ "Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981 (SA)". Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Bloodlines: The Nicholls Family". MessageStick. ABC. 19 September 2010.
Category:History of South Australia Category:Aborigines in South Australia Category:Aboriginal peoples of South Australia