Genocide

The sacred remains of First Nations people from Tasmania were collected by British soldiers and settlers, who made a bundle of money scavenging the countryside for 'artifacts' and 'collectibles' to send back to motherland collectors during and following the 'Black War'. Captain A W F Fuller was an armchair anthropologist and collector who amassed over 65,000 cataloged items, had a passion for ethnographic artifacts from the South Pacific region (7000 items - over 600 from Australia). He did all this without leaving his armchair in Britain. [node:read-more:link]

In April 1789, a sudden, unusual, epidemic of smallpox was reported amongst the Port Jackson Aboriginal tribes who were actively resisting settlers from the First Fleet.

This outbreak may have killed over 90 per cent of nearby native families and maybe three quarters or half of those between the Hawkesbury River and Port Hacking. It also killed an unknown number at Jervis Bay and west of the Blue Mountains [node:read-more:link]

A First Nations author from Western Queensland has launched her memoir, 'The Power of Bones', which tells of her seven-year struggle to have the bones of her ancestors returned to her people. It's a slow process, trying to pry the remains of First Nations people away from governments, dithering scientists and privileged museum curators, but after much begging, arguing and pressure some are being returned to country a few at a time. The pussyfooting only ceases when the holders have their arms tied behind their backs. [node:read-more:link]

As Europeans moved into new lands in Queensland in the 19th century, violent encounters with local Aboriginals mostly followed. Drawing on extensive original research, Timothy Bottoms tells the story of the most violent frontier in Australian colonial history.

"This is an important, well researched book: challenging, compelling and controversial. It is a must read for anyone interested in Australian history." - Henry Reynolds [node:read-more:link]