The
nineteenth century saw great social and cultural change in Australia.
White settlement spread rapidly as the British government progressively
claimed land across the continent, dispossessing the original owners.
For the Aboriginal people this meant the devastation of much of their
traditional culture and lifestyle. For many,
it meant death.
But although no
one can dispute the overwhelming injustice done to the Aboriginal people
during this time, it would be a mistake to see all white people as brutal,
and all Aboriginal people as victims. The relationship between the colonists
and the Aborigines took many different forms.
Alan Tucker's carefully
researched text and detailed artwork record fourteen stories of individual
people to show the diversity of race relations in Australia during the
colonial era. Although cruelty and misguided philanthropy were widespread,
there were also glimmerings of a social conscience - enough to show
that 'the potential for racial harmony has always been present in Australian
society'. Like its award-winning predecessor Too Many Captain Cooks,
this is a powerful, passionate, thought-provoking book.
Each week Aboriginal
Australia will be adding a new chapter from this stunning work by Alan
Tucker. Check the dates below to see when the next chapter will be available.
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Text
& Images Copyright ⌐ Alan Tucker 1998