presentation

This is the summary of an article which argues about the colonization process was justified by denying that indigenous people have recognizable societies, law, land rights or sovereignty. It focuses on early colonial Australian construction on ‘savagery’ and ‘civilization’ and try to justify their actions for invading of indigenous land and unable to recognize indigenous rights, laws, society and relationship with their land. Here the author describes how the Europeans try to justify their savagery in a form of civilization by implementing the Western law.

In 1788 when the first fleet arrived they hand no idea of (us) the indigenous people who come thousands of years ago but was never acknowledged as the owner of the land by the westerners. James Cook the Lieutenant of the first fleet who later became the Captain, described the land as a state of nature, after finding out about the existence of indigenous population he declared that (we) the indigenous has no industrial contribution towards the land and thus by the theory of “terra nullius” – which means the land belongs to no one it was declared that it was a free land. Although they had cultural differences and language barriers but did they ever try to communicate and hear our side of the story? How we got here and what we lead our lives?

Through their colonization process, they tried to enforce their culture and law into the indigenous lifestyle, unable to do so has caused us severe consequences. Many have been kept as convicts, slaves, and labours who got nothing in return. Many have lost lives trying to defend their land and culture. Children were taken away from their mother intentionally and tried to educate them on their knowledge and culture in an attempt to wipe away our system and knowledge. This event is known as “The Stolen Generation”. We have been also assimilated from their society and facilities, also barred from hunting or gathering foods from nature unless we adapt to their civilization process and cultivate own crops and herd own farms by their first colony process.

Although, a famous historian who became famous for his controversial statement by justifying the colonization process and saying that it was much needed and was completely legal by the standard of that time. He looks onto the positive side of the process. He indicates that the British has given us a new way of living. He thinks the British has removed the pre-colonial lifestyle of indigenous people and has taught us to live with the new world and the new technology. He compares the event with Spain and tells it is much less brutal and has given us a polite way to live the social life in a society. But how do you justify the killing? How do you explain the policy and the actions which has caused loss of thousands of lives and mothers losing their child just because Europeans are trying to make us civilized? Was it really necessary and legal?

The Governor of the new colony Philip was the one responsible for establishing the colony and implemented the British law on the new society but he ignored any other law from the foreign region was given the sovereignty and was ignored. For them, it’s their rules and regulations that matters, did that ever looked fair to anyone to put your own law after coming to a place where the other people had no idea about? Do you think you law should be applied to anyone at any place?

Australia was the only colony where they got the land for free without buying, leasing or coming to an agreement with anyone. The westerners didn’t think it was necessary for any sorts of agreement with anyone living on this land far before they arrived. We the indigenous people were not acknowledged of any property rights by their terra nullius doctrine and believes the indigenous were needed to vanish from the land where they settle their colony. They could impose any of their English law and government and take away the land for their use because they think they are the first people who are setting up the colony on this land. From their point of perspective, as long as you are roaming around the land and not making any use of it, you don’t get the ownership of the land and considered as a visitor. They believe it is a complete waste to leave the land in the hands of the indigenous population. You need to be making proper use of it by agricultural or industrial use to obtain the land.

Although, not every colonist has the same view. Some believed that it was not necessary to forcefully put us in British lifestyle and could be left alone. Many beliefs they had no clear idea of what the rules of terra nullius are. One of the Individual named Joseph Banks who came off the ship with Captain James Cook believed they had no idea about the nature of the Government on which they lived in. They admitted they did not try to understand whether the indigenous law exists, they could not grasp the indigenous system, culture, tradition or lifestyle. It is still questionable if there was a law for people like (us) indigenous, was that similar to colonial law and did they intentionally avoided it?

To it is easier to conclude by saying that the Colonization has brought more harm than good on indigenous people. It is still questionable that whether it was really necessary for Europeans to assimilate, torture or kill any people to enforce their civilization. Couldn’t they try to come to an agreement? Why didn’t our opinions matter and why we were not considered as a society? Why were they considered as superiors or decision makers? This might remain unanswered but looking to the positive side, yes colonization did bring indigenous people a new lifestyle by which it is possible to live a better lifestyle.

Summary taken from:

· BUCHAN, B., & HEATH, M. (2006). Savagery and civilization: From terra nullius to the 'tide of history'.Ethnicities, 6(1), 5-26. doi:10.1177/1468796806061077