Australia was discovered about 53,000 years ago. It is possible that the first people crossed into Australia from Asia on a great land bridge when the water level of the oceans was lower. The first Australians are often called "Aborigines", which means "the first people of a country", but today many of them prefer to be known as Kooris. Kooris are among the oldest races of the world and they developed a strong system of society. Their spiritual faith and their gods were important to them, and their knowledge, customs and memories were handed down by the elders of the race. Cave paintings have been found which are at least 20,000 years old and are perhaps the oldest form of art yet discovered on earth.
Kooris developed a way of life that was suitable for this hot and dry country. They invented different kinds of fishing nets, and also a curiously shaped piece of wood for hunting, which could be thrown and would return to the thrower if it did not strike anything. The Kooris lived by hunting animals, birds and fish, and by gathering roots, nuts and wild fruits. They became experienced at finding underground springs. As a consequence, the Kooris have been able to live for thousands of years in a desert land in which a foreigner would quickly die from lack of water and food.
Koori culture and history were recorded in a collection of stories called the "Dreamtime" or the "Dreaming". Dreamtime is often said to mean "the time before time", or the point when all things were created. The stories explain where the land and the people come from and how the universe works. According to the Dreamtime stories, all life on earth is part of a huge system that connects the present and the ancient past. While many of the legends are about beings and events that we today view as purely fictional, the long record of cultural and natural history also provides scientists with important information. For example, some Dreamtime stories describe changes in climate, volcano eruptions and other natural events. The Dreamtime stories have also been of practical value to the Kooris. In addition to providing them with a shared history and culture, the legends contain information about how to survive in areas where there is very little water.
No one knows how many Kooris lived in Australia, maybe between 300,000 and three million. Just over 200 years ago Kooris made up 100% of the population, but today they only make up a little over 1% of the population. Foreign settlers started to arrive in the eighteenth century, bringing with them new diseases which killed many Kooris and seizing the land on which the Kooris had lived for thousands of years. Kooris do not believe in owning possessions or land and they could not understand how settlers took land as their own. Whenever the Kooris defended their fights, they were killed.
Education was intended for white settlers only, and until very recently no school lessons were held in languages other than English. Thus Koori children who were sent to school could not understand the lessons. Although the settlers generally treated each other well, they, particularly the police, treated the Kooris badly. A quarter of the people who have died in police stations and prisons have been Kooris.
Two hundred years ago there were more than 250 Koori languages. Half of these languages have completely disappeared, and many of the remaining languages are endangered. Even though many of the Koori languages are no longer spoken as first languages, they are still an important part of Koori and Australian culture. Language experts and people who care about the languages do what they can to keep and even revive the ancient languages. Some languages that once disappeared have been brought back to life, and there are now schools and TV stations that broadcast programmes in Koori languages.
In 1960, the Kooris were made citizens of Australia, 53,000 years after arriving in the country. The long wait and the struggle for justice have left deep scars in Australian society. In the last few decades, the Australian government and the Kooris have worked hard to improve the situation and make sure that all Australians are treated with the respect that they deserve. Many important new laws have been passed and a special council was set up in 1991 to address issues of equality and rights. The country is now heading for a future where cultural diversity is appreciated and celebrated. Working together as one people, Kooris and other Australians hope to heal the wounds of history and build a society where all members are truly equal. |