The effects of gold on Indigenous Australians.
Many Indigenous Australians were pushed off their traditional lands when the gold rushes began. They could not find clean water, and the animals they hunted for food had been scared away.
(source: The Gold Rushes: Gold Rush Journeys, Ann Parry, Macmillan Library South Yarra 2007, p. 9) |
Dispossessed
The gold rush proved to be a second wave of dispossession for the Aboriginal people. Already marginalised by the first white settlement, the discovery of gold destroyed vast tracts of land and much of their traditional way of life.
The destruction of their environment and subsequently their traditional lifestyle was a major cause of grief for the Aboriginal people. Traditional food sources such as berries and plants, as well as the native animals they depended upon for meat were all destroyed as the Europeans cleared land and stripped huge areas of timber for their own needs.
The influence of Western culture began to affect Aboriginal peoples in other ways. They were soon attracted to the white settlers' camps. Of particular interest to them were the settlers' mining implements such as axes, shovels and other tools for turning over soil. They also sought staples such as flour, sugar and tobacco.
Effects of white settlement
One of the worst effects of white settlement was the introduction of new diseases. Aboriginal peoples' lack of immunity meant that they had no defence against European illnesses and their traditional remedies had no effect. Diseases such as smallpox, measles and influenza decimated tribes around the goldfields.
Opportunity
For some Aboriginal people, white settlement brought new opportunities. Some tried to work with the diggers, offering their services as hunters or as general assistants, helping with the digging operations.
Aboriginal people were also employed as law officers in Victoria. Native officers were frequently employed as escorts for gold shipments. They would travel with the shipments of gold (sometimes up to 2 1/2 tonnes) to their destination in Melbourne or Sydney.
Others were taken on as guides, or as cultural go-betweens. The police force also recognised the Aboriginal peoples' unique abilities to survive in the arid environment and sought to make use of their bush wisdom. Their marvellous abilities as pathfinders and hunters saw many Aboriginal people become an integral part of policing teams, creating the tradition of the `black tracker'. This existed for many years, becoming part of Australian bush life.
(Accessed 16th August 2014 from Skwirk: http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-17_u-453_t-1223_c-4678/one-people-s-discovery-another-people-s-loss-the-effect-on-aboriginal-people/sa/one-people-s-discovery-another-people-s-loss-the-effect-on-aboriginal-people/gold-and-mining/impact-and-effects-of-discovering-gold)
The gold rush proved to be a second wave of dispossession for the Aboriginal people. Already marginalised by the first white settlement, the discovery of gold destroyed vast tracts of land and much of their traditional way of life.
The destruction of their environment and subsequently their traditional lifestyle was a major cause of grief for the Aboriginal people. Traditional food sources such as berries and plants, as well as the native animals they depended upon for meat were all destroyed as the Europeans cleared land and stripped huge areas of timber for their own needs.
The influence of Western culture began to affect Aboriginal peoples in other ways. They were soon attracted to the white settlers' camps. Of particular interest to them were the settlers' mining implements such as axes, shovels and other tools for turning over soil. They also sought staples such as flour, sugar and tobacco.
Effects of white settlement
One of the worst effects of white settlement was the introduction of new diseases. Aboriginal peoples' lack of immunity meant that they had no defence against European illnesses and their traditional remedies had no effect. Diseases such as smallpox, measles and influenza decimated tribes around the goldfields.
Opportunity
For some Aboriginal people, white settlement brought new opportunities. Some tried to work with the diggers, offering their services as hunters or as general assistants, helping with the digging operations.
Aboriginal people were also employed as law officers in Victoria. Native officers were frequently employed as escorts for gold shipments. They would travel with the shipments of gold (sometimes up to 2 1/2 tonnes) to their destination in Melbourne or Sydney.
Others were taken on as guides, or as cultural go-betweens. The police force also recognised the Aboriginal peoples' unique abilities to survive in the arid environment and sought to make use of their bush wisdom. Their marvellous abilities as pathfinders and hunters saw many Aboriginal people become an integral part of policing teams, creating the tradition of the `black tracker'. This existed for many years, becoming part of Australian bush life.
(Accessed 16th August 2014 from Skwirk: http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-17_u-453_t-1223_c-4678/one-people-s-discovery-another-people-s-loss-the-effect-on-aboriginal-people/sa/one-people-s-discovery-another-people-s-loss-the-effect-on-aboriginal-people/gold-and-mining/impact-and-effects-of-discovering-gold)
Task
Use the information and links above and navigate to the selected web sites, newspaper articles and videos. Use the Research sheet to make notes as you read through each source. Once you have completed you notes, make a post on your blog titled,'Effect of the Gold Rush on Aboriginal People. Your blog post should outline the following -
Extension:
- The struggles the Aboriginal people faced with regard to land and food
- What roles did Aboriginal people play during the Gold Rush?
Extension:
- What have been some significant events for Aboriginal people as a result of mining?
- What recent changes have occurred, recoginising the role of Aboriginal people during the Gold Rush?