Why Aboriginal people were deemed uncivilised in 1788

I spend most of my days locating, tracking and positioning the historical written and recorded history of my Wiradjuri people (pre-1930) that is currently being held in the institutions throughout the world, and then searching for those precious Wiradjuri and other Aboriginal people who hold the oral knowledge to confirm for me where to place this taken information I am finding within our universal kinship of all things.

To be clear when the English invaded and took over our country we were civilised according to our Ancient Aboriginal standards and rules for how to live right. We naturally did not meet the standards of the English system. I read in early documents every day how this lack of civilisation based on only different English standards allowed the English to justify their invasion and the destruction of my people's system (world).

For 250 odd years since Colonisation, Aboriginal people have not been able to return to anywhere near the level of happiness they once enjoyed prior to 1788.

Why aren't Aboriginal people thriving?

Why is this still the case in 2023 when the Colonists brought industrilisation and modernity which to them means a better world?? They made this country a better place is their firm belief.? Content in their minds Australia was now a civilised country thanks to them.

The Colonial people certainly achieved a new country that is a carbon copy of British and European society.? But is unrecognisable as the nation it was prior to 1788. The Aboriginal people's standard for what is a society has certainly not been achieved, included or met since then. Aboriginal people still today find this unforgivable.

We have never been given the opportunity to create an Aboriginal knowledge economy based on our Traditional skills. If we had, China would not be the biggest exporter of Eucalyptus oil in the world (including to Australia), or France would not benefit from a billion dollar industry by growing Mimosa wattle plantations for their perfume industry and we would not be as a nation embarrassingly importing Black wattle gum back to the country where it is Indigenous. We cannot be a player because you took all the good usable land and banned us from it.

Another key reason is that we started out with two different set of standards for how to live right ?

The English standards for what is a civilised people in 1788 - They speak, look and act English, dress well, are educated in the English education (read and write), social and Law system, are polite gentile ladies and gentlemen who have high morals, strive to be individually successful, undertake agriculture and are god loving Christians.

The Aboriginal Standard in 1788 for what is a civilised people - they speak and sing their Skin Group's language, are educated in the Universal First Aboriginal education, Lore, ecological and Social system, have shown to the Elders that they express high morals by passing the three tests of adulthood - initiation tests that ultimately prove they are as Restrained, Stoic and Courageous as that of the Sky Father and Sky Mother.

Colonial Australians still have the same set of standards for how to live right? Aboriginal people now have to straddle two. We have to constantly Culture Switch.

Due to the original Aboriginal system not being included in 1788 and since, Aboriginal people have had to learn how to survive and live under a completely different set of standards that feels wrong, as well as trying to keep their own standards alive. It creates a great deal of generational mental health issues. An invisible killer of subconscious disconnect.

Many Colonial Australians might think why do Aboriginal people Culture Switch if it is so difficult?

We cannot change how our brains have been wired to think over the last 60,000 years.

Our brains absolutely subconsciously tell us that our system is better than the English one forced upon our Ancestors.

Just like English people believe their thinking system is the only right one. They have a brain that thinks individual first, we have one that thinks Kinship first. It is why when we speak our people use the English word "we" when talking about themselves and the Colonial people use "I". It is why we have a brain that says we should not benefit from anything first or find it so uncomfortable when English people praise us individually. Our oral designed brains are right brain dominant, whereas your written designed brains are left.

There is a solution - time, hard work and two open minds

Imagine an Australia if we cherry picked the standards of both systems to oversee and care for this country. One an ancient, organic knowledge system that is framed on honouring the inner purpose of all things and one that is scientifically focused, fearless and forward thinking. The balance and innovation from two such systems would be the envy of the world.

If only we would learn each other's systems and find that middle ground we need to meet upon.

If the Colonial Australian people will not accept that our different thinking system is worthy to be learnt and included in the running of this country. Then sadly the battle will continue.......

I absolutely believe, the loser will be Australia

Nola Turner-Jensen - (Wiradjuri Linguist, Cross Cultural Knowledge holder)