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Windradyne (c. 1800-1829) - Windradyne, also known as Saturday, was an Indigenous warrior and leader of the Wiradjuri people who fought against European settlers in New South Wales. (Maddi)

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Windradyne (c. 1800-1829) - Windradyne, also known as Saturday, was an Indigenous warrior and leader of the Wiradjuri people who fought against European settlers in New South Wales. (Maddi)

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As I stand in the plains of Bathurst, odd men who have pale skin walk towards me. Weird, long sticks were held in their hands and an odd shaped fabric covered their skin. This would mark the first time the ‘Bathurst War’ would take place and death would follow. I am a Northern Wiradjuri man of the Upper Macquarie River region in Central NSW. I was a man who fought for my country as white-man settlers.

As a wave of settlers moved out to the Bathurst region, competition for land forced my tribe from our homes and put strain on our traditional food resources. Native animals were harder to access as the white people killed them. Wattle trees were stripped and burnt for land, bush tomatoes were harvested and we were no longer able to harvest, land was destroyed for their tilted land. Settlement also restricted access to some of our sacred sites. Our elders were worried, so with our survival and our traditional lifestyle under threat, I took action. I led a campaign of resistance to the European invasion.

Attack after attack, our numbers diminished quickly because of these armed men. As I was fighting on a specific day, some white men sneakily went around us, on the outskirts of town and found my resting place, where my family slept. I don’t remember how long they died ago, but the scene I went back to after losing was gut wrenching. My wife’s body was mauled, her legs spread apart and pinned. Blood spilled out of her, dampening the floor in a dark red. We were expecting our 3rd kid in a month. My first child’s body was strewn about, as her head wasn’t attached to her body. My son was burnt to a crisp, a stake going through his stomach. The elders were dead, all sitting against a trunk covered with blood.Without my family, and the diminishing numbers of my tribe, I had no one to pass my stories onto.

I decided to offer peace two weeks later. I led a group of my tribes across the Blue Mountains to Parramatta to meet Brisbane. I tried my best to impress the people there with my strength and dignity. The governor formally pardoned me and I was able to live freely. Yet everything was different. I had no family to pass my stories on, my tribe was only ⅓ as big now, with important ceremonial cites taken away for agricultural purposes.

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Tarenorerer (c. 1819-1831) - An Indigenous woman of the Panninher people, Tarenorerer was involved in a series of attacks on settlers in Tasmania and is remembered as a symbol of resistance. (Abbey)

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Tarenorerer (c. 1819-1831) - An Indigenous woman of the Panninher people, Tarenorerer was involved in a series of attacks on settlers in Tasmania and is remembered as a symbol of resistance. (Abbey)

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Yimbama (c. 1843-1929) - Yimbama, a Ngarrindjeri woman, was known for her efforts to preserve her culture and language in the face of dispossession and cultural disruption. Grace

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Yimbama (c. 1843-1929) - Yimbama, a Ngarrindjeri woman, was known for her efforts to preserve her culture and language in the face of dispossession and cultural disruption. Grace

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Pemulwuy (c. 1750-1802) - An Indigenous Australian leader of the Bidjigal people, Pemulwuy was a significant resistance figure against British colonisation in the Sydney area. Henry

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Pemulwuy (c. 1750-1802) - An Indigenous Australian leader of the Bidjigal people, Pemulwuy was a significant resistance figure against British colonisation in the Sydney area. Henry

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The dispossession often led to the disruption of traditional family and clan structures. Indigenous societies in Australia are organised around complex kinship systems, and these systems play a crucial role in defining relationships, responsibilities, and roles within the community. Displacement, forced relocations, and the fragmentation of communities by colonial authorities and settlers often led to the separation of family members and clans. This disrupted the continuity of cultural practices and knowledge passed down through generations.

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The policies of the European colonists, including the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families as part of the Stolen Generations, resulted in the deliberate and traumatic separation of families. Children were taken to missions or institutions, leading to a profound disconnection from their cultural and familial roots. This separation weakened the bonds of kinship and disrupted the transmission of cultural knowledge and practices.

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Traditional Indigenous societies had well-defined roles and responsibilities within families and clans. Men, women, and elders had specific roles in the community that were often intertwined with their connection to the land. Dispossession and colonisation often disrupted these roles as Indigenous people were dispossessed from their traditional lands and forced into labor, missions, or other settings that did not align with their customary responsibilities.

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The dispossession and colonisation also resulted in the loss of Indigenous languages and cultural knowledge. Language is a fundamental part of kinship, as it is the means through which cultural stories, traditions, and kinship systems are transmitted. When Indigenous languages were suppressed or lost due to the dominance of European languages, it became difficult to pass on traditional knowledge and maintain cultural connections within families and clans.

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Kinship is closely tied to spiritual and ceremonial practices in Indigenous cultures. Many ceremonies and rituals are connected to the land and the ancestral spirits. Dispossession often meant that Indigenous people lost access to their sacred sites and cultural landscapes, making it challenging to maintain these spiritual and ceremonial practices that were integral to their kinship systems.

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Responsibility to Country (Answer for Abbey)

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Responsibility to Country (Answer for Abbey)

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Dispossession had a profound impact on Aboriginal responsibility to Country in Australia. Aboriginal responsibility to Country is deeply rooted in the spiritual, cultural, and ecological connections that Indigenous peoples have with their ancestral lands. Dispossession disrupted this responsibility in several ways:

Loss of Stewardship: Before colonisation, Aboriginal communities had been the custodians of their traditional lands for thousands of years. They had developed intricate systems of land management, including practices like controlled burning, sustainable hunting, and agriculture. Dispossession severed this age-old stewardship, leaving the land vulnerable to environmental degradation and the loss of ecological knowledge.

Disruption of Traditional Practices: Dispossession forced many Aboriginal communities into situations where they were no longer able to engage in their traditional practices and ceremonies. These practices were not just cultural, but also had ecological and environmental significance. For example, traditional burning practices were essential for land management, reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires, promoting regrowth of certain plant species, and maintaining biodiversity. Dispossession often meant that these practices were interrupted, affecting the health of the land.

Cultural Loss: Dispossession often resulted in the separation of Aboriginal people from their sacred sites, cultural landscapes, and places of spiritual significance. This separation weakened the spiritual and cultural connections that underpinned their responsibility to Country. Many Dreaming stories, songs, and ceremonies were tied to specific locations, and without access to these places, cultural knowledge and responsibilities were compromised.

Degradation of Land and Resources: The influx of European settlers brought new practices, such as large-scale agriculture and resource exploitation, which often resulted in environmental degradation. Over time, these activities damaged the natural ecosystems, impacting the availability of traditional resources and altering the ecological balance. Aboriginal people could no longer fulfil their responsibility to sustainably manage these resources.

Struggle for Recognition and Land Rights: Despite the dispossession, many Aboriginal communities have been engaged in ongoing struggles for recognition, land rights, and self-determination. These efforts are aimed at restoring their connection to Country and reaffirming their responsibility as custodians. Land rights cases and agreements have led to the return of some lands to Indigenous ownership, allowing them to regain a measure of control over their traditional territories.

In summary, dispossession disrupted the long-standing Aboriginal responsibility to Country by severing cultural and ecological connections, damaging the land, and challenging the ability of Indigenous communities to continue their custodial roles. Despite these challenges, many Indigenous groups are working to restore and uphold their responsibilities and relationships with their ancestral lands.