Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellywhich reached this area even before South Australia was officially made acolony. The virus came along the Murray River from the eastern states, and itwiped out a lot of Kaurna people (Brodie & Gale 2002).This illness struck Aboriginal people who had no immunity for such illnesses.Aboriginal people across Australia became displaced from their lands to make wayfor townships, agricultural and farming areas. By 1860 there were 20 million sheepin Australia, destroying waterholes and grasslands. Settlers killed kangaroos toprotect the grass for sheep and cattle, and when Aboriginal people who relied onthis food source killed livestock for food, they were then punished or killed bysettlers and law makers (Morrissey & Fricke 2001).The declaration of terra nullius had serious repercussions for Australian Aboriginalpeoples. Unlike Indigenous peoples in nearby New Zealand/ Aotearoa, AustralianAboriginal (and Torres Strait Islander) people did not, and do not, have a treaty tonegotiate land rights, equitable social and health care and basic human rights (Baum2008; Consedine & Consedine 2005; Eckermann et al. 2006). Connection to triballand has always held physical, social, emotional and spiritual significance forAboriginal people, and in today’s Western society, land ‘ownership’ is linked topersonal, social and economic determinants, rights and benefits. Internationally therecognition or return of Traditional land to Indigenous people is seen as a vital steptowards an improvement in overall health, identity and well-being. While someprogress has been made in this area, much is still to be done (Oxfam Australia2007).South Australia- a humanitarian colony?South Australia has both a similar and a slightly different colonial history to the restof Australia. Unlike other states with penal colonies, South Australia (and NorthernTerritory) was designed to have no convicts, only free settlers. There were highhopes among progressive reformers in England that liberal ideas of social reform,humanitarian ideals and freedom would enable Aboriginal people to assimilate andbecome an intrinsic part of South Australian society (Gale 1972). In 1834 GovernorHindmarsh proclaimed that any one who mistreated ‘Aborigines’ would be37