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

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellypunished, and that Aborigines would be supported to advance in civilisation, andconvert to the Christian faith (Gale 1972).Unfortunately, the reality of colonial experiences within South Australia becamevery similar to that of other states. With strong European values, settlers beganimposing their own beliefs, such as preventing Aboriginal people from bathing inthe River Torrens (Karrauwirraparri), holding corroborees on Sundays, or haveunrestrained dogs (Mattingley & Hampton 1998). The new colony had threeconflicting aims. The first was to assimilate Aboriginal people into western ways ofbeing, the second was to treat Aboriginal people humanely and fairly, and the thirdwas to promote the commercial success of the new land venture for free (white)settlers. These three aims were incompatible. In relation to humane and fairtreatment and land settlement, early colonial instructions were that;‘No lands which the Natives may possess in occupation or enjoyment beoffered for sale until previously ceded by the Natives to the Commissioners’(instructions to Governor Gawler by the Colonisation Commissioners in Gale1972, p. 39)However, such treaties and bargains were rarely made. Reserve land put aside forAboriginal people was retaken. Settlers with land and pastoral interests expandedtheir hold on South Australian land, gradually moving across the state. Ex-convictsand settlers from interstate moved into South Australia seeking un-claimed land.The concept of ‘un-used land’ reflected Western cultural concepts of developmentand failed to recognise Aboriginal people’s seasonal movement within their lands.From an Aboriginal perspective, there was no unused or unclaimed land(Mattingley & Hampton 1998).A local Elder woman’s recollectionAuntie Veronica Brodie recounts her family’s experiences in the Port Adelaide /Glanville area, illustrating the ongoing impacts of colonial spread. She says;My grandmother took me up to Glanville at the age of eleven or twelve. Shesaid I will show you the site where we were kicked off our land. So my mother,my grandmother and myself went up to Glanville. We walked up the road tothe wharf and onto that site. Then she stood outside the CSR factory and shookher fist at it and told us how much she hated it.38