Much of Australia's history since European settlement has been distorted by white historians. In a bid to justify the illegal taekeover of Australian tribal land with no treaty between Aboriginals and the conquerors a lot has been hidden.
If settlers moved to what they believed to be virgin land they just took it - with a quiet nod from government, of course. Any hostility from black people already there was quickly silenced at the point of a gun. Yes massacres did occur.
New digital technology is now bringing the truth to light. Massacres have been mapped by a research team at Newcastle University. Professor Lyndal Ryan is taking the information to people in regional areas of Australia.
The massacre map has come as a shock to purist historians who want to perpetuate the old lies put into print. Their old interpretations were clearly wrong and they do not know where to hide. New arrivals from Europe wanted Aboriginals to disappear entirely from this land. Fortunately, they did not succeed.
While the established press of the time printed their rose colored garden, settlers accurately recorded what actually happened in minute detail in their journals. Since the launch of the first stage of the project people have come forward from all quarters and provided more family journals.
The massacre map has come as a shock to purist historians who want to perpetuate the old lies put into print. Their old interpretations were clearly wrong and they do not know where to hide. New arrivals from Europe wanted Aboriginals to disappear entirely from this land. Fortunately, they did not succeed.
While the established press of the time printed their rose colored garden, settlers accurately recorded what actually happened in minute detail in their journals. Since the launch of the first stage of the project people have come forward from all quarters and provided more family journals.
Project mapping massacres Australia’s colonisation shows power digitising history Supported by Balnaves FoundationAbout content Helen Davidson @heldavidson Email Fri 1 Mar 201 13. AEDT Last modified Fri 1 Mar 201 13.2 AEDT Shares 185 Killing Times illustration Since publication Killing Times, Guardian Australia received information helped identify least 50 new potential sites. Digital technology bringing Australia’s history people way wasn’t possible decade ago, leading researcher massacres Indigenous people said. Prof Lyndal Ryan, Newcastle University’s centre history violence, said “overwhelming” response.
her team’s mapping massacres project’s subsequent expansion Guardian Australia had demonstrated power digitising history taking wide audience, particular people regional areas. The historian leads research team identifying locating hundreds individual massacres perpetrated colonisation Australia. Last week, Guardian Australia launched Killing Times, interactive project , collaboration Ryan’s team eight months, drew research, expanding analysing it. “We both have same aim – generate discussion Australia’s past, [to make] past visible,” Ryan told digital history seminar Sydney’s university technology.
'A tragic history': trauma 192 massacre echoes years “Australia’s history been invisible long time massacre map way bringing – international audience well local audience – frontier massacres took place … their impact Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people.” The Guardian’s Indigenous affairs editor, Lorena Allam, appeared panel Ryan, said data “solid conservative”. “This settlers wrote their journals,” she said. “It’s hard wriggle reality that.” The Newcastle team launched second stage map July last year, prompting hundreds people contact them more information. Since publication Killing Times, Guardian Australia been contacted more 40 people information been shared across two teams, identifying least 50 new potential sites.
Many made contact were regional areas. “Public history been using digital tools many years now I think we’re going different level – we’re providing new evidence Australia’s past,” said Ryan. “For me project been much revitalising role regional Australia lot massacres took place giving voice people regional Australia want stories massacres told.” She hoped public response project would generate more resources increased focus digitising historical archives sources. The research drew primary sources original accounts massacres, including “astonishing” amount information colonial news reports accessible Trove. “The more we understand Australia’s past, more we’ll understand need digitise sources,” Ryan said. “We not have done we’re doing modern technology.”
Only massacres verified were mapped, minimum number fatalities estimated each were used, cautious approach Ryan said “came history wars”. She believed there had been “a really big shift” engagement wider Australia. “People listening now, they want know happened, way they weren’t listening, I want say even years ago. When we were school, we didn't learn massacres “There’s doubt digital technology leading tool whereby we engage debates that.” The Newcastle project ran funding map West Australian massacres. Guardian Australia used Ryan’s methodology conduct research state, finding 1 verified incidents least 20 more likely s. Ryan Allam said there still lot research done across country. “Where see gaps, that’s not nothing happened there,” Allam said. “We wanted people see country settled. And see that, knowledge?”
|| massacres, aboriginals, mapped, new technology, white, europeans, settlers, colonists, historiography,
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