When European settlers arrived at Holdfast Bay in November 1836 in South Australia, it was inhabited by many Aboriginal Peoples. The site of the City of Adelaide was the home of the Kaurna People.
The first European settlers upon arrival described the local Kaurna people as ‘friendly, harmless and honest to a remarkable degree’.
The plan for the new Colony was that land would be sold to the new settlers, for farming and for the new city of Adelaide.
At the same time that the South Australian colony was being planned, a Select Committee of the British House of Commons was enquiring into the condition and protection of the rights of the natives of the colonies.
The Commissioners decided that the local Aboriginal people did not farm their land or put permanent buildings on it that their use of land did not count as “occupying or enjoying” it was laid down in the Colonial Office’s instructions. As a consequence the rights of Aboriginals people of South Australia have never been recognised by past and present South Australian Governments, nor respected and upheld.
There were no treaties or consultation of any kind. This began the invasion of the Kaurna tribal lands.
Nunga Wangga’s Andrea Fraser attended the 176th Letters Patent Commemoration Luncheon on Sunday and caught up with Kaurna Elder, Lynette Alice Crocker who was one of the organisers of the luncheon and is also a member of the Aboriginal Political Party Movement here is South Australia.
Produced by Andrea Fraser
