Inconvenient Truths About the Frontier Wars

Dr Graham Pinn—July 4, 2023

There are many different definitions of the word war. Arguably, the most common interpretation would be a situation of open and declared conflict between states or nations. With this definition, the word is inappropriate to apply to the series of disparate conflicts between Aboriginal tribes and the colonists over 200 years ago.

There was no unified Aboriginal nation, but rather a collection of around 300 different groups with different languages and customs, frequently in conflict with each other. There was no sustained campaign of resistance with end goals, and there were no bloody battles. The term "war" is an exaggeration, often used in modern activist propaganda.

With the rewriting of history, settlement has become colonisation, then invasion. The recent SBS television series "Frontier Wars" presented a predictable activist view of events. However, this is another perspective. The alternative story portrays a progression from a primitive lifestyle unchanged for 60,000 years.

The first encounter took place in 1770 when Captain Cook made landfall in Botany Bay. Spears were thrown, and shots were fired, but no documented injuries occurred. Accounts of the event vary, as contemporaneous written history is influenced by the emotions of the time.

However, it is generally more reliable unless subsequently rewritten by the winners. Oral history is known for its distortion over time, as demonstrated by the concept of "Chinese whispers" where the story can change.

Cook's subsequent travels up the coast encountered few natives or signs of habitation, which is unsurprising given that there were only an estimated 800,000 Aborigines in the entire continent of 7.7 million km2 (approximately 1 inhabitant per 10 square kilometres). Hence, the logical term "Terra Nullius" was subsequently used to describe the land as uninhabited.

With the arrival of the 11 ships of the First Fleet in 1788 under Governor Arthur Phillip, more contacts were made with the local people. His instructions were to "live in amity and kindness."

There were sporadic contacts between the convict labourers and the natives, often resulting from poor communication due to language difficulties and cultural differences. It was an uncertain time with rebellious convicts, varying military discipline, lack of food, and a smallpox epidemic.

In 1789, the Governor ordered the kidnapping of an Aboriginal man, Bennelong, to learn the language and culture of the local clan. He escaped after a few months. In 1790, after organizing a feast for the locals, the Governor noticed Bennelong's presence and attempted to greet him. However, he was attacked and speared through the shoulder. Perceiving it as payback, the Governor ordered no retribution.

Bennelong subsequently reappeared voluntarily, learned to speak English, and traveled back to the UK with Phillip in 1792, returning in 1795. He returned to the bush, reappearing intermittently.

The value of his role in resolving subsequent disputes is debated as conflicts over land fencing and competition for resources, such as fishing rights, developed. He died in 1813, and his legacy is also clouded by episodes of drunkenness, no doubt related to his friendship with the brewer James Squire.

By the end of 1791, the Eora tribesmen had killed eight convicts and two military personnel, with 20 convicts wounded. The Governor had hanged 17 convicts and six marines during this time. The number of Eora killed was believed to be small, as the Governor had prohibited conflict, and trading was important for survival.

As the settlements expanded, traditional Aboriginal food-gathering practices were interrupted. A combination of disease and starvation is thought to be responsible for a catastrophic drop in the Aboriginal population, from an estimated 300,000 in 1788 to 70,000 in 1850.

This has been referred to as a genocide, but a similar population reduction is seen in other cultures encountering the European invasions of Africa and the Americas. This population reduction also coincided with the settlement of farming in Europe, and the major civilisations of China, India, and the Middle East.

Over the 19th century, these events led to an estimated total loss of 20,000 lives. The prevailing life expectancy for Aborigines at the time was in the low thirties, whereas Europeans had an average lifespan of about 40 years. This superiority was further enhanced with the development of multiple-shot rifles and revolvers.

The colonists made attempts to assimilate the Aborigines into the new society, but it was not always successful. Many Aborigines chose to join police units and engage in retaliatory attacks against other tribes. Female mistreatment is often cited as the cause of colonial oppression, overlooking its presence within pre-existing cultural practices.

It is essential to consider historical events in their proper context and not impose modern perspectives on past occurrences. By examining multiple accounts and evaluating the evidence, we can gain a more nuanced understanding of the complex interactions between Aboriginal tribes and the colonists during this period.