Compare And Contrast The Complex Affiliation Between Australia's Indigenous And Non-Indigenous People

Good morning and welcome to this esteemed leadership forum, “Australian Identities: Past, Present and Future”. I am honoured to speak with you about the complex affiliation between Australia’s indigenous and non-indigenous people. In the late 1700s, British settlers invaded Australia and formed the Eurocentric view that the original inhabitants of the land were an inferior and primitive race. This clear depiction of cultural superiority can be seen in two early colonial texts: a lithograph titled “Natives of N.S. Wales, as seen in the streets of Sydney” by travel artist Augustus Earle; and a 1793 letter by convict artist Thomas Watling to his aunt.

Augustus Earle’s 1830 lithograph compels contemporary audiences to accept the Anglocentric idea of Aboriginal subordination. The Aborigines’ involuntary assimilation into this foreign society saw the dawn of the “grog” culture and the adoption of British clothing. This attempted integration became a satirical image for many colonial settlers.

The viewer’s eyes are immediately drawn to the Aboriginal people in the central foreground of the artwork, forming the focal point of the piece. By the early 1800s, Aborigines and Europeans were living in cohesion, however the horizontal lines in the dirt symbolise the obvious segregation between the two diverse cultures. This separation is also depicted by the British in the light, symbolising supremacy and purity; which juxtaposes the Aborigines in the dark shadows, symbolising inferiority. Earle uses subdued, earthy tones, to emphasise the Aborigines’ insignificance and to illustrate their strong connection to the land. This is evident through the Aboriginal inhabitants’ dark skin, as well as their cloth coverings which suggest being blanketed by British culture. In contrast, the bright colours of the settlers’ clothing symbolise their