Will you take a few moments of your time to learn and honor a valuable piece of Australian history?
Entrepreneurship and technology that fell out of historical accounts in the 20th century, untaught and forgotten?
Did you know Aboriginal and European people built the economy of Victoria together?
Did you know there were no bridges in Victoria in the 1800’s?
Did you know Aboriginal people in Stringy bark canoes helped transport European people and goods across rivers?
Did you know many Europeans and migrants were saved by Aboriginal people?
Just recently there was an analysis of Victorian parliament that found the representation of women in parliament at a low but also that Indigenous representation out of a state population of 0.8% to a be at 0%. This example given by Victoria is not one that makes any other stand above Victoria in the recognition and sharing of power with Indigenous people. Indigenous Australians are still pushed aside like nobodies and non-contributors. The true power and say over Australia is still not shared as the “Australian” brothers and sisters we claim or are expected to walk down the street daily and say we are.
“Majority of Australians do not know their own history”
Taking note and sharing Australian history
You cannot look at any part of Australian History without finding Indigenous Australians attached to it like glue. The good and the bad. Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians are chained together in Australia’s Foundation records and the key has been thrown away. Every industry, economy, war had Indigenous sweat,hands and lives behind it too. That contribution stands out and demands a respect of us today if we truly are going to walk together as “Australian” brothers and sisters.
This recognition cannot be something we just talk about, yet walk past each other on the street or do not sit down with each other at school. uni, work. These conversations also need to go beyond any Aboriginal group, community or family. Indigenous Australians are sharing and caring people, not suicide bombers or a group of people out to target another group of people because of past actions. Indigenous Australians simply would like non-Indigenous Australians to care about and share with them as brothers and sisters. Is it wrong that i often question and ask myself if we are simply stuck in our own humanity? I still do not see the same human concern, loyalty and love shown to Indigenous people as they have shown to Australia all through our history.
Stringy Bark Canoes and how we built Victoria Together
Most of the times when a conversation arises on Indigenous history many Non-Indigenous Australians will jump to the conclusion of the conversation leading straight to massacres and mistreatment. Well that is part of the Australian Story, one that binds us together as Australians, and one that can not be forgotten. This however is a slighty different part of Australian History you may not have heard, and a part you were certainly not taught in our schools system growing up in Australia. A part of Australian history that has been shelved and forgotten for 100 years.
Aboriginal people managed the waterways across Australia. In Victoria there are Aboriginal made Stone Fish Traps and water ecology sites that predate Stonehenge and the Pyramids. Victorian History floats on Stringy Bark canoes across flooded rivers.
Being just one great social and economical example of Indigenous contribution in Australia’s foundation, the recent documentary ‘Seeing the land from an aboriginal canoe’ . sheds light on the history of Victoria. One of the film makers Lucinda Horrocks highlightshow Indigenous people made a significant contribution to the early economy of Victoria in the 1800’s, with canoes being used as transport to help the new European arrivals.
“In a really crucial way Aboriginal people were part of the foundation and the mapping out of Victoria as we know it today” Lucinda Horrocks film maker behind Seeing the land from an Aboriginal canoe on Culture Victoria
During the arrival of Europeans and migrants to Victoria in the early 1800’s it was the Entrepreneurship of Aboriginal people who helped to build Victoria. There were no bridges built-in Victoria back then. The flooding made it hard for any straight up settlement. There would have been no Victoria as we know today without the help of Aboriginal people and their Stringy Bark canoes. Aboriginal people were your postal service, e-commerce deliverer, bus and taxi service in the 1800’s. They worked transporting all New arrivals and goods across Victoria. They helped to establish the major trade and transport system that built Victoria.
Aboriginal people guided people cattle, pets across the Murray. In one instance even a “Piano” was spoken of being ferried. Alfred Howitt conducting geological research wrote on how he depended on Aboriginal guides to build and man canoes for ferrying the exploration team across rivers.
Many of the European and Migrants arriving to Victoria did not often how to swim. Aboriginal people would ferry them in their canoes.
Photo Courtesy Culture Victoria
When Victoria flooded many would lose their lives and find themself trapped in flood waters. It was Aboriginal people who would be there to help and save many of these Europeans and early migrants. These were much different times to live a life being classed as an Aboriginal person in Australia. Even through the pain and struggle aboriginal people faced that had been brought with the new arrivals to their country, they were still standing there as an Australian brother or sister when a non-aboriginal Australian brother and sister needed them.
There is a case of an Aboriginal man going out on his canoe during what is known as one of the worst floods in Australia’s history and saving many Europeans and migrants. During ragging waters he plucked many hanging on to their houses or roof tops, saving them from almost certain death and risking his own life. He walked away not asking for no reward or payment.
Photo Culture Victoria
Aboriginal ‘Wonder Women’ and a female Australian hero of her time.
Another notable case is of an Aboriginal woman and her stringy bark canoe who saved a group of men at Moe (Central Gippsland, Eastern Victoria) This European over-landing party in the 1870s who were afraid to cross the flooded water and had eaten all their supplies, were found and saved by an Aboriginal woman. When she heard them ‘cooeeing’ she crossed the flooded waters “twice over” bringing them tea, sugar and damper.These travellers depended on this woman’s canoeing and bush skills for their lives.
The representation of women in Parliament should have improved decades ago. The role that women have played in the foundation of Australia sits in the same line of script in the story of the Australian male. We should be well past the time of women’s non inclusion. Are we still living in a time when Australian women had hardly any say and were not even included in Australia’s National anthem? It seems like it when the inclusion of Indigenous Australians in our National song is still totally lacking today. Are we really taking steps forward or backwards as “Australians”?
The examples given by Aboriginal people have been left to remind us of our history and how Victoria is an example of how Australia was built together. Examples that go right into the Gold rush times and how the Aboriginal canoe transport and trade system still played a major role. It is time to re-write our history together as Australians.
This is what taking note and sharing Australian History would look like. This is what One Australia looks>
Aboriginal and Non- Aboriginal Australians “share” moments in Australian history that stand out and demand a respect of how we remember the building of our country. A respect that demands many Australians to go beyond their first conclusions when hearing a conversation involving Indigenous people in Australian History.
We need you to go beyond the common “one of those aboriginal history moments, here we go again thoughts. Beyond the “ why don’t you just forget the past and get over it conversations”
It is not just an aboriginal or Indigenous history moment of Australian history, and we do not have to get over anything. We share a history together as Australians today so why don’t we start to recognize and teach that fact in our school system?
We are “Australian brothers and sisters” so why don’t we start acting liking it instead of walking past each other on the street and not inviting each other to sit at our dinner table. This history should be taught to every Australian of the future that is currently sitting in Australian school chair.
There can only be One Australia if the children know and understand their history. Teaching the kids what we were failed to be taught in school is correcting the mistakes and the only way to a bright Australian future together.
Time to re-teach the teachers!
We recognize the traditional owners and Elders of all Victorian Aboriginal groups. We write as contributors to sharing Indigenous Australian History.
If you would like to take a moment and learn a bit more of this history, you can find all the information below at Culture Victoria
The creation of the Boomerang is no mystery. Continuous significant evidence has placed the Boomerang in the hands of aboriginal people for over 30,000 years. Partial evidence does not over weigh the continuous knowledge of Aerodynamics and attributes to create this ancient tool and weapon as seen “demonstrated” by aboriginal people.
The Boomerang stands above the title of only Projectile object.
Boomerangs found around the world have no significant attributes and continuous evidence of creation to be classed as Boomerangs
Mammoth’s tusk vs Preserved Wood?
All types of Boomerangs, including projectile objects considered as Boomerangs can be found in Australia.
The number 7 Boomerang and returning Boomerang are unique to Australia, backed by continuous evidence.
Aboriginal people have Cultural connection to the Boomerang
The returning Boomerang would have been used more than 30,000 years ago in Australia.
What is a Projectile Object?
A throwing object. I always say [A throwing stick is a throwing stick, but a ‘Boomerang’ is a Boomerang] Many articles will explain this ancient tool and weapon by classing it as only a ‘throwing stick’. Doing so strips away the origin of this ancient creation. The focus is lost by this placement or attachment to a category. The Boomerang is unique, therefore also has a category of its own. The attributes in order to make a “Boomerang” go beyond any other throwing stick created by modern man. If a Boomerang is just another throwing stick, then it is the most unusual and inspiring throwing stick known to humanity. The mysterious information over the past decades about the Boomerang has produced no substantial evidence. The partial evidence does not overwhelm the demonstrated evidence aboriginal people have placed in front of us for ten of thousands of years.
Aboriginal people introduced the Boomerang to Europeans over 200 years ago. No European scholar wrote about the Boomerang being a common known object before then. The introduction of the Boomerang by aboriginal people is what inspired European scholars to study and write about the Boomerang. The knowledge gained from the aboriginal introduction of the Boomerang, is what got us to where we are in understanding propelled flight today.
Boomerang use around the world.
More commonly when reading about any ancient invention the first paragraph will more than often take us back a few thousand years with reference to Ancient Egypt. A highlight of ‘King Tut’ and the famous collection of Boomerangs found in his tomb is a shining example here.
The evidence of human presence in Australia shows a culture alive almost 14 times before there was a great civilisation in Egypt. Evidence that also illustrates and demonstrates the use of this ancient tool and weapon continuously over tens of thousands of years.
There are Egyptian hieroglyphs carved in Australia.
Coins found in Queensland that date back to the time of Ptolemy IV in Egypt.
Coins from East Africa found in the Northern Territory dated back 900 years ago,
Stone engineering done in Australia 45,000 years before there was an Egypt.
Stone carvings done in Australia 45,000 years before a Sumerian tablet text or Egyptian Hieroglyph.
Why were there Boomerangs in King Tut’s tomb? More than likely a trade happened sometime long ago. Aboriginal elders have told me how the ancestors seen ships coming to Australia even before 230 years ago.
The extent of Boomerangs found in Egypt is but a sample of the collection of aboriginal crafted Boomerangs in Australia. Nowhere else will you see this “projectile object” master crafted.
Other throwing sticks that are suggested as Boomerangs have been found in India, Europe and one used by First Nation Americans known as the ‘Valai tadis’ that dates back around 9000 years. Nothing quiet as Ancient and diverse as seen by aboriginal Australia, and with no continuous use or advancement. Besides the highlight 30,000 year old suggestion in Poland, the other finds in Europe again only date back to around the time of Ptolemy IV or the time now known as Ancient Egypt.
Skeletal remains and DNA findings show links from Amazon groups and people of the Andaman Islands to aboriginal Australians. Researchers have now suggested that aboriginal Australians sailed with certain currents across to South America, perhaps up to 20,000 years ago. Are most of these projectile objects really Boomerangs, or are they traded knowledge at some point in our human history? Out of all the suggestion at work here, nothing holds up quiet like the continuous examples given in Australia.
Evidence in Poland
Three decades ago, a throwing object suggested to be a Boomerang was found made from Mammoths tusk in Poland’s Carpathian Mountains. It was declared The world’s oldest boomerang, estimated to be up to 30,000 years old. This one time find, along with 30 years of suggestion seems to overwhelm the significant continuous evidence produced by aboriginal people. Evidence still seen today that has also been demonstrated in the Boomerang’s specific and unique crafting passed on for tens of thousands of years. The Poland Boomerang is clearly a by chance designed throwing stick. It does not hold the same attributes as Boomerangs, nor is there any evidence of continuous use and production. Mammoth Boomerangs should be found commonly in comparison to wooden aboriginal Boomerangs
We should have seen this tool well designed and advanced by the Ostrogoths and Visigoths if this was a common tool or weapon in Europe. It would be seen represented as more than a picture in a Sumerian text or collection in King Tut’s tomb. There should be common practise and well designed examples of the Boomerang being found in Europe and elsewhere even made from Bronze and Iron, all through the stages of human history. Aboriginal people did not produce metal as it is forbidden in aboriginal culture to rob the earth of the minerals. Not that they did not know of metal or gems, [Gems that were found be aboriginal people were often used for magic] But to create metal objects continuously, would be continuously breaking the Lore. The strength in the Poland Boomerang that places a piece of Ivory 30,000 years old over a piece of 20,000 years old preserved wood is a weak or lazy scholarly comparison.
Substantial Original Australian evidence of creation,innovation, spiritual connection and continuous use.
The Boomerang is a traditional tool and weapon that carries many different aboriginal names and stories. Their substantial evidence of creation and use stands well above Boomerangs found elsewhere. The culture is still alive today, and the people are still here to tell their story.
Corroboree’ in the late 19th century (Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW – GPO 1 18775)
Creating the first innovation of propelled flight.
Boomerang types
All Boomerang types can be found in Australia. You can not find a collection that demonstrates such ownership and such precision crafted generational knowledge of an object. The Oldest Boomerang so far found is just over 20,000 years old made of “preserved wood” and luckily found in a swamp. How many examples can we find of wood that are over the 30,000 years compared to pieces of Ivory still scattered on the earth without more of these lucky finds?
Majority of Boomerangs in Australia were used for hunting or combat, if not they were used for cultural practice, this includes the returning Boomerang which was also used for hunting and teaching. (Not only a toy) Taking the time to create a Boomerang with absolutely no hunting, combat, or cultural use would be pointless to the original wood and stone craftsman of Australia.
Image attribute the South Australia Museum
Hunting Boomerangs (Including the returning Boomerang)
Most Boomerangs do not return. Club Boomerangs had different uses and designs but are still simply a throwing stick in comparison to highlight Boomerangs like the Returning Boomerang, Killer Boomerang, and Hook Boomerang, all are crafted with a unique design. The Aboriginal males arsenal of Boomerangs is like any gun users choice or preference, or any Samurai’s collection and connection to his blade.
The Killer Boomerang does not return but was used mainly for hunting and the most common traded across Australia. The Aerodynamic design of this Boomerang flies with force and precision and could kill an animal, break a leg, but also fly higher than the Hook Boomerang. The Aerodynamic design of the Killer Boomerang is what gave the aboriginal mind the blueprint for the Returning Boomerang.
The Hook Boomerang (Number 7 Boomerang) originated in the Centre of Australia and only traded out to certain other surrounding areas. You do not find examples of this craftwork anywhere else in the world. Also not a returning Boomerang, it is however the most dangerous Boomerang of them all. It propels with such a force and such precision that no animal, aboriginal person or their shield can block/stop the whole effect of its impact. Also used in combat, this Boomerang is a deadly weapon. Many people are willing to pay a high dollar price to get their hands on a “real number 7 Boomerang” An essential to any collector of historical “modern man-made weapons”
Traditional Number 7 Boomerangs are rare, and are not easy at all to make. The process is one that could also be devastating to the country if attempted to be mass-produced.
The returning Boomerang was also used for hunting, however not an impact weapon, but a tool of fright that would help trap prey by illusion. Commonly used for hunting Water Birds. In N.S.W aboriginal people used Fibres from bark of plants like the Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) to make nets for bird traps. They would tie the net across a river or stream, then fly the Boomerang over the top of a flock of birds. As the Boomerang would hover in the air it would create an illusion of a Hawk flying above, forcing the birds to fly down into the net.
picture attribute Australian National Botanic Gardens
The unique and perfectly crafted shape of every returning Boomerang found crafted by aboriginal people demonstrates aspects of modern Aerodynamics that is rooted or deeply embedded in the culture. Planes are based on the asymmetrical lift principle of this ancient aboriginal invention. This is generational knowledge and mastery. You do not find the returning Boomerang anywhere else in the world with demonstrated generational precision design.
These suggested Boomerangs pop up out of nowhere and are never found demonstrated again. The Boomerang is such a unique object, why would you not advance and embed the creation into your culture if your were the one who created it? The examples should be piling up by now.
Cultural Connection, Rock Art and Artefacts
Cultural Connection
Most Boomerangs are also used for spiritual and cultural practise. They are used in song dance as a musical instrument and also to tell story. All have a spiritual aspect attached. The Cross – Boomerang was not for hunting, but used in order to pass on story. Think of it like a prop in a play. The prop helps to explain an important aspect of the story with drama so to have more impact on the viewer. The idea of the Boomerang was originally given to aboriginal ancestors through the culture and lore itself and is told in stories and lore across the country. The connection of the Boomerang to aboriginal culture is like a Christians connection to a wooden cross. There is meaning and story behind that symbol. Aboriginal people have been making ancient tools for tens of thousands of years that have spiritual and symbolic meaning behind them.
‘Cross Boomerang from Cairns region’ Attribute Australian Museum
Aboriginal culture has a narrative and connection to the “non-physical” that overwhelms many non-indigenous. It also contains verses that sometimes defy the known religious views imbued of understanding the “non-physical” today. Aboriginal spiritual healing and magic is more than often passed off as ‘Hocus Pocus’ ‘Mumbo Jumbo’ superstition etc.
A spear or Boomerang is not an original, or does not contain real power if it has not had elements of lore spiritually placed into it. Paintings and carvings on objects or even methods of craft also explain spiritual connection and story, These objects are something not obtained just by the amount of money you pull out of your wallet, but something you can learn, but can only be given by aboriginal people themselves.
Our original crafts are being exploited at such a high rate today. You can consider all the Boomerangs, didgeridoos etc you buy in the shops are fake unless you are buying them from aboriginal people.
Rock Art
With over 100,000 rock art sites across Australia, more than anywhere else in the world, Boomerangs are well illustrated. There are also many unknown or not seen rock art sites. There are paintings of Boomerangs at sites that have been dated over 50,000 years old. Dates for rock art sites in Kakadu are still being determined after decades of research. Many academics suggest they are the oldest examples of rock art in the world.
There is rock art battle scenes that depict Boomerangs. Rock Art in most of these areas of have still not yet determined. The dates for the unique Kimberley Gwion Gwion Art are still unknown. One thing the new evidence does show, is that aboriginal people did paint the rock art, not no foreign visitors. The same style of Art now found in places it should not be shows aboriginal story connection. These findings stand out just like the majority of aboriginal evidence does.
There are depictions of Boomerangs in Arnhem land N.T, In Canarvon Gorge Qld and many more sites across Australia that clearly show the connection the Boomerang has to the Original people. Petroglyphs sites across Australia predate Sumerian tablets or Egyptian text up to ten times.
Aboriginal people are still here today to explain their stories, tools and weapons.
Aboriginal Farming and agriculture goes back over 30,000 years. The first Europeans who arrived in Australia landed on an Estate that could compare to any Royal or Lord’s garden in England. (The Biggest Estate on earth) Aboriginal grain farming and Bread making took place in Australia more likely before Europe and certainly before any great civilization in Egypt. Grinding stones found in Australia are of the oldest in the world. There are fish traps and water ecology sites known to be 50,000 years old.The mind to create the “Returning Boomerang” came from those who had been using the Boomerang continuously. The precision generational knowledge of this craft has never stopped. The evidence today of farming and agriculture points out that aboriginal people could very well have been using the Returning Boomerang for hunting Water Birds before 30,000 years ago.
Evidence now shows that aboriginal people already inhabited arid Australia and as far as the Flinders Rangers (South Australia) 50,000 years ago. Kakadu Western has one of the biggest collection of artefacts in the world with dates of 60,000 years old. Included is the oldest ground axe in the world. [Throughout Australasia ground axes are found at ages greater than 20,000 years; in Europe, Africa and West Asia, the oldest ground axes are 8,000-9,000 years old]
Aboriginal people are still here to tell their story today. The overwhelming evidence they have left behind clearly stands above a one time find in Poland 30 years ago. Findings of a piece of Ivory not a great deal older than the “preserved wooded Boomerang’ in Australia. Aboriginal people demonstrate the knowledge of creation and the full use of this ancient tool. A knowledge passed on through their DNA. The same DNA that inspired the Australian ‘Leonardo Da Vinci ‘ David Unaipon [The man on the Australian $50 note] This brilliant aboriginal Australian inventor had the concept of the Helicopter two decades before others based on the Boomerang.
“The ancient evidence Original Australians have left behind is part of the human history archive”
This Original Australian history Timeline is an illustrated example of Original Australian History that demands you stop and look.
A couple of months back we came across an Aboriginal history timeline by Administrator and researcher for the Original People Online Jason Hartwig. The perspective of the timeline blew our mind, so we shared the example to our new twitter page. The amazing response it received came as a surprise, drawing the attention of many in the education department and other areas. The response had Jason overwhelmed but also more focused on sharing his timeline work today.
We thought we would share one of the quick timeline examples we did up of Aboriginal History based on the dates of major events in world history as we know today 😮 pic.twitter.com/FNpTwnVGb7
Jason Hartwig has a background as an Indigenous Performing Artist, Model, Tour Guide and much more. His focus today, is sharing Indigenous life and culture with the world. Much of his research done on history is for the Original People Online. Jason put things into perspective when he explained his timeline to the team.
“My first timeline was only a draft i was playing around with so i could use it in a talk. I did not know it would receive the compliments and response it did. I had to go back and correct a few things to make it a lot more accurate”
” I love to learn about and share our history. Over the years i found so much lacking in the recognition of Original Australian history. The ancient evidence Original Australians have left behind is part of the human history archive, i wanted to create a timeline that would simply show that significance, and the place the Original people of Australia hold in world history”
The Timeline tweeted back in September was a draft Jason was working on. So it was questioned, and had us having to explain or defend. Jason pointed out that there was a few corrections to be made, but also much more he could add.He told us: [It is only a draft, people may nit pick, but that will not change the significance aboriginal Australians hold in world history. That is the sole purpose of the timeline]
The wonderful response and requests has led to the release of an updated and official timeline titled ‘Original People of Australia History Timeline. Also a new ‘Working with Stone History timeline’. Both are available in various sizes starting at $27.95here
Jason’s response: I would like to thank everyone for their support of my work and sharing the importance of Aboriginal history.
I heard a whisper just the other day of an Australian Timeline now being made that no one has seen before. Would you like to see that one?
The Burrup Peninsula rock library in Western Australia holds the oldest known carved image of a human face.
“Murujuga is a stride in the footsteps of human history”
45,000 years before a Sumerian text, Egyptian Hieroglyph or Tablets were carved.
38,000 years before any carvings found at Gobekli Tepe.
Largest Petroglyph site in the world.
Over a million rocks carved, stretched over 100 kilometers.
The oldest known carved image of a human face
“This unique and special place must be protected”
The Sacred Site
The Burrup Peninsula is an island off the Dampier Archipelago, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Murujuga, known to the original people, is part of Ngarluma Country, along with the member groups Yinjibarndi, Yaburara, Mardudhunera and Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo who make up the Murujuga Corporation. Their ancestors have been carving their stories on the rocks and working with stone for tens of thousands of years. There are standing stones, middens, Artefact scatters and more found at Murujuga.
Rock carvings containing many different images, some are of animals and tracks, maps, extinct megafauna and images of the Tasmanian tiger now extinct to the area. A major find being the oldest known carved depiction of a human face in the world. There are over a million motifs carved across 100 kilometers on the Burrup Peninsula. The largest known petroglpyh site in the world.
Like the many other rock art sites across Australia, the uniqueness in this library is the fact that aboriginal people are still here today to tell us the story. Some of the carvings are of ancestral beings still related to the lore the people today. Standing stones are a part fish management and agriculture. The cultural connection aboriginal people still have to the area, makes the stories told at the largest Petroglyph site in the world much more ‘alive’. Murujuga is a special and sacred place that demands world protection. “A stride in the footsteps of human history”
“This is a bible that’s been left for the Aboriginal people” ( Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo Aboriginal elder Wilfred Hicks featured in The Sydney Morning Herald)
Potential Damage and Neglect
Right on the doorstep of this special and sacred place are the threatening Industrial emissions creating Gas and Ammonia factories. Findings have suggested that the Murujuga Art could be destroyed within this century. Only recently have some taken the time to look into the real protection of this unique archive of recorded human history.
Ammonium nitrate plant.
In 2018 Australia, it is fair to say that Preserving Australian History still seems to be one of priority and value ‘only’ if it occurred within the last 230 years, not one of human history. The lack of concern and effort until recently to even look at having this sacred place of human significance listed as a world heritage site, demonstrates the view and value Murujuga and other significant Indigenous sites hold in Australia.
The Significance
The recordings left behind by the ancestors at the Murujuga rock library depict two distinct periods in human history, showing occupation through 50,000 years of environmental change:
The Dates
Aboriginal Australians were already settled and living in the Murujuga area 50,000 years ago [Recent findings show that Original Australians were already living in Coastal Western Australia, Central and South Australia 50,000 years ago, as far as the Flinders Ranges]
Aboriginal people still occupied the area 30,000-18,000 years ago, during the last Ice age, and when the coastline was over 150 km further out. The Murujuga ancestors have left evidence of their presence all the way through the end of the Pleistocene.
Stories carved in stone
Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Sumerian Text date back roughly 5000 years.
The new find at Gobekli Tepe dates back just over 11,000 years ago.
Rock carving dates and distinct periods at Murujuga stand out in significance compared to other known text and spiritual recordings found in modern humans history.
Early Sumerian carvingsEarly Egyptian Carvings
Murujuga
Since the most ancient times in human history, aboriginal Australians have been recording story and history right across Australia. More recent recordings found in Pilbara petroglpyhs depict the arrival of Europeans to Australia. This style of European character Depiction in rock art can also been found elsewhere across Australia.
Stone carvings found at Gobekili Tepe have now been said to confirm a comet striketo the earth 11,000 years ago. The Original people of Murujuga still being here adds more detail and strength in the meaning of the story being told about these ancient carvings. A person giving their interpretation on a culture they have no connection to, or do not really know about is not quiet the same.
Aboriginal Australians have more the 100,000 rock art sites across Australia, more than anywhere in the world. The stories recorded at these sacred sites have explained many eventsof the earth’s history. Findings of two volcanic eruptions that took place roughly 7000 and 10,000 years ago in Australia has now proven aboriginal oral history and story true, The findings show us how aboriginal people have passed on knowledge for 230 generations.
Acknowledgement to the Murujuga Corporation, Ngarluma Country, along with the member groups Yinjibarndi, Yaburara, Mardudhunera and Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo.
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basic design for a helicopter by 1914, 22 years before the first operational helicopter in 1936.
The Boomerang,is an ancient tool/weapon, crafted and mastered by the Original People of Australia. [The Boomerang is humans first innovation of propelled flight]
The Helicopter,is an aircraft that uses rotating, or spinning, wings called blades to fly.
The Australian $50 note (On the back) A portrait of Edith Cowan, first female member of any Australian parliament.
(On the front) Is a portrait of an aboriginal Australian author, inventor and great mind of his time, along with drawings from one of his inventions.
MeetDavid Unaipon,[The Boomerang, $50 note and Helicopter share a notable interaction in history with this man]
Mainly known as the man on our $50 note, but all of Australia should take [note] the next time you pull a yellow back out of your wallet, purse, pocket or bra, that you a pulling an image of “The AustralianLeonardo Da Vinci” David Unaipon. The brilliant aboriginal Australian mind who also had the concept of the Helicopter two decades before others!
David made drawings of his basic design for a helicopter by 1914, 22 years before the first operational helicopter in 1936. He got the idea from how a boomerang moved through the air and applied that principle in his helicopter design.
“The boomerang is shaped to rise in the air according to the velocity with which it is propelled, and so can an aeroplane” David Unaipon, Daily Herald 1914
David Unaipon was a Ngarrindjeri (People who belong to this land). Born on 28 September 1872 at the Point McLeay Mission (Coorong, South Australia) He was a Writer, Scientist, Inventor and more. (Thought to be impossible) David’s main goal was to achieve perpetual motion, [Motion that continues indefinitely without an external energy source] In 1909 during his work on perpetual motion he patented the Mechanical motion sheep shears. His design, which converts curvilinear motion into a straight line movement, forms the basis of the operation of modern mechanical shears. Google even featured his design as one of their doodles some years back.
[An improved hand piece for sheep shearing. Patent specification. Mechanical motion. Sheep shears. No. 15,624, 1909. D. Unaipon, SA] as depicted in Aust Patent Office: Australian Official Journal of Patents. (Pictured below)
Despite this design being a new highly valuable concept that would take off widely and bring in large sums for Australia, there was no really one looking out for ‘Unaipon’. Unfortunately it was others who benefited financially from this design, not the man who designed it himself. Having a very intelligent and well presented manner of speaking English and being a known leader, Unaipon would often be refused refreshments at events, and also accommodation on his travel simply because of his aboriginal heritage. He was a part of the everyday treatment of the Ngarrindjeri and Indigenous people across the country at that time in Australia’s history. There was no escaping the color of his skin and being an ‘Autochthonous Aborigine’.
David Unaipon was also the first Aboriginal writer to be published. He wrote several articles for the Sydney Daily Telegraph. Being a known leader and spokesman within the Aboriginal community, he participated in the royal commissions and inquiries into Aboriginal issues.In 1912 he led a deputation urging government control of Point McLeay Mission; next year he gave evidence to the royal commission into Aboriginal issues and became a subscription collector for the Aborigines’ Friends’ Association.
David Unaipon compiled in a book in 1920, commission by Angus and Robertson, that was stolen and credited to Scottish anthropologist William Ramsay Smith. In 1998 it was found out that the book has a completely unchanged version of Unaipon’s Work. It has now been corrected.
Apart from modifications in the sheep shearing tool, David Unaipon made several other inventions including a motor run by centrifugal force, a multi-radial wheel and a mechanical propulsion device. In total, he applied for as many as nineteen inventions but they apparently all lapsed. He was also a “recognized” authority in ballistics. Unaipon simply could never get any financial support to develop his ideas.It is said at least 9 of his last Ideas would not succeed in funding. His aboriginal heritage at this time would have played a key part in the lack of funding, and also theft of his work.
[2018] Are we still not being taught the whole story of Australian history in our local Australian school classroom?
David Unaipon was only 13 years old when he reached out to learn what he dreamed about. With the loss of and credit taken for his work over the decades, and also the willing or unknowing ignorance of his contribution to Australian and world history, what more could the ‘Australian Leonardo Da Vinci’ have had to share and been the first to have shown us?
Young David Unaipon 1885
Acknowledgement to the descendents of this Ngarrindjeri man, and Ngarrindjeri country.
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Ever since Peter Dodds McCormick, composed ‘Advance Australia fair’ and it was first performed in Sydney on Saint Andrew’s Day, 1878. there was no mention of Indigenous Australians.
Ever since Peter Dodds McCormick, composed ‘Advance Australia fair’ and it was first performed in Sydney on Saint Andrew’s Day, 1878. there was no mention of Indigenous Australians. Feeling disregarded or erased from the pages of Australian history, Indigenous Australians have opposed the National Anthem over the past decades. Many non-Indigenous Australians are still upset or offended by such an action today. Those who concur with and support the Indigenous notion to oppose the anthem are criticized and labelled for looking beyond the level of understanding Australia’s foundation that has been imbued for 230 years . Opposing the “National Song”, is also viewed by some as disrespectful of Australian veterans, however Advance Australia Fair omits Indigenous history from start to finish of the song, the history of a people and country every Veteran in Australia fought for.
“The foundation of Australia was built off the backs of Indigenous people”
Advance Australia fair omits the history of Indigenous contribution to the foundation of Australia. The song allows Australia to ignore the Indigenous place in Australian history they so rightfully deserve. Many non-indigenous Australian brothers and sisters seem not yet willing to listen and share the whole story of Australia, one which includes the Indigenous people. The conversation on ‘Advance Australia Fair’ as the National Anthem should have been settled decades ago. The continuous denial of Indigenous people in Australian history questions the honesty in the focal view of moving forward together as “Australians”, and just how many people on the street today actually value another as an “Australian” brother or sister.
Noting just the verse first of ‘Advance Australia Fair’, there is no significant reference to Indigenous Australians for us to sing about, that is really a part of Australian history and pride:
Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free
We are not young!
We are ancient, we hold theworld’s oldest civilization ,”The Original Australians” This being the subject of “history” the Original Australians have recently shown that they hold the longest length of recorded history on the earth. Their recordings not only re-write Australian history, but also “world history”.
We are not all free!
Freedom[generally, is having an ability to act or change without constraint. A thing is “free” if it can change its state easily and is not constrained in its present]
Indigenous Australians do not have that freedom, they are still living in conditions that deny them what a world view states is a violation of human rights.
Homelessness, unemployment and what some have recently described as modern day slavery, are known examples, but young Indigenous men in Australia are also faced with the ‘highest suicide rates in the world’, with mental health disorders four toseven timesmore common in Indigenous adults than non-Indigenous. The failure over decades to report correctly on the issue of Aboriginal Deaths in Custody is also sad and shameful.
An example not commonly noted is the pressure of mental health on the individual or group related to an Indigenous death.
Indigenous Australians represent 3% the population.
Indigenous people will actually attend at least (2) or more funerals a year. (Funerals they do not attend, are because of travel or money related reasons. Most Australians can not afford to fly, drive, travel etc to many times in one year)
Members of the Indigenous community attend as many as (10) funerals each year. (They also have commitments to family and country and some families or individuals can be very pressured mentally when not being able to attend)
More Indigenous youth die before their parents do. Indigenous parents bury their children at much greater rates than non-indigenous Australians.
Is the fact many Australians avoid looking at all the factors that contribute to the mental health abuse and other Indigenous issues ignorance, or simply guided or pushed by politically motivated agendas?
Heart breaking that Indigenous children are “still” being removed at unacceptable rates, while politicians cherry pick or distort the facts of the matter. The effects can be devastating to any parent and families metal health when losing a child.
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil, our home is Girt by sea
Slavery funded the building of Australia, and the wealth for toil of our golden soil was not shared with Indigenous Australians who worked under slave conditions to help build every major industry in this country alongside the first settlers.
In an article from the Sydney Morning Herald in April 2015 that headlined: “Australia needs to own up to its slave history”Hollywood movie star Ben Affleck’s participation in an ancestry study was highlighted. The results shocked Affleck, finding out his ancestors were slave owners. Feeling ashamed and embarrassed, Affleck went to extents to hide the newly found information. The article highlights the Industries in Australia worked by Indigenous Australians under slave conditions. The historical work done by Indigenous people actually helped shape the Australia we have today. Every major Industry in this country was also built and worked with Indigenous hands, Sugar, Beef, Cotton, Gold,Railways etc. The Indigenous history of these industries is still not of any main focus or view of recognized contribution in Australia’s history today.
This time last year Indigenous contribution was not listed on any major industries website fact sheet. Being someone who reads and learns about Australia’s history, i questioned Cotton Australia, on why Indigenous Australians were not listed on the Cotton History Fact Sheetwhen they actually helped start the cotton industry in Australia.
[Fact: When slavery was abolished in America it was Australia who picked up the cotton trade to the world, it was Indigenous workers who were used to build and work the cotton right from the start]
After their next board meeting and my point had been raised, Cotton Australia had things slightly changed on the fact sheet, leading to a slight reference of Indigenous Australia. This reference now included in the Fact Sheet is only a small gesture, but also an “action” towards recognizing Indigenous contribution in Australia’s history.
Britain boast they abolished slavery on this day in 1834. The truth is that they compensated slave owners and went on to reinvent slavery. pic.twitter.com/Br5fD3t22S
One great social and economical example of Indigenous contribution in our countries history, can be seen in the documentary ‘Seeing the land from an aboriginal canoe’ .One of the film makers Lucinda Horrocks highlightshow Indigenous people made a significant contribution to the early economy of Victoria in the 1800’s, with canoes being used as transport to help the new European arrivals.
” There weren’t any bridges across rivers — rivers flooded and Europeans and new migrants to Victoria didn’t often know how to swim”
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts of beauty rich and rare
I feel a slight Irony today singing about the rich and rare beauty of our nature’s gifts. Peter McCormick did not know the ‘Australia’ he wrote about would be today failing to remove itself from the top worst extinction rates of flora and fauna in the world in just 200 years. Including the worst mammal extinctions on the planet. The Comparison of protected area in Australia based on population and population density compared to other countries around the world is a truthful guide to what is really lacking in the protection of the beauty and rareness we all sing about.
The Original Australiansand culture, have protected this land for ten of thousands of years, Their sacred sites of world significance are destroyed today, many times on purpose. Some of these sites are evidence of the oldest human presence on earth.
The Original Lore, that also protects sacred sites that was given to Indigenous people long before European arrival, is challenged . Indigenous culture has being pushed aside as just myth and superstition. Most times it is mocked, ignored or simply treated like rubbish to be thrown in the bin.
In history’s page, let every stage Advance Australia Fair
If the pages of history advance Australia, then why is there such a War on the Indigenous pages and stages?
In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair
How can Indigenous Australians be expected to rejoice and sing a song that erases their participation and contribution to advance Australia?
“It seems asking to put a few strokes of color on what is essentially today a white canvas, is a forbidden action, and one not relevant to Australian history”
A strong statement. Honest and truthful in the view of many non-indigenous Australians who wish to share an Australian history that includes Indigenous contribution to the foundation and National song. Future Australian and truth speaker 9-year old ‘Harper Neilsen’, took a stand last month and made a statement that many Australians agree with, “The song disregards Indigenous Australians, it was originally written to advance the white people”
A Brisbane schoolgirl has generated national debate, after refusing to stand for the national anthem at her school assembly. Her father has spoken to 7 News, and says he supports her taking a stand. #7Newspic.twitter.com/MXoqEU333J
Those who spoke out against Harper, were again those who only imbue other Australians with a certain level of understanding its foundation. Harper was labelled a ‘brat’ who needs a kick up the backside, and her parents criticized for promoting ‘rubbish’, or instilling their own political views in the mind of their child.
Harper said:“It took me quite a while before I decided not to stand for the national anthem at school. I started talking with my family about the anthem, and the words in it. We talked about what it might mean to different people, and I started to feel as if Indigenous Australians were being ignored”
Shame on her parents for using her as a political pawn.Stop the silly protest and stand and sing proudly your National Anthem. Refusing to stand disrespects our country and our veterans. Suspension should follow if she continues to act like a brat #qldpolhttps://t.co/F0StkeBJDa
The intelligence of humans today has excelled. Of course parents guide the subject matter, but there is no reason for a child at 9 years old today, to not be smarter by adaptation and a more formal way of learning then 100 years ago. Psychology today states a rise in I.Q test scores of 3 points every decade. We are mentally adapted to a far more complicated world today then in 1900. Formal schooling has led to gains in vocabulary and general information. Also today’s computers, phones, television allow access to information so much quicker. Our ability to attack a wider range of conceptual problems has improved. Young Harper is showing us this change and just how fast the children of today learn and adapt. With the criminal responsibility of children expected at 10 years old in Australia, how can Harper’s honest opinion be one that is only influenced and meaningless?
Everyone complaining that a 9yr old is too young to have a political opinion in a country that has its age of criminal responsibility set at only 10…
If she's almost old enough to go to jail in Australia, then she's old enough to have opinions.
Those who take umbrage at Harper Neilson’s parents teaching her ‘such rubbish’, are they the same cultural warriors who defend private religious schools because parents have a right to choose the values their kids are taught? Shouldn’t they be congratulating the Nielsen’s?
A Young, Brave, Strong, Independent, Intelligent, Truth Speaker, who’s well informed & Educated 👩🏻🎓on the Historical facts of this Country. 💛 Congrats Harper Nielsen you’re already a leader. #advanceaustraliaunfair#HarperNielsen ✊🏾🖤💛❤️👣 #Freedom ✌🏾 https://t.co/SEgOlPndpM
Indigenous Veterans had as much say over a National Anthem as anyone else in Australia. They had no say over the atrocities still being committed to their people while they fought for Australia.
Opposing the National Anthem is seen by some as being disrespectful to Australian Veterans. But many would agree, to oppose the Anthem also represents Indigenous veterans with the same pride in the values of being an Australian they fought for. [The freedom of their children,and the sharing in this country’s history] Indigenous soldiers had no choice in the national song sung back decades, either did their non-Indigenous comrade’s.
God save the Queen” (King) was the national anthem of Australia from 1788 – 1974. It was not until 1984 we had ‘Advance Australia Fair’ become the official National Anthem, also seeing a few lines in the song adjusted. The major reason being that it disregarded Australian women from the song. The representation it holds for Indigenous Australian’s however, was one disregarded and avoided from the start, and also one without choice. It has since been a topic of silence, or a one-sided story heard from politicians and media. If the song was adjusted in the past to include women, what is stopping it from being adjusted today to include the Original people of Australia?
In February 1974 the Whitlam Government, through the Australian Bureau of Statistics, held a public opinion poll to determine the popularity of the three ‘unofficial’ Australian songs: Advance Australia Fair, Waltzing Matilda and Song of Australia.
In 1974 The Bureau of statistics polled just 60,000 people of an Australian population of 13 million and around half that 60,000 chose Advance Australia fair as the national anthem over Waltzing Matilda and Song of Australia.
In 1974 the Indigenous Australian population was around 140,000 .
With such a small representation in the population in 1974 it is clear that the original people had little to no effect on these decisions,” if any were handed a ballet at all”? It was only seven years earlier that Indigenous Australian were recognized as human beings.
The Frazer government reinstated ‘God save the Queen’ as the Anthem in 1976, but also was determined to find a National Anthem for Australia after a debate in 1976 about a national song to represent Australia at the Montreal Olympics. A more extensive poll for a national song was conducted in May 1977. Again, Advance Australia Fair was the preferred song, followed by “Waltzing Matilda”, “God Save the Queen” and “Song of Australia”. It was not until 1984 we had ‘Advance Australia Fair’ become the official Anthem after ‘God save the Queen’ was made the official Royal Anthem to be played when the Australian monarch or a member of the Royal Family is present by Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen.
Over 7 million of the 8.4 million people on the electoral roll chose to vote in 1977 out of a population of 14 million.
In 1977 the Indigenous Australian population was around 160,000.
Being within the same decade as the referendum, Indigenous Australians had no significant strength in the first or second votes for a National Anthem. With a population of only 3% today they still hold no significant strength in votes or surveys conducted that are done on the entire population. The majority of support on issues concerning Indigenous people today comes from the many other Australian brothers and sisters who want Indigenous people recognized in Australian history and also the national song.
Indigenous Veterans were not allowed to enter the military service. Many Indigenous Australians had to hide, ‘lie’ about their Indigenous heritage just to be allowed to defend their country. As few would seek through because of certain circumstances, others would pretend they were Sri-Lankan, Indian etc.
[The Defence Act of 1903 stated that all males aged from 12 to 25 would receive military training; as Aboriginal Australians were not of European descent, they were exempt from military service. (It was not until 1949 that all restrictions were lifted, enabling Indigenous Australians to join the Australian military forces]Australian War Memorial – Aboriginal service during the First World War.
Many who returned home from fighting in histories early wars abroad, came home to find their people still being murdered and children being taken. Only highlighted recently, and still not fully recognized, our Indigenous Australian Veterans held key positions and made major accomplishments in the military services of Australia. The Indigenous population today are the children of those Veterans who fought with pride to be recognized as Australians. Those Indigenous servicemen and women fought for the future of their country, children, and culture. That should also include their ancestors being mentioned in the country’s national song.
It is clear that there is still an insecurity or fear still in many present day ‘Australians’. This constant linger on recognizing the Indigenous contribution to the foundation of Australia should have deteriorated long ago.
Gough Whitlam pushed to have a song that represented Australia with “distinction” In 1973, he dedicated an entire Australia Day speech to the search for a new anthem saying that it will be a “symbolic expression of our national pride and dignity”
What highlights this symbolic expression for Original Australians? What pride and dignity should they have in a song that does not include them?
Noting why Peter McCormick wrote Advance Australia Fair, what is so wrong in Indigenous Australians today questioning and wanting the exact same thing he did?
“One night I attended a great concert in the Exhibition Building, when all the National Anthems of the world were to be sung by a large choir with band accompaniment. This was very nicely done, but I felt very aggravated that there was not one note for Australia. On the way home in a bus, I concocted the first verse of my song & when I got home I set it to music” Peter Dodds McCormick
What are Indigenous Australians asking for?
Indigenous Australians are asking our non Indigenous Australian brothers and sisters to learn more about the “contributing “facts” of Indigenous issues today. Just learning a “cherry picked fact” used as a daily news headline by politically motivated media will not help us to learn, share and move forward together.
Indigenous Australians are asking for our non-Indigenous Australian brothers and sisters to take the time and learn more about the Indigenous place in our country’s history. [Harper’s] look through the Indigenous lens tells us, no matter how much the truth confronts us, we should never just turn away, or push our history aside. History was recorded to show us the steps we took in the past, but also gives us the tools we need to walk together into the future.
“Slavery is a part of Australian history, as much as the Shearer, the convict and the Anzac” And, like Affleck, “we need to stop living in denial of our own racist past”. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Indigenous Australians are asking Australia to share the pride in what was built-in Australia together, and a country every Veteran fought for.
The Original people still hold the keys to the country, They have already explained ‘before science’ that Australia [Gondwana) is “the oldest place on Earth”[Australia is the oldest piece of the Earths crust] Examples in Original Australian oral history have been proven true today, explaining the volcanic eruptions of Australia. Every morning, we ‘Australians’ are privileged to wake up in “the land where time began” Time for all non Indigenous Australia to walk alongside the oldest continuous culture on earth, with pride and dignity.
Australian Band Busby Marou released a song last year that expresses our gratitude to all our Anzacs and goes a step further to acknowledge our Indigenous men and women who served our country. The clip pays homage to all our war veterans, both indigenous and non indigenous who fought side by side. This positive example through music is a real spark of thought to a future Australian Song that represents us all with pride and dignity, and a logical step towards our future together.
“Together we will paint this land” Busby Marou
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Much older than Stonehenge, and even Gobekli Tepe, the ‘Nawarla Gabarnmung’ Stone monument in Arnhem land Australia is 50,000 years old.
Older than Stonehenge
Older than The Pyramids of Egypt.
Older than the recent find of Gobekli Tepe (9000 BC)
No evidence yet found of stone work like this elsewhere in the world ‘50,000’ years ago.
Rock Art found contains some of the oldest mystifying works of Art in the world.
Located in south-western Arnhem land Australia is a stone monument that was created by the aboriginal Australians 50,000 years ago. A part of Jawoyn country, Nawarla Gabarnmung is an incredible example of engineering a rock shelter not seen elsewhere at this period of time in ancient history. Meaning, “hole in the rock”, “passageway”, or “valley open from the centre” by the Jawoyn people, Nawarla Gabarnmung is a sacred and protected site. Jawoyn Elder, Margaret Katherine, has the responsibility of safe guarding this very special place today. The Jawoyn people have only allowed ‘Gabarnmung’ to be studied in recent years. Margaret explains how sharing knowledge with blackfullas, and whitefullas is important. Watch more >
This [Passageway] monument or “transformation of a sheltered space” that was created by the skilled hands of the Jawoyn ancestors is the oldest known example in the world of altering a stone foundation. Charcoal deposits found above the very bottom layers present a median age of 49,350 cal BP.
The work completed at Gabarnmung by these ancient engineers may not have required the precise mathematics to build a great pyramid, but still valued math and the intelligent knowledge of working with stone for a great length of time. The shelter was constructed by tunneling into a naturally eroded cliff face. The roof is 1.75m to 2.45m above floor level, supported by 50 pillars created by the natural erosion of fissure lines in the bedrock. 36 pillars were painted. Some pre-existing pillars were removed, some were reshaped and some moved to new positions. In some areas ceiling slabs were removed and repainted by the ancient Jawoyn people who used the shelter.
Looking at other major world monuments, Gabarnmung “stands out” and clearly needs to be noted for the significant contribution and example the Original people of Australia have given to human history.
Gabarnmung (48,000 BC)
Major Stone Work of the World
The Great Wall of China 600 BC
(Pyramids of Egypt)2630 BC
(Stonehenge)3100 BC
Tumulus of Bougon (France) 4,500 BC
Gobekli Tepe (Turkey) 9000 BC
“Some of the oldest rock art paintings in the world are found at Gabarnmung”
This [hole in the wall] ‘monument’ contains a historical gallery of rock art and some of the oldest full paintings in the world. Also a historical recording of human history like many other sites in the Arnhem Land area of Australia. The Artwork at Gabarnmung rivals the paintings found in France and Spain. Noting that most dates for Rock Art are questionable, so are those greater dates now suggested for France and Spain[65,000 years]
The significance of the Gabarnmung rock art is in the amazing detail. These mystifying and intriguing images demonstrate the experience of the Jawoyn Artists. The people and culture still being here today to help tell the story is what makes the works of art much more alive. The many examples found in rock painting across Australia over the past 200 years explains how the Original people have been painting since the earliest times in human History. A few years ago Smithsonian wrote an article making these comparisons of Gabarnmung:
If science can offer something to the Jawoyn, the Jawoyn have something to offer science. “We don’t have anyone to explain Chauvet Cave to us. In France, these are sites with no memory, no life. With Gabarnmung, we are lucky. There is the living culture, the memories. The Jawoyn can help us build a new knowledge.” Jean-Michel Geneste
Nawarla Gabarnmung Art (Australia)
“ Like the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling of the expansive rock shelter was a mural of breathtakingly vivid and bold works of art – hundreds of them. And the paintings extended up and down 36 remarkable sandstone columns that, like the pillars of a temple, appeared to support the cave”
Some examples found in aboriginal rock art are not found anywhere else in the world. There are over 100,00 rock art sites across Australia, the amount in excess has been unknown for years. [There are more rock art sites in Australia than anywhere else in the world] Nawarla Gabarnmung also contains images of extinct Megafauna. The significant example being the giant flightless bird, ‘Genyornis newtoni‘. Taller than a man and thought to have went extinct on the Australian continent about 45,000 years ago, the Jawoyn ancestors painted and left us a distinctive picture of Genyornis on the wall.
This depiction of Mega Fauna left behind gives measure to the time frame the Jawoyn people have been living in the Arnhem Land area.
I understand that today we have a fairly solid way to calibrate raw radiocarbon dates for the most recent 13,000 years of our planet’s past, but fragmentary data makes anything over difficult, however taking into account the “significant recordings of history” that Original people have shown across Australia since ancient times. not all their evidence is necessarily affected by calibration or date adjustment.
‘Nawarla Gabarnmung’ is the oldest known example in the world of altering a foundation, to form a shelter or monument. It was created by the hands of Jawyon ancestors who were stone engineers 50,000 years ago. Is this not the oldest example of stone mason work in the world? Well aboriginal Australians are certainly the only group of Stone Engineers found at this time in human history.
Acknowledgement to the Traditional Jawoyn People and country.
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This special place tucked away in Arnhem Land has been recording history non-stop for the last 18,000 years. Known as Djulirri by the Manganowal people, and located in the Wellington ranges of the Northern Territory, Australia, this library of rock art holds 18,000 years of recorded history. It is “the longest length of non-stop recorded history found in the world” Recording that goes back to at least 14,000 BC, and the Manganowal people only ceased painting on these walls just 60 years ago.
“Djulirri is like a library or an archive where we can go back and see the log books and diary entries about what happened here in the past. It should be preserved.” Traditional owner Ronald Lamilami
No significant history recordings will be done in Europe for at least another 10,000 years when the Manganowal people started this amazing library of information. This outstanding collection of knowledge is one to be recognized in the world history archive.Journalists a few years back who had the privilege to visit Djulirri wrote about how this remarkable archive redraws history.
The rock art at Djulirri contains paintings that are layered over the top of each other. It has up to 20 layers and over 3000 separate paintings, there is also double that amount spread across the magnificent Wellington ranges. A documentary released back in 2013 titled ‘First Footprints’ featured Djulirri:
There are three major sites of study included in the Wellington Ranges with well over 6000 paintings. [Malarrak, Maliwawa (Bald Rock), and Djulirri] Currently researchers have been focusing on dealings between Macassans and the original people of Arnhem Land, in which two sites have been found that suggest small villages or camps set up by Macassans. The 28 ships painted at Djulirri and over twice that amount of recorded vessels across all three sites, suggests original people had intimate knowledge of many foreign boats.
Such images include Prau Vessels, which refer to the period in Australian history when fleets made seasonal visits from southern Sulawesi (Macassar) Also stunning depictions of Luggers, Steamers, Naval Vessels, and even a biplane. The details of certain ships painted during the time of European occupation of Australia include the interior of the vessel which suggests the original people had been on board or may have even worked on the ships. Manganowal Traditional owner Ronald Lamilami explains Djulirri and speaks of how his great-uncle boarded a Macassan boat and traveled to Macassar failing to return home.
Depiction of a Steamer, Two Luggers, Possibly a World War 2 vessel and Biplane
Being highly likely that the original people boarded some of these vessels and a few had apparently already traveled as far as Darwin by foot, some researchers have suggested that one of the Djulirri Artist’s may have been given a magazine on a trip to Darwin containing images of the boats. and then perhaps copied the ships. Ronald explained how there was no such thing known to his people as magazines when he was young, also the depiction of this early European sailing vessel below illustrates the time of Europeans first arrival to Australia. A time when there was no such thing as magazines.
Later naval vessel and an Early European Sailing ship , also a sea turtle painted beneath millennium’s earlier.
The location where these images are painted is about 30 km inland. Taking into account the time and energy it takes for a person to walk 30 km and then go and paint what they had seen much earlier, the original people clearly had a remarkable photographic memory to be able to create such amazing and detailed depictions in art.
Noting also the characters in the paintings and how [Ronald explains them]. The original people depicted European people in their rock art as it was obviously the first time they had ever seen these people. The weight in suggestion made for many years by scholars that Europeans were living alongside aboriginal people before the 230 years ago, is about as light as a feather now learning of these remarkable images and recordings at Djulliri.
Depictions of some of the first visitors from elsewhere.
The illustrated ships of Europeans show them all with hats on and some are smoking pipes. The most important depiction in the paintings is that they all have their hands on their hips. Ronald explains of how in the mission days the superintendents would stand and speak with their hands on their hips, and how that was seen by the Manganowal people as the boss or superior over them. Something passed on from the ancestors before hand in rock art that depicted those to be weary of.
Steamer and Europeans on board.
Depictions of Europeans.
Painting from Gabarnmung hundreds of kilometers away.
There are many paintings of boats in this region and rock art around the country. This image (above) is from Gabarnmung also painted in the same style. (below) is a petroglyph with the same depiction from the Pilbara W.A. Depictions of the people you first see is one thing, but to depict their character is absolutely brilliant, this also was done with meaning and purpose. The European was viewed as someone to be weary of.
Petroglyph from the Pilbara W.A.
Djulirri is not only the number one contact rock art site in Australia and perhaps the world, but stands out in world history. Of the over 3000 paintings, prints you see x-ray art of emu’s, kangaroo’s, beeswax figures and even depictions of extinct megafauna. There are also stencils of whole birds, something not found elsewhere in the world.
Find a Quick Overview of depictions at the three sites here
Birds – 10 Aeroplane – 3
Fish -27 Bicycle – 1
Human 233 Four Wheel Horse Buggy – 1
Land mammal -28 Knife – 3
unknown – 181 Tobacco Pouch – 1
Geometric – 64 Tobacco Tin – 3
Horned Animal – 6 Smoking Pipe – 2
Building – 1 Gun – 6
Bird Stencils
Emu X-Ray painting
What could possibly be a marsupial lion, extinct for 40,000 years.
There is still much research being done and more to learn. Many more questions, suggestions and new information. One thing that cannot be taken away from Djulirri along with the many other rock art sites of Australia is the significance the aboriginal people have left behind. We just have not found certain examples of recorded history elsewhere in the world. This is remarkable contribution that should be recognized in the world history archive.
Acknowledgement to the Traditional Manganowal People and country.
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Original People Online Australia 