Custodians of Australia - Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders

Custodians of Australia1
CUSTODIANS OF AUSTRALIA
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Custodians of Australia 2
Custodians of Australia
The custodians of Australia are the Aboriginals and Torres who bear a historical heritage in
Australia long before colonization. These two groups are commonly referred to as ‘indigenous’
but the term is unpopular among them because of its generic connotation. The Aboriginal
identity is linked to the languages they speak and not the regions where they stay. They bear a
strong cultural heritage that links them regardless of their physical location. The Gunditjamara
that are custodians of Western Victoria and Yawuru who reside in Broome found in Western
Australia are examples of the various ethnicities among the Aboriginals. It is also common for
the Torres Straight and Islanders to refer to themselves according to the geographical features of
their habitation. In this regard, there are ‘saltwater people’, ‘freshwater people’, ‘rainwater
people’ among others. The name of their home island is also a common reference point among
the TSI in reference to their home.
About the TSI
The indigenous Australians are believed to belong to a common ancestry. Studies have
linked their identity to the Malanesian and Papuan people. There have also been links to an
Asian heritage and European culture. Some scholars have linked the migration of the native
Australians from Papua New Guinea about 32000 years back1. Philippines has also been cited as
the possible origin of the TSI people before they made their entry into Australia. In an intriguing
study carried out in 2011, scientists discovered a connection between the genetic material of the
people residing in Papua, Mamanwa and the Denisowans of Asia. This study suggests that there
is a possibility of interbreeding between the people of these cultural heritages at some point in
history. A 2012 study also proposes that there was a possible genetic transfer from India to
Australia more than four thousand years back.
Traditionally, the Aboriginal people foraged the land and were hunters and gatherers. In this
connection, they lived semi-nomadic lifestyles where they changed location depending on the
availability of food. However, the various groups of the natives lived diverse lives with some
choosing a settled life where they practiced agriculture. Prior to the European occupation, some
Aboriginal populations engaged in fish trade with the Makassan businessmen who hailed from
Indonesia.
The Australian traditional inhabitants have practiced Animism as a religion and subscribe to the
doctrine of ‘dreaming’. The dreaming belief is steeped in the Australian oral traditional values
that ascribe prime importance to land. With the interaction of various cultures, various forms of
1 Prescott, D., Colliver, A. and Nichols, S., 2016. The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines
Made Australia—ERRATUM. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 32(1), p.135.