I’ve had this conversation many times over the years both online & in person. Finally just the other day I stumbled across a picture on Instagram and I thought yep, That’s it…That is exactly what Australia would look like today if colonisation had never happened.
It may only be one image that represents 1 area (Mornington Island), but I got a feeling that this kind of scene would be playing out today all around Australia if our lands were never invaded by the British. You know the saying, ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’.
When you think about it, this scene is not that different from what you are likely to find when travelling to neighboring Melanesian & Pacific Island countries who have gained Independence from their colonisers. This kind of scene can be found all around Australia in remote and regional communities today, but most non-Indigenous Australians would have no idea.
So here it is for all to see! How does it make you feel? To me, this image is a reminder of what is important in life. Our family, connection to culture, language & song, plus respect for the land.
Without colonisation, modern technology still would have found its way to our shores just like it has in countries such as Fiji, Solomon Islands & Papua New Guinea etc. Industrialisation & mining however would be nowhere near the levels that we see today and we would be better off for it. We would be happier and healthier too.
I’m looking forward to hear everyone’s thoughts in the comments below but please don’t bring up the rhetoric/argument about Japan invading. Japan’s path to becoming an enemy of Australia had its roots in the Australian governments refusal to remove the racist restrictions of the white Australia policy.
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