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Aborigines Facts

Aborigines Facts
Aborigines are the native people of Australia that have lived there for at least 50,000 years. The oldest remains of aborigines in Australia are those of Mungo Lady and Mungo Man LMS, dating back 50,000 years. Researchers continue to debate the timeline of the first aborigines in Australia, ranging from 125,000 to 52,000 years ago. There are many similarities and many differences among aborigine cultures in Australia. When the Europeans began to settle in Australia there were more than 250 aborigine languages. This has decreased to as few as 120 still in use and only 13 that are not endangered of disappearing completely. Just as in other parts of the world, explorers and settlers to Australia greatly affected the way of life of the aborigines through disease and attempts to change their way of life.
Interesting Aborigines Facts:
Many aborigine words have become common in the English language including koala, barramundi, wombat, kookaburra, taipan, and wallaby.
Aboriginal spirituality in the western world is referred to as the 'Dreaming'. The Dreaming is the past, present, and future and contains the lore and the law, knowledge, beliefs, values, and tells how the world was created.
Aboriginal culture places high value and importance on dance, storytelling, ceremony, and painting.
The aboriginal elders are responsible for keeping their culture and heritage alive. They help pass along from one generation to the next.
An Australian aborigine is someone who is a person of Torres Strait Islander descent, someone who identifies as a Torres Strait Islander or aborigine, or someone who has been accepted by the aborigine community.
In 2006 approximately 2.5% of the population in Australia identified themselves as aborigine.
There is still a gap today in the non-aborigine and aborigine people in Australia in terms of health, education, and housing.
Some of the most prominent aborigine people in Australia have included Barangaroo, Bennelong, Oodgeroo Noonuccal, Mick Dodson, Sally Morgan, Charles Perkins, and many others.
When the British colonized New South Wales in the 1700s, they determined that the aborigines did not own the land. In 1992 the High Court of Australia overturned this. This is referred to as the Mabo decision. Today if they can prove the land in question has been used by aborigines they are able to claim it.
Aborigines have curved and straight boomerangs for hunting. The curved boomerang is able to return while the straight version does not.
Aborigines have high rates of disability due to kidney disease and diabetes. Aborigines smoke and suffer from obesity at higher rates than non-aborigines as well.
The rate of suicide among aborigines was reported 'catastrophic' in 2017. Healthcare is severely lacking and infectious diseases in rural areas are prevalent.
Aborigines tend to consume diets lacking nutrition because of the high cost of food. Prior to colonization their diets kept them quite healthy, but today they often consume too many carbohydrates and not enough fruits and vegetables.
By 2006 it was estimated that approximately 30% of the aborigine population were living in major cities, 24% in remote areas, and the remaining in regional areas of the country.


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