Mixed Relations: Asian-Aboriginal Contact in North AustraliaThe author looks at the interactions of Australian indigenous people with Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, Malays and Afghans. Based on over 100 interviews with members of families who still form extensive networks across the continent, this book is part family stories, part historical narrative, creating a new way of looking at Australia's past. Challenging the 'white Australia' perspective as descriptive of the whole continent, the author argues that Australian settlement history starts in the north, with the well-documented Makassan trade. Both numerically and in terms of their impact on Aboriginal policy, Asians have continued to play a dominant role in the north and therefore in Australia, and are implicated in the Aboriginal Stolen Generation. |
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Aboriginal already Arnhem Land arrived Asian associated Australia became become boats born British Broome brother called camp China Chinese claimed coast coloured Creek crew cultural Darwin Department descendants employed established ethnic European father Filipino fishing five fleet followed girls half-caste identity indigenous Indonesian industry Interview Japanese Kimberley known labour Land later lived looked luggers Macassan Makassar Malay Mapoon Marege marriage married mission mixed mother moved native never Northern Territory observed official pearling police polyethnic population Port presence protection protector Queensland recorded referred relations removal residents result returned River South started station stories taken Thursday Island took Torres Strait town trade traditional trepang vessels Western woman women Yolngu