Congratulations Professor Anya Reading!
RST Apology to Tasmanian Aboriginal people 2021.
RST Apology to Tasmanian Aboriginal people 2021.
Much has been written, theorised and assumed about Tasmanian Aboriginal peoples and histories, but few representations of their life and culture have been recorded by the subjects themselves. This paper reiterates and expands on the conclusions drawn in previous work that tells the little-known history of the genesis of Tasmaniaâ’s contemporary Aboriginal communities. The lifeworld and identity of the unique cultural group formed by the Straitsmen and their female Aboriginal partners, the Tyereelore, on the small islands of eastern Bass Strait, has remained virtually undisclosed in colonial narratives. They were entrepreneurs and shrewd traders of the surplus from the sea and land and in partnership they thrived despite the harsh environment and their precarious position in the socio-economic landscape. Against all odds, their joint skillsets, adaptability and resilience ensured the survival of their descendants today.
Straitsmen, Tyereelore, Tasmanian Aboriginal history, Bass Strait islands, George Augustus Robinson
Published Papers
The Royal Society of Tasmania acknowledges, with deep respect, the traditional owners of this land, and the ongoing custodianship of the Aboriginal people of Tasmania. The Society pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge that Tasmanian Aboriginal Peoples have survived severe and unjust impacts resulting from invasion and dispossession of their Country. As an institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, the Royal Society of Tasmania recognises Aboriginal cultural knowledge and practices and seeks to respect and honour these traditions and the deep understanding they represent.
On 15 February 2021, the Royal Society of Tasmania offered a formal Apology to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
