Timothy Bottoms (2)

Timothy Bottoms' thoroughly researched and documented book tells of a shameful period of Queensland history, spanning the 1820s to about the First World War.

As European (British) migration spread throughout Queensland (first as the northern part of NSW, later as a colony in its own right) squatters, farmers who simply claim land with the approval of the government, had to deal with the aboriginal people who were already living there. In many cases, this meant exterminating them, by poisoning or more directly by shooting them.

Directly involved in the 'dispersals' were the Native Police - indigenous men from other language groups who it seems were extraordinarily bloodthirsty in their efforts to appease their white masters.

That so many instances were reported in the press of the time, often with horror, it seems unbelievable that the government of the time was ineffectual in stopping the slaughter, leaving one to conclude that they, too, were implicated, if not directly, then certainly by omission.

Virtually none of this history is taught in our schools. Next to no one, in the non-Indigenous community would be aware of the extent of the horrors perpetrated in the invasion of our nation.

I am pleased I read this, but so ashamed of what my ancestors did.… (más)