HIST106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Pearl Hunting
HIST106 Lecture Notes Monday 18th September 2017
Indigenous Labour
- Regulations that controlled Indigenous Labour were introduced at the same time as
regulations controlling the removal of children and missions and reserves.
- Stolen wages campaign
Two central arguments
- Indigenous work has continually contributed to the growth, development, and the
protection of the Australian nation
o Incl. military service
- Indigenous Australian workers have been targeted by discrimination,
disproportionate regulation, and the defrauding of wages and benefits (20th century)
o Targets of forced labour, particularly in the 19th century
Indigenous labour: complicating the narrative
- The story of Australia is often told in terms of white achievements:
o Intrepid explorers
▪ Establish new sites for farming
o Hardy pioneers
▪ Especially the pastoralists
o The brave and selfless ANZACS bread in the country
- There are truths and myths in this narrative
- Indigenous Australians were vital parts of every stage of this story (not just
antagonists or victims)
o Fought on the frontier with the white ANZACS.
o Negotiated with the white pastoralists
o The Indigenous Australians were never equal in labour
- Shortage of labour or desire for cheap labour led to high demand for Indigenous
workers
- Laour as far the ost iportat eleet of ehage etee settlers ad
idigees Reolds, , p.7
Examples of Indigenous Labour
- Cattle experts: Indigenous Australians were key contributors to the pastoral industry
– labour was a point of negotiation in the 19th century
o If they contributed labour, their families were often able to stay close to their
land.
o Relationships came with white advantage, but Indigenous Australians could
still benefit
o However, this bargain only worked when Indigenous labour was cheap.
o Once it was decreed that Indigenous Australians were to be paid the same
rates as white, more became unemployed. This shows how fragile the
relationship between the two races was as, once labour was more expensive,
it shattered
- Fishermen and pearl divers in the tropical regions
- Domestic servants, nursemaids, gardeners
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Document Summary
Regulations that controlled indigenous labour were introduced at the same time as regulations controlling the removal of children and missions and reserves. Indigenous work has continually contributed to the growth, development, and the protection of the australian nation. Indigenous australian workers have been targeted by discrimination, disproportionate regulation, and the defrauding of wages and benefits (20th century: targets of forced labour, particularly in the 19th century. The story of australia is often told in terms of white achievements: Intrepid explorers: establish new sites for farming, hardy pioneers, especially the pastoralists, the brave and selfless anzacs bread in the country. There are truths and myths in this narrative. Indigenous australians were vital parts of every stage of this story (not just antagonists or victims: fought on the frontier with the white anzacs, negotiated with the white pastoralists, the indigenous australians were never equal in labour.
