Colonisation

Men in trousers first came to our mraat (country) long before 1836 and the establishment of the colony South Australia. We first heard of their arrival as whalers and sealers, and then drovers. When the Meintangk mraat was invaded, our spirituality, law and culture was challenged. Our law-ways were alien to the coloniser who failed to understand that our complex and ancient system of laws even existed, as they declared our mraat terra nullius. The impact of the British invasion was as devastating in the South-East region of South Australia as it was in other regions, and the Meintangk who survived the invasion, and its aftermath were small in number – as we are today.

Survivors of the South Eastern tribes of South Australia 1890s

The new township of Kingston was established on our ancient hunting, gathering, birthing, ceremonial and family homelands. Our old people were banned from returning to their mraat and those who survived the invasion were left to live as paupers on the margins of their ancient holdings. Some of our native animals were hunted to extinction, while our native herbs and medicines were trampled and consumed by herds of sheep and cattle. The natural environment changed deteriorating from its original pristine state. Meintangk peoples were forced to kill sheep and cattle to provide food for their families and for this many were murdered or severely punished. Some pastoralists, including the early settler James Brown, were accused of committing massacres and murders against Meintangk, simply for hunting and gathering food from our ancient lands. Brown was never convicted for these crimes.

Meintangk people continue to recover from the trauma of colonialism and to regain the ancient knowledge systems which have sustained our society for millennia.