like I'm sorry but I will keep posting about this until people stop being cunts and shitheads so I think we'll be here a good while. every time I talk about the colonial framing of australia and how colonialism is at work in modern day understandings of this country I only need to count to ten before every european and usamerican in sight starts spouting complete bullshit. why don't you all take a deep breath and examine why the fuck you're so wedded to the idea of australia you have in your head
"suggesting that Australia has uniquely hostile flora and fauna isn't wrong" FACT CHECK:
what do you mean by "uniquely hostile"? is it based on amount of harm to humans? because I can tell you now. horses killed more people in 2023 than spiders did. how would you feel if I said that europe introduced the uniquely hostile horse to the australian environment?
look at these stats: https://www.firstaidpro.com.au/blog/leading-causes-of-death-in-australia/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-1
now look at this: https://www.vice.com/en/article/cows-and-horses-are-australias-number-one-killers/
can you please give me a list of examples of flora and fauna that you would place in this category?
"aboriginal tribes" FUCK OFF!
if you can capitalise Australia you know how to capitalise Aboriginal
"tribes" is not the right word here even remotely. try again next time. "Aboriginal people" would be a great start. being able to name even one country or language group would shock me to death. give it a go though
"marsupials reign supreme" don't make me laugh
CHECK: why are you using language that inherently ascribes a particular morality to animals? what motivates you to frame Australia as uniquely 'ruled by animals'? what else might this imply and where might this framing have come from?
"most venomous and hostile" why are you putting those adjectives together?
Australia's most venomous snake (the inland taipan) has not killed a single person in recorded history because of how rare it is for that snake to come anywhere near humans. again, refer to the stats above
"hostility" is another example of ascribing negative moral values to an animal where it is not at all appropriate
"one of the less hospitable places on earth" colonialism check!
hospitable to whom?
you mean that pre-colonial Australia didn't follow western ideals of housing and agriculture don't you? (<- there very much was agricultural practices in First Nations groups for the record)
you're implying that the land had to be tamed by colonisers, aren't you?
come on. be so for real right now
"very much one of the less hospitable places on earth"
> looks inside
> hospitable to some of the oldest continuous cultures on earth
@acearchaeologist Ace i cannot let you leave this fantastic essay in the tags
this post has healed me in a way, it can be hard being a non-american on Tumblr lmao let alone be an Indigenous Australian so thank y'all š„¹
it's a big part of the discussion I don't think a lot of people are ready to have; how the myth of an inherently violent Australia places it's Indigenous people in a dangerous position.
also it's just not true lmao, this country has taken care of us for thousands of years and will continue to do so! it's just saddening to see our beautiful land get shat on time and time again.
it reminds me of this moment in my college, me and some friends we were yarning up about our country and just missing home and we got joined by a white person who wanted to listen and learn and we were more than welcome to let her join! as shes asking us questions she goes on to ask us about our totems. for very quick context please Google for more information lmao but totems are something from country that is connected either to your mob, family group and/or a personal totem. they signify our intricate relationship with country - we don't own it, we are connected to it. it is our responsibility to protect our totems, so no hunting/killing of your totem animal for example. it was specifically when one of my friends shared that her totem was a huntsman spider that this whitefulla started sharing how, if that was her totem she just wouldn't be able to do that! Aussie spiders? no no no they're so scary and big and dangerous and could KILL YOU.
and it's just so fucking insulting and aggravating because how dare you. we share with you the beauty of this practice, how we all are connected to our country through it's flora and fauna, and how conservation/protection of country is inherent to Indigenous culture and that's all you got out of it? that you would kill that scary spider.
also cunt I'm just as scared as spiders as anyone, but huntsmans are a fucking so lit, they're a natural pest controller cause they eat flies and mozzies, they also don't make webs (it's like it's in the name?) like fuckin hell cuntttt.
big rant lmao but this is just such a deep deep thing that persists and when I meet non-australians and they see that I'm a ratbag cunt from the country who is Aboriginal, I can see the excitement as they expect me to perform this facade of Australia, this idiot larrakin who has "tamed the wild scrub", not understanding that that "wild scrub" includes my people too.
lastly, thank you to the aussie tumblr users that help spread the good word! love ya fullas!
