1860's SV Walhalla, Politically Incorrect these days

[Teemore]

A few more for those interested, a couple are probably considered politically incorrect these days but show the attitude as we moved from the 1800's to 1900's. La Perouse was (still is ??) an aboriginal settlement in NSW. The Bulmer views were probably Lake Tyres area of Vic. Others .. Watts River at Fernshaw Vic. Log Train in W.A., Thompson River near Walhalla and town of Walhalla.
Cheers T.

 

[user 4386]

Interesting to see the word "gin" - rarely heard now. It has become quite (intentionally) derogatory and many dictionaries now say it related to aboriginal women used for sex by white men. There was no such connotation when I was young - my mother, grandmother used it with no offence intended - they would talk about bucks or gins coming to the station etc. It was simply a female aborigine (as compared with lubra, which seemed to have the specific meaning of wife - "Jackie's lubra"). The origin of the word "gin" seems lost in time. Strange how words become derogatory over time.

One suggestion is "It is derived from the Dharuk word diyin, meaning woman" - the Dharuk or Darug being the Sydney people who would have been the main group to first have contact with Europeans. Myall also comes from their language (Mayal), originally just meaning someone from another tribe but becomimg a general term for someone living a traditional life style. Used to also be common when I was young - haven't heard it in decades (nor gin).

 

[Goldfreak]

I like my history without being filtered by modern sensibilities and politics. That's why these photos are great. They don't carry an opinion they just Are what Was. How refreshing.

 

[user 4386]

I like my history without being filtered by modern sensibilities and politics. That's why these photos are great. They don't carry an opinion they just Are what Was. How refreshing.

I agree - the problem is that much is being re-written. One has to look at and read things of the time to get some idea of the times.

 

[Teemore]

I like my history without being filtered by modern sensibilities and politics. That's why these photos are great. They don't carry an opinion they just Are what Was. How refreshing.

Here's a rare one, taken by German explorers visiting Australia/Sth Pacific in the 1870's (approx.150 years ago) the title translates to "Australia, King Georges Sound. Living quarters of the Australian Negro" ..... KGS is in W.A. from memory. Couldn't say that these days, think even Aboriginal is taboo, has to be Indigenous Australian.

 

[user 4386]

I like my history without being filtered by modern sensibilities and politics. That's why these photos are great. They don't carry an opinion they just Are what Was. How refreshing.

Here's a rare one, taken by German explorers visiting Australia/Sth Pacific in the 1870's (approx.150 years ago) the title translates to "Australia, King Georges Sound. Living quarters of the Australian Negro" ..... KGS is in W.A. from memory. Couldn't say that these days, think even Aboriginal is taboo, has to be Indigenous Australian.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...8ae60-290a-4f13-9d65-c8f60d51eee1_1_201_a.jpg

There is also a place of that name in Tasmania, near the town of Murdunna, but I doubt that there would have been many traditional aborigines there by the 1870s. Many aborigines had been moved to Flinders Island many decades before, although we now know that fishing communities survived at Cygnet etc. But they are unlikely to have been traditional by then.

So south coast WA seems the most likely.

 

[Teemore]

There is also a place of that name in Tasmania, near the town of Murdunna,

So south coast WA seems the most likely.

Like you I also originally thought KGS, Tas. .... until checking out the voyage of the ship that the photographer was working on.
Cheers T.

 

[Dave79]

Grew up in Albany and they sure look like Noongas. Have seen similar pictures of humpies from that area too.