#Gweagalshield
First Contact 1770
Lt. James Cook of the British Royal Navy 'discovered' the land now known as Australia in 1770. This is considered an act of invasion by it's original inhabitants whom lived here for over 60,000 years.
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The first words Cook heard in Australia were 'Warra, Warra Wai' meaning 'Go away.'
On the day after he landed April 29, 1770 He recorded in his own diary ;
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'all they seem'd to want was for us to be gone.'
Cook's Secret Instructions
Lessons From an invading Pioneer
Cook was under instructions from the Admiralty to 'observe the Genius, Temper, Disposition and Number of the Natives, if there be any and endeavour by all proper means to cultivate a Friendship and Alliance with them,'
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Cook's Journal entry from the day of first contact ; 'As soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us, upon which I fir’d a musquet between the 2, which had no other Effect than to make them retire back, where bundles of their darts lay, and one of them took up a stone and threw at us, which caused my firing a Second Musquet, load with small Shott; and altho’ some of the shott struck the man, yet it had no other effect than making him lay hold on a Target. (shield)
Immediately after this we landed, which we had no sooner done than they throw’d 2 darts at us; this obliged me to fire a third shott, soon after which they both made off,'
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http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/cook/17700429.html
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It was after this armed confrontation with the Gweagal warriors whom were resisting an invasion of their homeland that Cook & Banks stepped ashore in Australia for the first time, collecting the shield and spears dropped by the two Gweagal warriors whom opposed their landing.
The Gweagal Shield
The Artefact of First Contact
Today that shield still exists and it resides in the British Museum.
The significance of this object is that, in a single artifact, it provides concise, poetic and irrefutable proof that from the very moment of first contact Australia was not peacefully settled. Despite the violent history of the British Empire up until then (and beyond) on this occasion it was not supposed to be that way. In fact there were express written orders from the Admiralty and the King to that effect. Those orders were disobeyed.
With consent of the Natives...
Exit: Is It the Right Way Up?
'You are also with the Consent of the Natives to take Possession of Convenient Situations in theCountry in the Name of the King of Great Britain: Or: if you find the Country uninhabited take Possession for his Majesty by setting up Proper Marks and Inscriptions, as first discoverers and possessors.'
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No Consent was ever given.
http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/resources/transcripts/nsw1_doc_1768.pdf