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On life before the British

FTLOG Interviews

Uncle Denis shares a little of how Aboriginal lore traditionally functioned.

Transcript

I can give you a little bit of an idea of what it was like before the British came – although I’m not quite that old. I might look a little bit but I’m not quite that old. But just hearing stories that my ancestors, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, how they talked – it must have been a good life.

The same lore, L-O-R-E, was right across the country to every nation, or every state I like to call it, rather than nation. So they were interlinked that way, but they were self-governing pockets if you like, across the country, who were responsible for their own areas to take care of the land and do their best in their own little pockets.

On the Eastern side of Australia, was affected first by the settlers so we’re a long way removed from what it was like now before the settlers came. But back then, of course, the lore (L-O-R-E) was in place. Everyone knew what they had to do and supported one another, it was communal living so everyone knew everyone and cared for everyone. Sounded like a great life.