In the 18th century, as European colonization proceeded apace, one continent remained to be discovered, the mythical Terra Australis incognita. This, the largest isl&-continent, had been inhabited for over 60, 000 years by the Aborigines, who were described by the first explorers as the `miserablest people in the world`. This perception was the beginning of a deep & long-lasting misapprehension, which the authors resoundingly dispel in this lively social & cultural history. They explore how the aborigines actually came to be in Australia, their extraordinary rituals & ` Dreamings`, & the importance of `kin` to their social structures. A chapter is devoted to the aborigines` often atrocious treatment at the hands of white settlers, & the pervasive racial prejudice that remained enshrined in the Australian constitution until 1967. The final section deals with the massive indigenous cultural renaissance over the past four decades, & discusses how Aboriginal art
- be it Central Desert acrylic art, batik, contemporary urban painting, sculpture or traditional bark painting
- has become a flagship for Australian culture.