"Without coming to terms with past injustices, it will be difficult for Australia to become a cohesive nation." Cohesive; meaning unified, as one, free from discrimination. Throughout history Australia has come across many discriminations, possibly the most outstanding of which is the past mistreatment of our indigenous people, the Aborigines. Before the Stolen Generation, before Federation, before British colonization, Australia was inhabited Aborigines. They lived in harmony with the land had done so for over 10,000 years in an almost utopian-like society. The flora and the fauna provided more than enough for their lifestyle; taking only what they needed from the land, sharing a mutual trust, love and respect for their country. Enter 2003. What's changed? What happened? Where are the crystal clear oceans, never-ending horizon of the outback, the thick lush bush land? It is a world, destroyed. Not only a world, but an entire way of life, the spirit of the Aborigines, crushed by our egocentric, profit-driven, European ideals. But where did it all start? Where did we go wrong?
             The very first European visitors to Australia arrived on the Dutch ship, Duyfken, but every attempt to land was opposed by hostile Aborigines with spears. The first recorded "European settlers" came aboard the luxury Dutch trading ship, the Batavia. The ship ran aground on the west coast of Australia, on the Abrolhos Islands. The surviving members scrambled onto the island shores and assembled a camp. Francois Pelsaert, the captain, sailed to Java to hire another ship to rescue the survivors. Meanwhile rebel leaders killed many of the survivors. Those who survived the slaughter took refuge on the Australian mainland and eventually married into Aboriginal tribes, making the first peaceful contact between Europeans and Aboriginals.
             Alas, things only went downhill from there. Captain Cook tried to make acquaintances with tribes around...