Module 2:Module 2: A A Sense of PlaceSense of Place

AAP on the WebAAP on the Web

Go to USQ ConnectGo to USQ Connect http://www.usq.edu.au/course/mathttp://www.usq.edu.au/course/mat

erialerial Then click on AST 1000Then click on AST 1000 Lecture slides will be put up after Lecture slides will be put up after

the lecture has been deliveredthe lecture has been delivered

The big regional picture The big regional picture ….….

We can identify a range of events and issues which We can identify a range of events and issues which link Australia to nations and peoples of the Pacific:link Australia to nations and peoples of the Pacific:

War in Afghanistan, Bali bombing, people War in Afghanistan, Bali bombing, people smuggling, human rights issues, Asian smuggling, human rights issues, Asian economic crisis impact on Australia, economic crisis impact on Australia, education links (overseas students in education links (overseas students in Australia), strong economic relations, Fiji Australia), strong economic relations, Fiji coup, Bouganville crisis, boat peoplecoup, Bouganville crisis, boat people

These points provide the background for These points provide the background for AAPAAP

Our Objectives in Module 2 Our Objectives in Module 2 Part IIPart II

Have a look at page 2.2 in the Study Have a look at page 2.2 in the Study Book where our objectives are listed.Book where our objectives are listed.

Module objectives are listed at the Module objectives are listed at the beginning of every module in the beginning of every module in the Study BookStudy Book

Objectives are important for youObjectives are important for you: they : they state what you are expected to state what you are expected to know or what you are expected to know or what you are expected to be able to dobe able to do

Our Objectives in Module 2 Our Objectives in Module 2 Part IIPart II

‘‘After Studying this module you After Studying this module you should be able to:should be able to:

Describe early contacts between Describe early contacts between Aborigines and Asian visitorsAborigines and Asian visitors

Outline 18Outline 18thth century European century European perceptions of Asia Pacific perceptions of Asia Pacific landscapes and peoplelandscapes and people

There are more; please read …There are more; please read …

OverviewOverview

In this module, our attention is onIn this module, our attention is on The ideasThe ideas The prejudicesThe prejudices The knowledgeThe knowledge The fantasiesThe fantasiesEuropean Australians have had, and European Australians have had, and

perhaps still have about Asia and perhaps still have about Asia and the Pacificthe Pacific

Classical geographer Classical geographer PtolemyPtolemy

Imagined the Asia Imagined the Asia Pacific region asPacific region as

A fantastic worldA fantastic world Wonderfully richWonderfully rich Full of rare animalsFull of rare animals Asia and the Pacific Asia and the Pacific

were fantastic, were fantastic, exotic, fabulousexotic, fabulous

An Indigenous Sense of An Indigenous Sense of AsiaAsia

Aborigines on the northern coast of Aborigines on the northern coast of Australia had annual contact with Australia had annual contact with Asian fishermen for 200-300 yearsAsian fishermen for 200-300 years

Fishermen from Macassar (now Fishermen from Macassar (now Ujung Pandang in Sulawesi) loaded Ujung Pandang in Sulawesi) loaded up with up with trepangtrepang the sailed home the sailed home on the South East windson the South East winds

Aborigines and the Aborigines and the Macassans exchanged:Macassans exchanged:

Makasans offered:Makasans offered: Steel axes and Steel axes and

knivesknives FoodFood AlcoholAlcohol ClothCloth TobaccoTobacco CanoesCanoes

Aborigines offered:Aborigines offered: LabourLabour Local knowledgeLocal knowledge RelationshipsRelationships

Cultural InfluencesCultural InfluencesWe all carry cultural luggage – the ideas, We all carry cultural luggage – the ideas, values and beliefs that have influenced us values and beliefs that have influenced us

and which affect our behaviourand which affect our behaviourTwenty first century Australians, for example, Twenty first century Australians, for example,

are influenced by are influenced by environmentalismenvironmentalism

This is evident from our laws, conferences, This is evident from our laws, conferences, university courses, jobs available, ‘green university courses, jobs available, ‘green politics’, government budgets, research politics’, government budgets, research

into ‘clean cars’ and so oninto ‘clean cars’ and so on

1818thth century European century European ideas of Asia and the ideas of Asia and the

PacificPacific

Europeans’ Europeans’ cultural luggagecultural luggage was was complex and varied. They were complex and varied. They were

influenced by:influenced by: PtolemyPtolemy The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment PrimitivismPrimitivism ProgressivismProgressivism Scientific EmpiricismScientific Empiricism Evangelical ChristianityEvangelical Christianity

PrimitivismPrimitivism Owed a lot to Greek Owed a lot to Greek

and Roman ideasand Roman ideas Idealised the Idealised the

natural lifenatural life Understood the Understood the

luxuriant luxuriant vegetation of the vegetation of the Pacific and Pacific and Southeast Asia as Southeast Asia as like the garden of like the garden of EdenEden

ProgressivismProgressivism

More materialistic, More materialistic, stressed the stressed the development of development of material wealthmaterial wealth

Evaluated other Evaluated other cultures in terms cultures in terms of their of their commercial and commercial and trading trading developmentdevelopment

Evangelical ChristianityEvangelical Christianity

Assumed an Assumed an obligation to obligation to spread the gospel spread the gospel by missionary by missionary activityactivity

Geographical DeterminismGeographical Determinism

A belief that A belief that climate had a climate had a direct affect on direct affect on humans’ health humans’ health and energyand energy

Assumed that Assumed that whites were not whites were not well suited to well suited to laboring in the laboring in the tropicstropics

Scientific EmpiricismScientific Empiricism

A belief that A belief that knowledge is built knowledge is built through through exploration, direct exploration, direct experience, experience, testing of testing of assumptionsassumptions

Promotes attitudes Promotes attitudes of curiosity and of curiosity and interest in new interest in new places and peopleplaces and people

Lord Monboddo’s Lord Monboddo’s “Chain of Being”“Chain of Being”

Monboddo believed that all life was Monboddo believed that all life was arranged in a vast ‘chain of life’arranged in a vast ‘chain of life’

Divine beings were at one end of Divine beings were at one end of the chain, ‘degraded beasts and the chain, ‘degraded beasts and brutes’ at the other endbrutes’ at the other end

Great empires were up topGreat empires were up top Bands and clan societies he Bands and clan societies he

considered to be a lower form of considered to be a lower form of existenceexistence

The Noble SavageThe Noble Savage

Primitivism Primitivism idealised the idealised the native populations native populations of the Pacific and of the Pacific and New HollandNew Holland

Natives were seen Natives were seen as noble savages as noble savages living innocent living innocent lives in paradiselives in paradise

Cult of the Noble Savage Cult of the Noble Savage CriticisedCriticised

Explorers found that primitivism had Explorers found that primitivism had ignored:ignored:

ProstitutionProstitution InfanticideInfanticide CannibalismCannibalism Hierarchical structuresHierarchical structures

Colonial Images of Colonial Images of ProgressivismProgressivism

Colonial painting and poetry expressed Colonial painting and poetry expressed Progressivist views very clearlyProgressivist views very clearly

Settler achievements were contrasted Settler achievements were contrasted with what was seen as a lack of with what was seen as a lack of achievement amongst Aboriginesachievement amongst Aborigines

Settlers drew attention to the lack of a Settlers drew attention to the lack of a built landscapebuilt landscape

SummarySummary

I have described the intellectual I have described the intellectual background to Europeans’ sense ofbackground to Europeans’ sense of

1.1. Racial superiority (Lord Monboddo)Racial superiority (Lord Monboddo)

2.2. Technological superiority Technological superiority (Progressivism)(Progressivism)

3.3. Cultural/Spiritual superiority Cultural/Spiritual superiority (Evangelical Christianity)(Evangelical Christianity)

SummarySummary

And Europeans’ intense And Europeans’ intense fascinationfascination with Asian and Pacific social and with Asian and Pacific social and cultural organisationcultural organisation

This background has left This background has left Europeans with a Europeans with a tensiontension between between attitudes of attitudes of disdaindisdain (superiority) (superiority) and attitudes of and attitudes of fascination

Contemporary Images and Contemporary Images and Perceptions of Asia and the Perceptions of Asia and the

PacificPacific

Do images in Do images in popular popular magazines magazines contribute to contribute to ethnocentric, ethnocentric, dismissive, dismissive, patronising patronising attitudes?attitudes?

Review of ObjectivesReview of Objectives

Take a moment to think ….Take a moment to think …. Can you now ‘describe early Can you now ‘describe early

contacts between Aborigines and contacts between Aborigines and Asian visitors’?Asian visitors’?

Can you now ‘outline 18Can you now ‘outline 18thth century century European perceptions of Asia European perceptions of Asia Pacific landscapes and people’?Pacific landscapes and people’?