Aboriginal+HIstory+Different+clans,+land+laws+and+population

=Different Clans, land laws, population and beliefs =

Clans
Around Australia there are 200-500 different aboriginal clans, toc although in Melbourne there are six. The Wurundjeri Clan is based in the Birarung Valley. A group of clans in a state is called a settlement, with the one in Victoria containing now less than 100 aborigines, and even less in the clans. These were the clans that were in Melbourne before the european settlers came: Now days, these clans are not as distinct as many of the aborigines live within the society.
 * Wurundjeri-balluk & Wurundjeri-willam: Yarra Valley, Yarra River catchment area to Heidelberg
 * Balluk-willam: south of the Yarra Valley extending down to Dandenong, Cranbourne, Koo-wee-rup Swamp
 * Gunnung-willam-balluk: east of the Great Dividing Ranges and north to Lancefield
 * Kurung-jang-balluk: Werribee River to Sunbury
 * Marin-balluk (Boi-berrit): land west of the Maribyrnong River and Sunbury
 * Kurnaje-berreing: the land between the Maribyrnong and Yarra Rivers

Land laws
Aborigines were intelligent and fair about the rules they set about their land. Naturally their clan had first claim on the food that was provided, but most of the time other clans were able to use the same source. Occasionally a clan was denied access to a resource if it had been used recently and was low on stock. A simple example of this is: if an area has been hunted for a certain species, such as possum, other clans would be forbidden to hunt there until the possums were given a chance to recover their numbers. This allowed the possums to replenish their numbers and avoid extinction. During this time other resources were used for food. Penalties such as spearing applied for clans who disobeyed this system or who trespassed on the land. Today, traditional clan locations, language groups and borders are no longer in use and descendants of Wurundjeri people live within modern day society.

Population
Many years back, there were hundreds of aborigines, although now that number has changed dramatically for the worst. Explorer James Fleming explored the Maryribynong and Yarra Rivers in 1803 and found Small Pox scars on the faces of many aborigines. He came to the conclusion that there was a Small Pox epidemic that swept through, killing at least half of the aborigines. Another epidemic hit the aborigines in the 1830s, further reducing their population, then after that, another disease swept through, this time the venereal disease. All the diseases were brought to Australia by the Europeans and effected the aborigines harshly as their immune systems weren't trained to defend their body against it.

Between 1838 and 1848, the birth rate of the aborigines severely dropped with only five births in the 10 years, meanwhile there were 52 deaths in the same time. It is believed that the aborigines killed some of their new born children, although there was no proof. In 1844 William Thomas stated "Infanticide I am persuaded is most awfully on the increase though it cannot be detected—their argument has some reason "No good pickaninnys now no country.""

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Another major part to the reduction of the aboriginal population was during the stolen generations when many children died of abuse and lack of nutrition. By 2003, the amount of aborigines was equivalent to 1.5% of Australia's total population.

<span style="color: #da90f3; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 200%;">Beliefs
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The Wurundjeri people share similar beliefs to the Kulin clan. In fact most of their beliefs are based on a era far back in history known as Dreamtime. This era is set when the creator ancestors, known as "First People" journeyed across the land, creating and naming things as they went by. This belief is quite similar between each settlement and clan, only with some slight differences from time to time. The two significant totems of the Wurundjeri people are the Bunjil (the Eaglehawk) and the Wang, (the Crow).

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Some examples of Dreamtime Stories are:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Bunjil & Pallian Creation Story: Bunjil is the Creator spirit of the Kulin People.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Birrarung Creation Story: formation of the Birrarung River.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Mindi: Mindi is a rainbow serpent from the northwest who spreads disease to those who have been bad. It hisses, spraying white particles which are inhaled. Mindi cannot act without Bunjil's permission.

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