When the Sky Fell Down: The Destruction of the Tribes of the Sydney Region 1788-1850s by Keith Willey

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges. Dust jacket has light creasing at edges and spine. Dust jacket is now enclosed in a glossy protective cover. Interior and binding are still excellent.

In the short space of 70 years, the world of the Aboriginal tribes of the Sydney region, which had remained unchanged since the Dreamtime, became a living nightmare. The land which had been theirs alone for so long was suddenly and irretrievably lost to the fair-skinned newcomers of the First Fleet. The Aborigines were in no way prepared for the cataclysm which engulfed them as settlement spread and they found themselves dispossessed not only materially but also spiritually.

When the Sky Fell Down traces the dynamic years of the colony's growth between 1788 and 1860, it is not, however, merely the story of the white man's exploits and achievements, but rather the story of the effects of these achievements on the country's original inhabitants. Traces changing attitudes of both Aborigines and whites and the increasingly devastating effects of settlement.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers, please note that this book may contain descriptions and/or images of people who have passed away.