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There would have been many wars
over water early on and in fact John Smith himself was in one with
Samuel Crittenden. Apparently Smith had diverted the natural flow
of water from the Creek on Crittenden’s property by erecting a
dam for the purpose of directing water to the new township of
Smithfield. This not only effected the flow of water further on
for other land users but also redirected the water from
Crittenden’s farm which is the whole reason why he originally
bought the land with the river running through it. The case was
heard in the Supreme Court in 1855 and Crittenden was rightfully
awarded damages but whether or not the river was redirected back
to its original state I’m not sure about? Other obvious wars would have went on between the indigenous to the land and the immigrants who could never get enough water from the time of settlement. The Kaurna people continually moved with the water so they would not wear out any one piece of land. This caused conflict for a number of reasons – not just for the water but also because of the different ways the two cultures used the land. The Kaurna people consciously burnt sectioned areas of the land at specific times to clear the scrub. This prepared the landscape to enable the new growth of grass for the following winter, to draw in the animals native to the area to feed. Kangaroo, emu and numerous other animals were fed through this method and of course a small number of these animals were the food for the Kaurna people. European settlers upset the natural environmental balances that the indigenous to the land had maintained for numerous generations. They initiated and established European methods that were not suited to this land and now we are starting to reap the repercussions of the disturbances to the land after generations. This whole region was once densely populated with trees and shrubs and from the early settlers on clearing of the land was a foundational requirement for the European way of life. Rather than living off the land as was the case with the Kaurna people the western way was to clear the land to grow food which was not native to this land. The climate, soil and natural growth of this land continually reminded the settlers that their way of life was not suited to this land but they would not listen and continued to persist with their way which was right according to their own understanding and culture. They didn’t want to hear what the world around them was saying and battled on to try and literally beat this land.
Well over one hundred and
fifty years on we still haven’t tamed this land as it continues
to give us a hard time with floods, droughts, fires and a never
ending and multiplying list of environmental problems. The
reverberations from the massacre of trees that were cut down have
come back to haunt us in the form of salinity effecting our soils
and waterways. The rivers that once flowed are starting to dry up
and the soil that was once replenished from the dead matter of
growth that was previously all around has been stripped to the
bone and now remains barren. There is a lot yet to say about us
Aussie battlers and those we originally labelled as less than
human because of their so called backward primitive ways. History
and the unfolding of time has a way of returning the true picture
of things and how sometimes in our so called ‘wise western
ways’ we couldn’t see the forest for the trees. We didn’t
want to listen and we didn’t want to cooperate, we had the power
and we thought we could conquer the land, but time now tells us
that we weren’t right but in the long run – wrong!? I believe
that there is grounds for saying sorry, but I think were all
trying to look for a solution first so we don’t have to admit
that we have disrespected the people who actually lived in harmony
with this land rather than at war with it. We have
some business to deal with that has started to be revealed and can
no longer be ignored or swept under the carpet anymore. We have
battled with this land from the time white settlement began but I
believe it is time to acknowledge and confess our sins before this
land finally beats us. Isn’t it time we admitted that we were
wrong and that in spite of all our so called intelligence we have
been foolish and are suffering from the environmental consequences
that we have created. When I first started researching
our history here in Playford I wasn’t expecting what I actually
discovered. The significance of land and water in regards to our
history wasn’t really on my mind at all. I could only see old
buildings and ruins and remnants from the past but was never
really aware about the battle with this land and its people. We
don’t really understand all that went on between the indigenous
and early European culture but as you delve into the past you
can’t help but to be filled in with the bigger picture. I think
it is quite clear that our history has got a lot more to tell than
what has already been told. There is a lot more to our past than
mere historical facts and in fact if you read between the lines
and fill in the gaps there are many stories to tell. One thing is
for sure and that is there was naturally a conflict between these
two extremely different ways of life and the concepts that held
these cultures together. I think after more than 150 years it is
time to reconcile the differences of these cultures so we can
possibly have a future that is brighter than the battles of the
past. The future is in our hands and we can either continue on
with a lifestyle that is built around consumption or make changes
in accordance to the foundations of conservation and sustainable
development. |
