The Palmer United Party Senator Jacqui Lambie has ignited the debate by claiming she is Aboriginal. This is questioned by other Aboriginals. Sure she does look a little bit different than "pure" white Europeans, but the difference is minuscule. She actually claims that she is a descendant of Mannalargenna, a famous Tasmanian Aboriginal leader.
Her offer of a DNA test to substantiate her claim is not of much use. Aboriginals originally came from Africa, as we all did. No genes have been identified as being unique to Australian Aboriginals. DNA testing was suggested in 2002 at the Tasmanian ATSIC elections.
The issue is that Tasmanian Aboriginals were a different "race" than mainlanders. They were all killed by European immigrants to Tasmania. The original Tasmanians had a very primitive culture. They believed that fire was mysterious and magical. They did not know how to light fire. If the fire went out they had to steal it from a neighbor.
All Aboriginals living in Tasmania today are Imports from the mainland. They left their cultural bases on the mainland more than a century ago so their lineage cannot be traced. The theory that mainland Aboriginals were the first people to leave Africa is brought into question by the earlier presence of Tasmanian Aboriginals.
✴ Culture by Ty Buchanan ✴
