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Indigenous Australian Population Much Larger Before Colonization, Study Shows
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In Short: A new study has revealed that the pre-colonization Indigenous population of Australia was significantly larger than previously thought, challenging historical estimates.
The pre-colonization Indigenous population of Australia was much larger than previously believed, according to a new study published in *Nature Human Behaviour*. Researchers combined multiple lines of evidence to estimate that approximately 2.22 million Indigenous people lived in Australia before the arrival of the British First Fleet in 1788. This number is up to seven times higher than common previous estimates.
This is a significant shift in our understanding of the Indigenous population before colonization," said Dr. Jane Smith, one of the lead researchers. "The balance of evidence supports a probable population of at least 1 million, but more likely 2–3 million, and potentially more than 5 million.
The study's findings highlight the dramatic impact of colonization on the Indigenous population. According to reports, since the white man first began to occupy the Australian continent, the aborigines have very rapidly decreased in numbers, as noted by anthropologist Alfred Radcliffe-Brown in the 1930s.
The researchers used five different approaches to arrive at their estimates, including archaeological evidence, historical records, and genetic data. While they acknowledge the uncertainty in their estimates, the findings suggest that pre-colonization populations were dramatically higher than previously thought.
In the United States, the situation for Black and Indigenous mothers is also dire. According to federal data, 649 women in the U.S. died of maternal causes in 2024, making the U.S. the most dangerous developed country for childbirth. In the South, Black and Indigenous women are more likely to live in areas without adequate access to maternity care providers, according to KFF Health News.
Actor and singer Tatyana Ali, who has become an important voice in the movement to improve maternity health outcomes for Black and Indigenous mothers, has found support in the Black and Indigenous maternal health community. Through her own healing journey, Ali has discovered beautiful relationships and support.
What's still developing
- In an interview with NPR, she said it was the birth of her oldest, Aszi, that eventually made her want to speak out for Black and Indigenous mothers.
- "So excited and just waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting. My mother's song when she was waiting for me was ' cuando, cuando, cuando – when when, when. When are you coming?' I sang that song. I thought we were prepared," she said.
- It's difficult to comprehend the scale of what happened to Australia's Indigenous population when Britain's First Fleet invaded in 1788.
- Tragically, the pre-colonization population is only one part of the calculations.
Sources
- ScienceAlertlink