The Missing Aboriginals of Hobart

Much has been written concerning the origins of Hobart, Tasmania, but little of this would include its local aboriginals. Hobart was considered a home to the nomadic Mouheneer tribe (Asia Rooms, 2011), very little is written about them except in brief passages in most sources that detail the history of the area. Generally, what follows after the Mouheneer is that Hobart was first settled by the English for purposes of using it as a penal colony. The impact to the natives would best be viewed from the standpoint of the colonization of Tasmania (Mother Earth Travel, 2011). After the British successfully populated the area surrounding Hobart, the Mouheneer were not very enthusiastic, but tolerated the new arrivals nonetheless (Australian Tourist Guide, 2010). The British had come to the area in 1802, and shortly after having built their penal colony, claimed all lands of the Mouheneer who were eventually defeated by superior forces and weaponry (Australians, 2011).

The actions by the British were said to be in retaliation to aboriginal resistance. Yet, the Mouheneer were at a disadvantage and, as a result of British orders to shoot any aboriginal on site, their numbers would be greatly diminished (Asia Rooms, 2011). Surviving Mouheneer would were relocated to nearby Flinders Island, where the remaining Mouheneer died from disease brought with the settlers after their arrival. Sadly, there would be no more Mouheneer left, as the indigenous population in all of Tasmania would virtually disappear as well. It is recorded that the last full-blooded Tasmanian aborigine would die in 1876, her name was Truganini (Australians, 2011).

Hence, it would be fundamentally impossible to report on the Mouheneer, as their specific customs and bel...

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