inal notions of land possession and ownership was that, for the Aborigines, there was no conception of the right of an individual to hold property to the exclusion of everyone else. For the colonists, there was no conception of anything else. Aborigines were closely connected to the land, but in a wider and more collective sense, not in the personal legalistic manner land was possessed in European society. From the outset, the stage was set for a fundamental and irreconcilable clash between cultures, which would soon impoverish the lives of Australia's indigenous people.Phillip's initial contact with the Aborigines was at Botany Bay. When he approached a group of armed Aborigines, they readily laid down their arms when Phillip indicated that they should. But they were not happy about the new arrivals and as the ships of the First Fleet sailed around to Port Jackson, Aborigines stood along the shores of the coast and harbour shouting 'warra warra' (go away). Thought the Aborigines were not aggressive, Phillip was impressed by their lack of fear, and named Manly Cove on the north side of Port Jackson in honour of 'their confidence and manly behaviour'. ...
