We could lose the oldest culture on our planet | Amy Toensing | TEDxCarnegieLake

When the pyramids were being built, the Aboriginal culture in Australia was already running for 55,000 years. In this talk, Amy Toensing shares the difference in life of Aboriginal Australians before and after colonization. She sheds light on years of dispossession, massacres, and discrimination by the Government.
Amy Toensing, an American photojournalist committed to telling stories with sensitivity and depth, is known for her intimate essays about the lives of ordinary people. Toensing has been a regular contributor to National Geographic magazine for over a decade and recently completed her fourteenth feature story for them which was about food insecurity in the United States. She has also worked for numerous other international publications such as The New York Times, Smithsonian, and The Wall Street Journal. For the last 4 years she has been documenting Aboriginal Australia which was published in the June, 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@lexaharpell5196]

Hi Amy, thank you for creating this talk and sharing your experiences in Australia. Being taught so little about Aboriginal Australians in school, it didn't create curiosity - we stood in ignorance of its importance. It wasn't until I set off on a personal three year journey of discovery within Australia did I begin to learn through a multitude of connections and conversations which sparked an avid curiosity (and continue) to learn more. I began to understand how vital Australian Aboriginal cultures and history is to humanity's past, present and future. We need to make it a priority to preserve, educate and elevate to all. Humans are part of nature - if we continue to destroy nature, we will ultimately destroy ourselves.

[@faza553]

Aboriginal cultures are treasures indeed. They can teach the rest of us how to restore balance to Mother Earth.

[@dorothychecksfield354]

Fazia A

[@shorey40]

Mate, they sent to the mega fauna extinct and burnt the entire Australian ecosystem that destroyer the megaflora.

[@bambilees3922]

@@shorey40 Sorry Shorey, lets rephrase your statement and say.......Aboriginal people lived during the Pleistecene age, when mega fauna roamed this continent. They lived through the last ice-age, however , mega fauna did not survive. Yes, mega fauna was a resource on Country to be utilised and managed. Climate change had more to do with the extinction of mega fauna that "primitive weaponry and hunter/gather lifestyle." Look up Kow Swamp, in Victoria, near Cohuna - read all about it. The rest of the world did!

[@bpw8139]

@@bambilees3922 What absolute rubbish. If it was climate change related then that would have affected megafauna across the world, not just in Australia. Australia is the only continent which is lacking megafauna and according to fossil records their disappearance coincided with the arrival of Aborigines to Australia.

[@janettejack7721]

@@shorey40 who built the roads, buildings, and chopped down so many trees?? They paved paradise and put up a parkinglot Jonie Mitchel

[@BillyGeorgeWilliams]

This is why I started International United Native Nation 510 to bring indigenous and aboriginal people together, to strengthen their culture and to help preserve it. We can't do very much as individuals, but we become strengthened when we are together.

[@mysty0]

That creates cross pollination which is the opposite of preservation. Anyhow, will you quit with this preservationist attitude please! We are quite capable of driving a 4x4 Toyota, communicating on our Laptops and Mobile Phones, Owning our own Homes and Preserving our Culture and Traditions. Christians used to live in tents and caves, wrote in scrolls but now look, and Christianity has survived just fine. Stop telling us to nothing more than something for you to spectate at

[@TazzaMcDactyl]

There is more than one Australian Aboriginal culture - when the first fleet of colonists arrived it is believed there were more than 550 DIFFERENT language groups. In other words, there were 550 DIFFERENT countries/cultural groups. We have different languages, styles of artwork, dance, food, songs, Stories, rites and rituals etc etc depending on where our families are from. And then there are the many different nations of Torres Strait Islanders - that is many different cultures. Nothing offends us more than being referred to as ONE culture. It is more respectful to learn where we are from and to refer to us by those names - not as "Aboriginals'. For example, my family is from Wiradjuri country (NSW Riverina area) so I am a WIradjuri woman. My friend's family is from Kamilaroi country (Tamworth, NSW), so she is a Kamilaroi Woman. Please be respectful of that, and don't be just another whitefella telling stories about us without even understanding the basics about who we are and how we live. Each of our cultures is as different from one another's cultures as they are different to your culture.

[@robertmast7451]

@amanda rose, that's why we are TSI. we"re just another native tribe or clan living on little islands of Aust. we have family ties into Aust and also PNG. we are all one people with different cultures, respect all. if it wasn't for Mabo, we wouldn't have Native Title?

[@frannymeh]

I'm a Torres Strait islander

[@warwicklewis8735]

But we are all "whitefellas"?????!!!!??? It would be impractical and confusing to call everyone by there specific ancestral group. Briton Irish Scots French Italian etc etc. How ridiculous. Only an aboriginal could find a way to whinge about something so irrelevant.

[@coreluminous]

@@warwicklewis8735 you don't get it, do you. I am born Irish, of the land where Irish is spoken, of Munster, of BallydeHob... When I move off that land to another land, my precise Irishness is less noticeable to the people of the land I arrived in, as they have no reference to the difference between Irish and Welsh, let alone between different villages in Ireland. But if I was one of the many groups of Aboriginal folk, speaking to people In Australia, where they know the many groups, the the distinction is meaningful. I am of this place and land, or that place and land. The aboriginal don't have nations, they have language groups specific to precise parts of land. If the Aboriginal travels to Europe, his or her local identity is less relevant to Europeans than his or her Aboriginal Australian identity, because Europeans have not the knowledge to place the precise land that person is of.. Being Irish I understand the trauma and loss of culture and living tradition, and I say that Europeans just stop invading anywhere and accept and admit those older cultures are fully valid cultures to be respected as living cultures, cultures that have tenure of the land they are. Full tenure means no right to enter other than by their invitation. A culture 50,000 years old is a very solid, healthy, sustainable human culture. Respect is due. Stand back.

[@warwicklewis8735]

@@coreluminous it is you who is not "getting it". In Ireland the majority of the people are indigenous Irish. Therefore a distinguishable difference from other sections of the broader community is recognized by a break down of county. In this much wider and browner land the vast majority (over 94%) are not indigenous. This means is that simply being aboriginal identifies you. Once this has been identified you can further break this down into tribal groups or locations. But broadly speaking as a point of introduction it is enough. Consider also that nearly all people who identify as aboriginal also have European ancestry. The young lady in this thread is clearly part European. Should she also insist on recognition for that part of her family history ?? All people come from ancient cultures. What makes one culture older than another ?? Our ancestors have accumulated the wisdom of millennia to build the society we live in. It is built on generations as ancient as any other. Failing to progress doesn't qualify as older.....just less advanced.

[@aadhithvarathan5432]

I had an emotional breakdown after seeing this video. Australian Aborigines, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep up this good work. I want to see more Aboriginal culture. How can the government call your culture as "Entertainment"? Your culture is a living proof of how humans lived 60000 years ago. Aboriginals have the most ancient genes, and culture is very nature loving, not like mainstream ones. THIS IS NOTHING LESS THAN A WORLD WIDE TREASURE.

[@nicywailey157]

Varathan It’s not Aboriginal Australia responsible for our fading culture, it’s the Australian system itself - our government pushing us off our homelands to make way for mining & the resources boom. Our oppressors who like Tony Abbott only believe our CULTURE is a lifestyle choice.

[@chriswatson1698]

Aboriginal cultures lasted as long as they did because Aborigines didn't build anything that anyone else wanted. If they had picked up some of the gold that was lying around and decorated themselves with that, instead of clay and feathers, history would have been different.

[@chriswatson1698]

You should learn more about Aboriginal culture before you decide that it was all good. I studied anthropology as a teenager, and I was appalled by some of the cultural practices described and recorded by ethnographers in the early 20th century . Among white scholars, there has alway been great interest in the Aboriginal way of life.

[@67scottfree]

Thank You Aadhith

[@onyabike4205]

Yes, they are like a snapshot back to the stone age.

[@aybudd1903]

We still strong people ✊🏿 dw about that

[@onyabike4205]

lmao

[@phuckpootube6231]

LOL

[@aybudd1903]

@@phuckpootube6231 something funny?

[@phuckpootube6231]

@@aybudd1903 Centrelink and the bottle O is the only thing going strong.

[@aybudd1903]

@@phuckpootube6231 yeah maybe cause that’s all u wanna see, I don’t drink and I’m not on Centrelink maybe get to know the culture from the land which you stand on instead of being a gammin dog

[@kenzulumovski892]

Wonderful talk. Thank you

[@scottfreeburn1792]

Thank you

[@jungletheme2094]

thank you

[@jcampbellshale]

I agree. Hopefully our Govt now is moving towards this way of thinking...finally. with strong community support and the protection of a treaty the future for aboriginal Australia will be bright.

[@kymberleenoble6653]

Thank you 🖤💛♥️

[@roseadams8003]

Wow. She knows everything!

[@lauraclayton4687]

The story of the indigenous peoples of the Americas as well. How are human beings treated like this?! SICKENING.

[@perryperryprince3242]

7 years ago! She is openly speaking about the disparity that exists as a result of colonisation. Wish she could come here and speak in parliament. I’m aboriginal by the way. This is very refreshing and shows how backwards it is here at times. If this had been an Aus Ted Talk the comment section would be a absolutely deplorable.

[@elenadumitrov8896]

All our ancestors would tell us that we are One. Let’s remember history, learn from it, and don’t repeat our past mistakes. Let’s respect the wisdom of our indigenous peoples, now matters where from. Let’s take care of Mother Earth the best we can, and teach next generations to appreciate and respect one another. Thank you Amy Toensing for the time you took to make this video, thank you all for your comments, as this is how we keep learning.

[@katriendelbeke7658]

Thanks a Lot , so important ..... how long , how many Years are we still disconnected ????

[@auspicious113]

Hi fabulous information, but why is there people talking in the background and someone taking photographs annoying camera shutter noise thanks

[@topgurl9313]

16:36 ❤

[@jasondouglas1594]

Our Culture goes deep than the deep blue sea. We see things that white people never see in reality. Our Ancestors tells us who we are and what we are and why we are. The world only knows half of it. You travel to Australia and go to the North and you will see what we see when you step into our strong laws. You would be not speaking of it because you will be changed and you will act different. So before you know our Culture is going come to where it all starts and we will tell you straight to your face. That our oldest living culture will never DIE! it's impossible. White people have never seen the full story because we don't share it because we all know white people are like. We only tell some of what we want to share with you.Because if we step over our laws there will be very serious consequences!! That's why we never change our laws like the white people do.

[@adie7308]

I find it funny but mostly annoying when the wider community debate on Aboriginal culture. Negative comments = ignorance and jealousy about our spiritual connection..it runs deep.. deep and strong..our deep spiritual connection to each other is just there.. thru family, community, language, our Dreaming.. Aboriginal people know who we are and know why we are 🖤💛♥️

[@shermin101]

The Khoisan bushman of South Africa are the oldest living people and culture not Australia’s indigenous , this is a bold claim to just ignore africas bushman hunter gatherers that have and are still living the same way for over 150,000 years , check it out , facts don’t lie …….

[@dtihema7333]

37 percent my ring I've grown up in the city and have many aboriginal friends and or brothers

[@edavid2557]

Aboriginal culture is a world wide treasure from the past... I do hope Australian government (and the not native citizens) realizes that they owe aboriginal people the way of life they choose.

[@GallowglassVT]

Support the homeland initiatives and let the native people of Australia determine their own fate without white interference. If they want aid, they'll ask for it, but until that day, return what was stolen and back off. No churches, no treaties, no white law. Only the first people of that land.

[@mysty0]

Somebody who gets it, thanks

[@Child_of_Amun]

That should go for the entire world. The tu’bab decimated the entire planet. Africa included.

[@chriswatson1698]

The Aborigines didn't build the land. Nature built it. So who are you to say who owns it? The land isn't Australia's wealth. It is the effort and money invested by humans, that has made Australia the nation that tens of thousands of people are trying to get into, to get a share of the wealth that white people have built.

[@mataafa1]

Exactly

[@jmdds]

the aborigines were not the first in this country.They massacred and ate all the original pygmies before them.

[@saskiademoor8400]

please read Bruce Pascoe "Dark Emu" about 'hunter gathering life style' of First Nation People in Australian

[@joebloggs5318]

i looked it up and it seems nobody apart from aborigines believes his book. Such a shame that people throw away a man's efforts just because it doesn't fit their prejudices. I hope more evidence turns up and he gets proper credit for his work.

[@nickmorris8748]

Was jist about to comment this. Aborigines had agriculture, they had forms of international relations, they had laws. They weren't hunter/gatherers.

[@sandraworrall-hart3840]

It all depends on definitions, who is defining words and titles, and for what reasons...motive. What is the Hunter/Gatherer lifestyle? And why is it not valid? One point about Bruce Pascoe's book is that it concentrates on the productive areas of Australia. In the desert regions people had to move around because resources are not concentrated as they are in wetter areas of Australia. What I understand is Hunter/Gatherers moved with a purpose, based on their knowledges of what their land had to offer in the way of food and water, in order for them to survive. Furthermore the information in Bruce Pascoe's book is not new. It has been out there, as a product of western research, in works by Josephine Flood and Paul Memmott and more - see his bibliography. These western researchers actually travelled to the places they researched and saw them firsthand. The information has been on my own bookshelves for years, it just had not entered the capitalist popular culture. Capitalist popular culture is not the only culture of western society. What needs to happen is to teach people how to research to find out things for themselves and not be puppets to popular authors.

[@brucegordon5312]

Bruce Pascoe was exposed as a fraud....

[@chriswatson1698]

You should go to Mr Pascoe's sources. the explorers' diaries. Bruce Pascoe leaves out the observations that the early explorers made, when they contradict his claims. The diaries give a different picture of the Aboriginal way of life, to the picture presented in 'Dark Emu'. You should read 'Dark Emu' more critically. There is a whole chapter in Dark Emu, that is devoted to what Pascoe calls 'aquaculture'. But from his description, it is clear that what he is describing is just fish traps, which isn't aquaculture. Fish traps are the equivalent of nets or fishing lines. So hunting, not farming.

[@carolhewett3756]

What are the noises in the background of this talk?

[@rhysahearn9171]

We need Native Australians to cure how we've become. How important they are to our future generations. To the world. All native peoples teachings will be the ones to help this earth.

[@rae7269]

Remains were found in Ethiopia dating back 3 million years.

[@capital_beaz4725]

So what are you saying?

[@rae7269]

Capital_Beaz47 Its obvious what I am saying. the oldest humans are not Australians.

[@WorthlessDeadEnd]

@@rae7269 The video doesn't say they are the oldest humans. It said it is the oldest culture, although I don't know how they can prove that.

[@Analogmemories245]

7:56

[@christophergame7977]

We lost that culture on 26 January 1788. Trying to resurrect it now is a cruel game that would indefinitely torture the disadvantaged. Self-righteous romanticism is vain.

[@digidalethenagatuhoefromra8047]

Digidale of Aotearoa says this, we are not born into a culture but we are the culture, so who are the English academics a mishmash of ideas gathered and extrapolated into a range of aristocratic noblemen the friends or comrades in arms to the Kings of England? Given a role of ruling or to govern the farmers as landlords, an extension of the kings authority forged in war against any foe within the realm of England. The only language is war, to take bake by force ,however today we face the threat of fake media indoctrination as well as political laws which ostracise a people into a framework of submission. How totally primitive is that? And it continues, that's why mining and land control should be governed by the tribes which own the bloody mining ore in the first place. They are fully capable to learn and taught the skills involved to dig and prosess the ore into usable ingots. Therefore the land must be mined and processed, so later generations dont have to deal with toxicity, deforestation, in short a collapsed eco system.

[@renewhite3566]

SOS as Native Americans

[@hihenry8129]

The Aborigines are not the oldest culture in this world, apparently the Dreamtime has curses and this is what holds many of them back.

[@perryperryprince3242]

Lol don’t quite understand what you mean Henry? There is DNA evidence of this now ahah

[@Allannah_Of_Rome]

Ah yes they are thank you very much!!

[@jmdds]

That would be a godsend for mankind.The Egyptians were building pyramids 5,000 years ago and it that time all the aboriginal invented was a stick.

[@InoFughaul]

"... such as The New York Times, Smithsonian, and The Wall Street Journal." Enough said.

[@annprince5298]

Well actually I think the Australian federal Government has woken up to the fact of th e Great Aboriginals Nations and culture They appear to want to make amends for what happened in Colonial times , their art 9is being celebrated, Music knowledge of their land Meybe her articles woke up the Australian authorities. There are many politicians who have aboriginal blood going back 200 years. Yes there were slaughters Racism and othe humiliations But it seems white Australia has realised these people know their and are opening their arms to the Native population In some of her remarks she should see how Native Americans live in Reservations, Alcoholism is rife depression , Not all Native peoples have Casinos , they arebtold 5hat oil pipelines must go over where they live water is polluted by mine digging. They were nearly destroyed by systematic Genocide,, Smallpox ridden blankets were sent to the Indians by the us cavalry ( Army) by the order of the Potus and the senate. Every potus has sent orders to kill indiansbin every way possible. There is a huge Stain on America look up the Report ( 2016) by two Americans universities who wrote that report.

[@dtihema7333]

Condescending not just ya Greek neighbour in a lift

[@Lightsourcer432]

thankyou. this is our shame, white peoples shame, horrendous & quite possibly fatal for our species

[@ratreptile]

@f Agreed, colonisation was not a thing white people did because they where white, they did it because they had the biggest stick and regardless that is the past, it has nothing to do with white people that live today they are not responsible for any of it.

[@catherinesterling1685]

@f you created it on the backs of and murder of extermination of whole groups of people for material gain

[@catherinesterling1685]

@@ratreptile but you are living off the pain of others you exploited them to get what you wanted please someone tell me why didn't whites stay in Europe and build

[@freewheeler8924]

The NatGeo has been totally intersectional for years now. That's why real science, real anthropology and real archeology are forbidden subjects to them now.

[@quadeevans6484]

I don't get it is there something going on I don't know about

[@freewheeler8924]

@@quadeevans6484 Apparently, yep.

[@quadeevans6484]

@@freewheeler8924 could you tell me what it is

[@rab652]

I like all your points but there is so much more you need to ask. N it looks like u have the ability. Just 2 point!? Who makes the drug's n who makes the alcohol n who profits from the devision of the people.

[@creachtachloosestrife5570]

why is there just reference to aboriginal culture as opposed to cultures.... that reeks of homogenisation

[@thebadbatch1132]

Not at all. This IS her story of being a photojournalist of CULTURES around the world. Why can't she talk about the one that impacted her the most?

[@THABLK1]

we wish

[@GXG420]

i find it insulting to think we all just sprang up out of Africa and spread across the world..if this were true then civilizations would have been found in Africa..there is no ancient ruins there like there is in other parts of the world. saying these people migrated from Africa is a insult to their ancestors..they are the oldest and most pure race on this planet. they have not been mixed with different races. they are, what we all once were at the beginning.

[@snail1814]

True Blood

[@snail1814]

True Blood

[@lillianfouhy8093]

Egypt, ancient civilisation example par excellence, is IN AFRICA

[@GXG420]

@@lillianfouhy8093 THOSE PYRAMIDS ARE FOUND ALL OVER THE WORLD. THEY ARE JUST MORE WELL KNOWN IN EGYPT.

[@lillianfouhy8093]

You said there were no ancient ruins there so I was putting you right, and yes there are pyramids in many places. Have a great day today x

[@davidspiegel121]

Culture founded on "broken telephone"; story after story, passed on orally. You think they were changed to the individuals preferred message? Obviously.

[@odinshunter9297]

I love how cynical you are! No respect for traditions. Popculture in motion when i look at your articulation. just sad

[@mysty0]

I am Indigenous Australian and I will agree with you in Australia Oral Stories were changed and manipulated, it can be seen in the fracturing of stories from one Tribe to the next where the same story exists but told differently and sometimes they get hard to recognize as the same story. Having agreed though, that doesn't mean Oral Traditions can't be exacting, one only has to look to the Middle East where you have both the Jews and the Muslims who kept Oral Tradition and to stray from the wording could potentially mean not just your own death but the deaths of your whole Tribal Sect. Yea they kept it pretty straight up

[@danielledoyle7034]

why are you talking about this ?

[@bethanslater7592]

The lack of accurate education Amy is sharing within this speech is worrying! Whilst it is good she is talking about Aboriginal cultures and communities I wish she had researched just a little deeper... Bruce Pascoe and Bill Gammage have many easily accessible books that she could’ve read!

[@jamespunch8049]

pasco IS A FAKE, JUST LIKE RENT A DUMBTURD!

[@thebadbatch1132]

She did research it. She experienced it within the communities

[@jmdds]

That putrid filth Pascoe is the biggest SCAM by pretending to be aboriginal and the aboriginals use to have cities and towns with agriculture. It as been proven that he is pathological liar and have not one drop of aboriginal blood in his vein.

[@onyabike4205]

What would we lose exactly? 40,000 years and all they invented was a stick.... The only thing we'll lose is numbers at the centrelink queue lmao

[@user-bn9se8wq9c]

What a sad pathetic pile of ignorance you are

[@chriswatson1698]

There is a word for being the oldest culture. It is 'stagnation'. The Aborigines didn't ever produce anything that anyone else wanted. If they had picked up some of the gold that was lying around and decorated themselves with that, instead of with clay and cockatoo feathers, history would have been different.

[@andyvokes2703]

Not the OLC. Simply atavistic. Aust Indiginous people were here during the Ice Age. When the culture would have been remarkably different. So the claim to OLC is erroneous wishful thinking. The truth is that since the end of the ice age, their culture has been static, not dynamic.

[@Matteus2109]

No one is going to miss it.

[@thegoodlydragon7452]

So true. The people who made flying machines a thing are told that nobody will miss them, and the people who never developed weaponry beyond sticks and stones are told their culture is the most invaluable resource.

[@topgurl9313]

Well, no one will be around to miss anything when the lands and the seas will be poisoned from all the greed and disrespect and thoughtlessness. But I guess that's a win, right? 🙄

[@BlackItBoy]

and no one will miss you.

[@mataafa1]

@@thegoodlydragon7452 you answered your own foresight there ... an ancient culture living happy balanced and in tune with nature and spirit what do they need to invent weapons for ? No1 to fight people are happy, and if disagreements arise there are laws and practices in place to call on... by you having to create weapons your preparing for the battle that hasn’t even begun to be a “thought” yet .. and that worry that fear is one of the ancient wisdom pieces of knowledge passed down in indigenous cultures . Why worry about tomorrow when today is still here

[@shermin101]

The Khoisan of Africa are the oldest living culture twice as long as the indigenous of Australia, these are false claims that Australia’s indigenous are the oldest people