Aborigines to greet Japanese spacecraft

Link to news story

ABORIGINES will be among the first to see a capsule released by a doomed Japanese space probe above the Outback this weekend - to ensure it does not affect sacred sites.

In a nod from the space age to an ancient era, traditional land owners in South Australia will travel with Japanese, Australian and US officials to view the capsule, which will be all that is left of the asteroid-chasing Hayabusa after it incinerates late on Sunday or early on Monday.

"Indigenous people will accompany the retrieval team in a helicopter to conduct an aerial view of the landing site ... to ensure that no inadvertent damage is caused during the ground retrieval process," a spokeswoman for the Australian Defence Force said.

Political correctness gone mad.

It will be interesting to see what Hayabusa has to offer!

reply to post by tezzajw


Why is this PC gone mad? If it's their land, they have every right to go along.

How does one define who 'owns' land.

The land-rights issue has been a hot topic in Austalia for a long time... it's a murky area that usually results in lots of hate.

To me, it's tokenism and PC pandering.

[edit on 11-6-2010 by tezzajw]

reply to post by tezzajw


If something landed on your property, and scientist and the army were coming to get it, I am certain you would demand to accompany them. If it landed in an area designated as native land (do you have reserves in Australia?), I fail to see the problem. I think you are too upset about something quite little. They are not carrying the capsule out themselves, merely flying overhead.

reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross

I pay council rates to 'own' my land. The moment that I stop paying those rates, I am sure that my land will be taken from me. Besides, the government can forcibly take my land, if they need to build a freeway through it. Therefore, I effectively 'rent' my land, I don't own it and I will never be able to indefinitely own it. Nor can I claim my land as being a sacred site for my generational family heritage. You can't compare my 'ownership' of land to the claim that is made by Aboriginal 'ownership' of the land.

If you think I'm upset, then you better think again.

A space ship crashes in the outback, unlikely to disturb anything other than a few tumbleweeds, but the PC brigade have to be seen to be doing their job.

Now the interesting s...storm would be if Hayabusa actually manages to desecrate some kind of sacred site when it touches down. I almost want it to happen to see the latest round of land-rights hate flare up again.



Where was due consideration given by the Aborigines when Hayabusa touched the Asteroid? Perhaps Hayabusa disturbed another culture's sacred site on the Asteroid? Karma might pay them back, if Hayabusa takes out some rare cave paintings.

(Ok, I am being a little silly with that last example, but it's not much sillier than the tokenism being shown to fly Aboriginal Elders above the L-Zone to make sure everything is A-ok.)

No need to repeat myself. Happy to stop here.

[edit on 12-6-2010 by tezzajw]

It might be a little tokenistic - and perhaps a PR move - but its doing no harm.

*bobbing head*

reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross


Because they're brown, and brown people aren't white. So anything that affords them consideration equal to that given to whites is "political correctness gone mad."

Apparently this insanity is as true in Australia as here in the US.

reply to post by TheWalkingFox


Not all Australians supported the Cronulla Riots.

I for one didn't.

The aborigines of Oz are a downtrodden race.

This is probably the first time another race has ever done anything nice to them.

I applaud it.

The basketball-sized canister is due to land in the remote Woomera Prohibited Area, a 127,000-square kilometre military zone in the north of SA that contains sacred indigenous sites.

The Defence Department said it was "highly unlikely" the canister will hit a sensitive area.

"However, every reasonable step will be taken by the ground retrieval party to avoid driving over sacred sites," spokeswoman Flight Lieutenant Melody Earl said.

Did you even read your own article? This is what its about - and if you don't see the sense in this, there's very little I can do for you...



But give you this link again
*starts bobbing head again*

well in that battle site that was found recently in the phillipeans the natives there respected the japanese and aussie dead...
and the live hand grenades with rusted pins...

maybe the Japanese want to be polite..they can be extremely polite

or would they just want good guides?
and not want to admit it?
you know guys macho and all
not wanting to admit they need to stop when lost
and ask for directions?

reply to post by tezzajw


Did you not read the part that said "sacred site"? Aboriginal people have been living in Australia and using these ancient sacred sites for tens of thousands of years, it would be akin to Japan smashing their spacecraft on the place that holds your constitution or the burial place of George Washington.

Originally posted by 1xion325alpha
Did you not read the part that said "sacred site"?

Did you not read my previous references in this thread to 'sacred site', which implied that I fully read the article?

Here's an example.

Originally posted by tezzajw
Now the interesting s...storm would be if Hayabusa actually manages to desecrate some kind of sacred site when it touches down.

Why is it PC gone mad? Because from the article, which I fully read, the chance of Hayabusa actually hitting anything sacred is bugger-all.

Originally posted by 1xion325alpha
it would be akin to Japan smashing their spacecraft on the place that holds your constitution or the burial place of George Washington.

EDIT: By the way, if your references to the USA (Constitution and Washington) are supposed to mean something to me, then you better read where I am located.

[edit on 12-6-2010 by tezzajw]

reply to post by tezzajw


The chance is still there, and as the article suggests - officials may have to drive through sacred sites - hence the aboriginal presence - to assist in the prevention of this happening.

Make sense?

Aboriginies do have a spiritual connection to some sites.
And when one says spiritual , take that on board if you ever find yourself alone amongst the gum trees near or on these sites.
Some will know what Iam saying.
Your mind your heart is probed, just dont tresspass with bad intentions.
Th espirits are real you cannot see them or smell them, but they are present.

what makes questions is that the Aborigines culture and sacred sites have been rather disrespected in the past by whites every where

it makes one wonder

Being Metis from a NA tribe that was wiped down from 125,000
to about 5000 in about 10 years and who only survived by converting to xianity and givimg up their land i feel justified in wonTextdering

[edit on 12-6-2010 by Danbones]

I don't even know why the OP is so offended. Is it really a massive concern?

reply to post by Dr Expired

I know of what you speak.

[edit on 12/6/10 by ghostsoldier]

Originally posted by Whine Flu
I don't even know why the OP is so offended. Is it really a massive concern?

Why do you think that I am offended by it?

I posted the article and stated that it was a political correctness exercise. A public relations stunt. Call it what you will. How you then manage to determine that I am offended is beyond me?

Woomera is Military land. It used to be a test range for rockets. I wouldn't even try to guess how many different objects have been blown-up, flown over or dropped on the land, during the past. How much of that ordnance ever received special attention when it was retrieved?

That's why this is PC gone mad. A small space probe is going to land pretty much out of harm's way but for some reason it needs a special convoy to monitor the possible desecration of sacred land?

Meh, I'm over it. Have a safe journey, Hayabusa - wherever you may land! I hope that science takes a step forward because of its mission.

reply to post by tezzajw


Look even if you pay rates they can take your land. We don't have eminent domain and never did. They're taking land now under agenda 21.

And as an Aboriginal I think I do have a claim to some land. My people were here for tens of thousands of years before Europeans came and we were nearly wiped out. My mother was stolen generation you've got no idea what it's like growing up not really having a family or any past.

Do you have any idea how much of that is "Crown" land ie owned by the Queen and isn't allowed to be used by Australians? At least if the Aboriginals had it they'd look after it and pay taxes. The Queen doesn't. People get their wages taxed instead.

If there was no income tax, and no sales tax. But higher land taxes the tax system would be fairer on everyone. We'd actually get more in tax revenue and have more income to spend leading to a higher standard of living for the whole country.

But while the Queen and others hold this land, it's not getting used for any benefit of the Australian people. There should be a treaty like the Maori's have that returns all land air and sea to them after 200 years, merely a lease like Hong Kong.

If there was an agreement with the Aboriginal people and the Australian Federal and State governments, the Crown would be forced to give the land back.

And until this happens Australia will never truly be a nation in it's own right, because we don't actually control the whole country. It's been stolen.