The Black War in Tasmania (1820s-1832) was one of the most tragic periods in Australian History.  Developing from a battle for land, the conflict was a "clash between the most culturally and technologically dissimilar humans to ever come in contact" (Clements, 2014). The abuse of Aboriginal women and children was also a major cause for the initial violence between the British settlers and Tasmanian Aborigines. Although they killed several British colonists, the impact of the British on the Tasmanian Aborigines was much worse. 

 

This digital exhibition gives an insight into the circumstances that the Aboriginal people of Tasmania had to endure during the conflict. The 'Tragedy' gallery is chronologically ordered and depicts the different aspects of the tragedy. It comprises three sub-galleries: "Before", "Treatment of Aborigines" and "After".  A range of primary and secondary sources reveal the circumstances which befell the Aboriginal peoples of Tasmania. 

 

Although the Black War was undoubtedly a tragedy, there are emerging triumphs connected to this event and these are demonstrated in the two sub-galleries: 'Survival' and 'Hope'. Australia’s ‘black’ history, particularly the notion that a genocide occurred in Tasmania, has been increasingly studied, which is a cause for celebration. This is demonstrated by featuring recent publications on the topic such as Tom Lawson’s The Last Man (2014) and The Black War by Nicholas Clements. However, the greatest triumph in this tragic chapter in Australian history is that the Aboriginal people of Tasmania have survived!