Chapter 33, Section 1
1. What major indigenous groups live in Australia and New Zealand?
Answer:
Aborigines such as the Arrente and the Palawa are believed to have arrived at Australia first anywhere from 40,000 to 60,000 years ago. The Maori people came from the Polynesian islands to New Zealand. Many Maori still live in New Zealand.
2. How does the standard of living in the urban areas of Australia and New Zealand
compare with that of the more rural areas?
Answer:
Both urban and rural areas have free education and literacy rates are over 99% everywhere. The health care in urban areas have better and more accessible health care than rural areas, however doctors talk to and advise patients via computers or telephones. The Aborigines have the worst treatment of all, rarely receiving education and health care.
Creative Writing: Compare and contrast how and why the different groups that make up the population of Australia and New Zealand today first came to settle the region.
Answer:
The Aborigines came to Australia and New Zealand during the ice age because they needed food. Trade and need for new land drove the Maori from Polynesia to New Zealand. The Europeans came to New Zealand and Australia and settled there in 1788, creating a colony for convicts. The colony ended in the 1850's and English settlers came to farm and get rich, fish and raise livestock. The Aborigines came on foot and for necessity. The Europeans came on ships and just for more space because they were putting too many people in jail for God knows what.
Chapter 33, Section 2
1. How does everyday life in the region reflect cultural diversity?
Answer:
The Aboriginal people usually participate with outrigger canoe racing or spearfishing. The Europeans brought over cycling and archery, and later soccer, volleyball, and tennis.There are also 1,200 languages spoken throughout Oceania alone, and several blends over pidgin English to develop better communication. Christianity was brought by the Europeans and Hinduism was brought by the Indians. The education varies depending where you are, ranging from anywhere from 93% to 57%
2. How did European colonization adversely impact the region?
Answer:
European colonization resulted in many foreign cash crops being planted and colonies that wiped out local plants and animals. In addition, the European invaders passed on viruses and bacteria that the indigenous people were not immune to. As a result, many natives died because of the European sicknesses.
Creative Writing: Imagine that you are a tourist traveling among the islands of any part of Oceania in an outrigger canoe. Describe one day of your travels as a journal entry. Be sure to describe the peoples and cultures, as well as their activities.
Answer:
Well, second day here in Oceania. A local has been taking me around the islands in an outrigger canoe. I have to admit that I'm a bit shocked with what I've found. The culture here is so diverse, languages ranging from English to local languages, to Pidgin. Pidgin is extremely interesting since pidgin is a mix-mash of all sorts of languages. The minute one local can't understand the other, they switch to pidgin and get along much better than before. Another shocker was the abundance of Christian churches and practicing Christians. My guide is Christian. They tell me that it's mostly because the Europeans brought Christianity to their islands, but the amount of Christians shocked me. In Fiji, however, I got to see a pleasant change of religions, from Christianity to Hinduism. Some locals looked Indian, a curious sight to see in the middle of the ocean. One thing that pleased me greatest to see was the farming going on here. In some of the bigger, more industrialized islands I saw huge farms for cash crops, but at smaller ones I saw locals farming their traditional foods, eating what they grew and growing only what could feed them well. it was a pleasant change from the American way of going to a supermarket and getting some potato chips. Their respect for their soil and the soil's gifts is also mind-boggling. The earth is like their religion, almost. One disappointing sight was the lack of schooling, and the horrible conditions of hospitals and food. There weren't enough teachers and far too few students, the hospitals were dirty without modern equipment, and some people couldn't even afford to pay for health care! Good news is that I saw a few government workers arguing for patients to get treatment. I hope that all works out well, but I'll definitely look into that problem throughout this trip. Maybe there's someone I can write to and help fix this. Well, until next time!
