Assessment Questions 7.2

1. According to the passage, what aspects of the Australian Aborigines challenged the European colonizers' initial perceptions, and how did the Aborigines differ from Europeans in their knowledge and social systems?

The passage suggests that Australian Aborigines challenged European colonizers' perceptions by appearing primitive in material culture but possessing sophisticated social systems, rich mythology, oral history, and advanced knowledge of their natural surroundings. Despite lacking material advances, the Aborigines were described as having a denser web of social relations and greater knowledge of social connections compared to the average European.

2. Explain the geological conditions during the Pleistocene discussed in the passage and their impact on the connectivity of islands and continents.

The Pleistocene witnessed lowered sea levels, exposing land bridges and connecting certain islands and continents. The islands of Java, Sumatra, Bali, and Borneo formed a single landmass called Sunda during glacial maxima, connected to mainland southeast Asia. Similarly, Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania formed Sahul or "Greater Australia." The deep Wallace Trench separated New Guinea–Australia and Java–Borneo. These geological conditions influenced the connectivity between regions during periods of lowered sea level.

3. According to the passage, what were some proposed migration routes from Sunda to Sahul during periods of lowered sea levels, and how did anthropologist Joseph Birdsell suggest these routes might have been traversed?

The passage mentions two proposed migration routes from Sunda to Sahul during periods of lowered sea levels. One route starts on the eastern shore of Borneo, travels east through Sulawesi, and includes island hops to northwest New Guinea. Another route, suggested by Joseph Birdsell, is more southerly, beginning in Java, crossing the Indonesian archipelago, south to Timor, and then south to Australia. Birdsell suggests that these voyages likely transpired over several generations, with people adapting to marine environments and discovering islands intentionally or accidentally, pushing the limits of their world farther along its edges.