RSSI agree with J Diamond, Pidgin English dies not have the word “long-pig” for nothing! In case you were wondering, the New Guinea Highlanders say human tastes like pork, hence long-pig.
RichardSharpe,
As an Australian of european heritage who also has lived in the “bush” for a number of years, I wouldn’t necessarily agree that “abo” is a slur. Now if you use “Jacky Jacky” or “Coon” that is another matter completely. “Abo” is just short hand for aboriginal and Australians shorten many words. Some people on the east coast refer to them as “Murrays” or “Kouris” with reference to local tribal groups, but this is not correct for everyone of aboriginal heritage not of those groups.
I can vouch for the fact that you do get a number of aboriginals in Western Australia (esp. the desert regions) with the blond hair. However it is not like european blonde hair and I too am doubtful of the Dutch sailor stories. It looks to the casual observer like bleached dark brown hair, as though it is sun streaked, as it has darker roots than the tips.
The fact that there are no blonde aboriginals in Northern Australia (especially Cape York) would most likely be due to interbreeding with the Torres Strait Islanders north of Cape York.
Godless,
To your defence of Dawkins I’ll add a defence of Dennet. ‘Darwins Dangerous Idea’ is a great elaboration of evolution as a general algorithmic process, and not just a biological one (even though he does labour his points sometimes).
Its been said of the Church of England that belief in God isn’t compulsory, even where it’s not frowned upon.