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https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-a-rare-bird-how-europeans-got-the-black-swan-so-wrong-161654>
"The black swan is an Australian icon. The official emblem of Western
Australia, depicted in the state flag and coat-of-arms, it decorates several
public buildings. The bird is also the namesake for Perth’s Swan River, where
the British established the Swan River Colony in 1829.
The swan’s likeness has featured on stamps, sporting team uniforms, and in the
logo for Swan Brewery, built on the sacred Noongar site of Goonininup on the
banks of the Swan.
But this post-colonial history hides a much older and broader story. Not only
is the black swan important for many Aboriginal people, it was also a potent
symbol within the European imagination — 1500 years before Europeans even knew
it existed.
Native to Australia, the black swan or
Cygnus atratus can be found across the
mainland, except for Cape York Peninsula. Populations have also been introduced
to New Zealand, Japan, China, the United Kingdom and the United States."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
