All over the world, and throughout history, one shared story has been used time and again to justify settler colonialism: the claim that Indigenous peoples weren’t actually the first people to live on their own land.

This narrative, which is almost always completely lacking in factual evidence, is a powerful tool. It works to delegitimize Indigenous sovereignty and block the path toward justice and reparations. But when you hold it up to the light, it falls apart.

Aotearoa (New Zealand): Dispelling the Pre-Māori Myth

In Aotearoa, some settler circles have pushed the idea that Māori were not the first to arrive, claiming they were preceded by a mysterious, mythical “pre-Māori” people. Scholars have thoroughly debunked this theory. The archaeological and historical record is clear: the first inhabitants to reach the islands were Polynesian voyagers—the ancestors of the Māori—who arrived around 1300 CE (Britannica). The fantasy of a pre-Māori population simply doesn’t hold up against the academic evidence (Wikipedia).

South Africa: Distorting Bantu Histories

The same tactics are used in South Africa to challenge the Indigenous status of Bantu-speaking peoples. Some argue that because Bantu migrations displaced earlier inhabitants, they somehow forfeited their rights to the land. But the archaeological record tells a different story. It shows that Bantu-speaking communities have lived in southern Africa for over a thousand years, farming the land and building complex, advanced societies (Wikipedia).

While there was certainly contact and interaction with other groups, painting the Bantu expansion as a form of settler colonialism on par with European colonization is a profound mischaracterization and a historical falsehood (Panafrican Review).

North America: The “Doctrine of Discovery” and the “Vanishing Indian”

In North America, colonizers spread a different but equally damaging myth: that Native peoples were a “vanishing race,” destined to fade away in the face of European “civilization.” This story was a convenient excuse for the theft of Indigenous territory and the expansion of settler land.

The consequences were brutal. The U.S. government’s Indian Removal Act of 1830 led to the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans. The most infamous example is the Trail of Tears, where the Cherokee Nation was driven from their homes, and roughly 4,000 people died from exposure, disease, and starvation (Wikipedia).

This physical removal was backed by a legal one. The U.S. Supreme Court created the “Doctrine of Discovery” in the 1823 case Johnson v. McIntosh. This principle held that European nations gained sovereignty over Native lands simply by “discovering” them, effectively erasing Indigenous land rights and providing a legal veneer for colonial expansion (Wikipedia).

South Africa: The “Empty Land” Myth and the Marginalization of the Khoisan

In South Africa, European settlers relied on the “Empty Land” myth—the false claim that the land was virtually uninhabited before they arrived. This was despite the visible reality of thriving Indigenous communities, including the Khoisan and various Bantu-speaking peoples. Historians and archaeologists have proven that these communities had deep-rooted societies and cultures long before European colonization began (SAHistory).

The Khoisan, among the earliest populations to inhabit southern Africa, have endured centuries of dispossession and marginalization. Even with their profound historical connection to the land, they have been largely excluded from post-apartheid land restitution programs. A key reason for this exclusion is the legacy of apartheid-era racial classifications, which lumped the Khoisan under the broad “coloured” category. This erasure of their distinct identity continues to affect their recognition and rights today (Foreign Policy).

The Settler Hypocrisy

Beyond being historically misleading, this entire line of reasoning is deeply hypocritical. Settler societies are quick to use these arguments against Indigenous peoples but just as quick to reject them when the logic is reversed.

Consider post-apartheid South Africa. Demands that white settlers return land because they are not Indigenous are consistently met with fierce opposition and claims of unfairness. This glaring inconsistency reveals the self-interested nature of the settler narrative. Its goal isn’t justice, but the preservation of privilege.

Challenging the Narrative and Building Solidarity for Justice

It is essential to challenge these myths in their entirety. Honoring and acknowledging the rights and histories of Indigenous peoples is a non-negotiable first step toward reconciliation and genuine justice.

Furthermore, the historically dispossessed need to unite in solidarity. By standing together and advocating for the truth, they can challenge and ultimately dismantle these harmful and unfair stories. Through collective action and a shared understanding of historical fact, we can work toward a more equitable future for all.

Ultimately, the universal defence of the settler is a false, misleading, and illogical explanation for the world we see today. It must be challenged and dismantled. True progress in reconciliation and justice can only be achieved through a collective understanding of history and the powerful solidarity of Indigenous and historically dispossessed peoples.