Tasmanians

the indigenous inhabitants of the island of Tasmania, who were exterminated by English colonialists between 1803 and 1876.

According to estimates, the Tasmanians numbered several thousand by the early 19th century. With regard to economy, technology, and culture, they were one of the world’s most backward ethnic groups in the 19th century. Their tribal languages and dialects (see) and their social system have virtually not been studied; the question of their origin has also not been resolved. Information about the existence of religious beliefs among the Tasmanians is contradictory and is evaluated in various ways by scholars.