The sad fact for indigenous ppl in the US, Australia & other places is the introduction of alcohol since colonial times which has rendered so many native Americans, Aborigines etc prone to alcoholism & all the accompanying social problems such as domestic violence, anti-social behaviour, etc. The main factor being that indigenous ppl's for the most part had had no previous experience with alcohol, therefore making them far more susceptible to addition & associated ill-effects. But, WI somehow Aborignes in Australia, American indians or other indigenous ppl's did have access to making & consuming some alcoholic beverages- perhaps for ceremonial purposes ? Could indigenous alcohol have made these native ppl's les susceptible to alcohol problems when European colonisation came along ?