During this time of European settlement, the Adnyamathanha found it increasingly difficult to continue with traditional ceremonies. Although traditional Aboriginal ceremonies continued, many of their routes and use of resources created conflict with the Europeans. For example, a traditional ceremony involved travelling to the ochre mines to collect ochre. This trip was important for the initiation process of Aborigines around the area of the Northern regions. This trip also renewed their ties with their ancestors and helped to maintain the Dreaming trails. Eventually these trips to the ochre mines became relatively peaceful as ration depots were established to decrease the number of livestock being killed for food. Sometimes the Aborigines received free train travel if there was a spare car. In some ways this was seen as a compensation for the shortage of food and water supply. The ochre mines was eventually made an Aboriginal reserve. Much of the traditional Aboriginal culture was maintained until the 1920s and red ochre was used in ceremonies until the 1940s. Red ochre and the ochre mines are still of great significance to the Adnyamathanha people today.

All this time the Europeans though of themselves as superior to the Aborigines and the popular mentality was that the Aborigines were a dying race. They tried to integrate the Aborigines into the European society. Several attempts were made to put the Adnyamathanha children into mission stations but many times they were faced with strong resistance. Pastoralists, who tried to maintain peace with the Aborigines, were usually the link between the Europeans and the Adnyamthanha. However, pastoralists often used the Adnyamathanha as cheap labour and often supplied them with tobacco and alcohol in return. The Europeans often had advantages in many of the conflict with the Aborigines, especially as the law was often hard on them. Another drought occurred in the 1890s which led to starvation among Adnyamathanha people despite the increase of ration depots. These rations were given freely to the old, sick and women with children, but others were required to work for them.

Gradually as the years passed many Adnyamathanha moved to the south and lost a lot of their heritage.
There were many attempts to spread the Christian beliefs to the Aboriginal communities and this was another source of conflict between the two groups. Eventually children were sent to schools which were run by the Europeans and many adopted European ways. Some Aborigines fought in the Second World War but most stayed behind to look after the pastoral industry. By the 1950s the initiations had stopped. The Adnyamathanha group survived better than other Aboriginal groups in the state of South Australia because despite the many obstacles they faced, they were successful in maintaining a lot of their culture and tradition.
In 1962 education for the Adnyamathanha people improved, as the schools were equipped with fully trained teachers. Families continued to work on the stations, but the Adnyamathanha group only gathered for important occasions. Various government acts were passed that affected the Adnyamathanha, one of which was the assimilation policy that aimed to "merge" the Aboriginal people with the white Australians. The Aborigines suffered from the prejudice of the white Australians and were often discriminated against.
It has only been in the last few decades that Adnyamathanha organisations have been set up. However as we head towards the future, indigenous and non-indigenous Australians are striving for reconciliation.