This is a videoed talk I gave at the conclusion of my 2021 fellowship at the National Library of Australia. It presents some of the research I undertook on fellowship to help us revise the biography of Bennelong (c1764-1813). My deep thanks to the excellent audience who showed how important Bennelong's history is to so … Continue reading Revising the Life of Bennelong
Category: Engaging
Voice, Treaty, Truth webinar
During NAIDOC week 2021 I was delighted to be a part of a webinar inspired by my latest Inside Story piece (see below). It was a major honour to talk alongside leading Uluru spokespersons Megan Davis and Eddie Synot, public lawyer Gabrielle Appleby, and historian Mark McKenna. Davis's unit at UNSW recorded the webinar. It … Continue reading Voice, Treaty, Truth webinar
Why does Truth come third?
The excellent online mag Inside Story has asked my colleagues in the First Nations and Colonial Histories Centre at ACU to write a monthly column. This was my first contribution - a reflection on what the 'Voice, Treaty, Truth' sequencing in the Uluru Statement means for tellers of history. When the Australian Historical Association met … Continue reading Why does Truth come third?
Thinking about Magellan and Cook
After some hiatus, I am back with some public writing... This time inspired by my new and fabulous colleague at ACU Kristie Flannery, who has taught me so much already about Filipino history. Here we are comparing the Philippines approach to European incursion in 2021 with that of Australia and New Zealand through 2019-20. "This … Continue reading Thinking about Magellan and Cook
Talking on Late Night Live
Amidst worsening news in the world, it was nice to talk history for 20 minutes at least. Click here for my interview with Phillip Adams on his ABC Radio Late Night Live Show. #eighteenthcentury #indigenousexperiences #empire
Cook Revisited at SLQ
Really enjoyed speaking virtually through COVID with Paul Barclay, Kate Darian Smith and Alison Paige about recent reflections on Cook. Alison was the Indigenous filmmaker for the National Museum during its Cook extravaganza and created amazing work for it - still viewable online. Kate DS has written extensively on Cook commemoration. I was invited to … Continue reading Cook Revisited at SLQ
A seminar on WVA…
COVID 19 mostly wrecked havoc on my teaching, research, and everyday life...but the silver linings have been attending international seminars where the borders suddenly don't matter. I was delighted in late May to "attend" a seminar at the University of Kent's new Centre for Indigenous and Settler Colonial Studies. The lead discussant, Sarah Smeed, wrote … Continue reading A seminar on WVA…
Chatting with Christine Anu
Well, this was a highlight—chatting with a pop star I admired hugely back in the day now turned ABC radio host, who I also follow keenly now, Christine Anu. She had me on her 'Black Life, Matters' evening show in May 2020, discussing some of the Indigenous stories to gain some light last week through … Continue reading Chatting with Christine Anu
Cook’s Islander Shipmates
For the inevitable Cook250 fest in April-May 2020, Australia's The Conversation commissioned nearly 20 articles highlighting revisionist research on Cook. My bit was on Cook's little-noticed Islander shipmates: https://theconversation.com/the-stories-of-tupaia-and-omai-and-their-vital-role-as-captain-cooks-unsung-shipmates-126674
Chatting on community radio
With the new book out, I'm chatting a lot more about history. Here's a little Sunday morning segment on why I am a historian, the book, and an upcoming Bennelong podcast: thanks to Sydney's favourite community radio, 2SER, for having me along (2nd Feb. 2020): click here for the link: https://2ser.com/the-warrior-the-voyager-and-the-artist/