To mark a year since its premiere, the Australian Centre for Indigenous History at the Australian National University and the Centre for Historical Research at the National Museum of Australia present

Baz Luhrmann's Australia reviewed

An interdisciplinary conference on history, film and popular culture

7 & 8 December 2009

National Museum of Australia , Canberra

Keynote Address

Meaghan Morris , Chair Professor of Cultural Studies, Lingnan University

(Hong Kong), and Professor of Gender and Cultural Studies, University of Sydney

Confirmed speakers include Peter Stanley ( National Museum of Australia ), John Docker ( University of Sydney ), and Ann McGrath ( Australian National University )

More Information

New Publication

Tiffany Shellam, Shaking Hands on the Fringe, Negotiating the Aboriginal World of King George's Sound available from University of Western Australia Press

Indigenous Researchers Postgraduate Workshop
24-25 February 2009 Bateman's Bay

Professor Ann McGrath, Dave Johnston and students Abby Cooper and Serene Fernando attending the weekend workshop in Bateman's Bay were presentations were given by ANU faculty members, Indigenous scholars and postgraduate students. Students had the opportunity to outline their research and methodology and theoretical concerns they had about their Masters and PhD theses.

Tom Wills Documentary

In Augsut 2008, Abby Cooper was interviewed for a television documentary to be screened on SBS in early 2009 celebrating the life of Tom Wills, one of the founders of Australian Rules football.

Wills, who grew up in western Victoria amongst the local Djab Warrung people, had a remarkable life which reflects a plethora of elements and arguments central to Australian History. In this interview, Abby was invited to enter into the ongoing debate about the possible influence of Marn Grook (Indigenous football game) on Australian Rules Football. Abby drew on her research of the Indigenous people of Western Victoria and many oral interviews discussing Wills' relationships with the Djab Wurrung and the belief that he was highly influenced by the Aboriginal game.

Abby Cooper, 3 Stages Studio, South Yarra , August 2008

Writing Indigenous History PhD Workshop

The Australian Centre for Indigenous History director, Professor Ann McGrath and visiting fellow, Professor Ann Curthoys recently convened the postgraduate research workshop Writing Indigenous History, 22-24 October 2008. Indigenous and non-indigenous students from around Australia and New Zealand came together to share their research and enhance their writing.

2020 Summit - Ann McGrath

L-R Ann McGrath, Lowitja O'Donaghue, Kate George

Options for Indigenous Futures Theme

I went along to the Summit wondering how I could ever convince a group focussed on the year 2020 to think about the past. Although all about History, Prime Minister Rudd had pitched the Apology to the stolen generations as an 'historic' coming to terms with history, that would now permit his government and the nation to simply move forward and forget using the reverse gear. The Indigenous stream, in which I participated, also had to tackle grave and urgent issues like early mortality, wrecked childhoods, poor employment and education profiles, alcohol and drug problems.

For complete story go to http://rsss.anu.edu.au.

Opening Exhibition of works by Emily Kngwarreye in Tokyo.

L-R Adjunct Professor Margo Neale, Fred Torres DACOU Aboriginal Gallery, Adelaide, Craddock Morton, Director National Museum of Australia, in front of painting loaned by Sir Elton John, `My Country'.

Margo Neale, an Adjunct Professor at the Australian Centre for Indigenous History at the Australian National University, curated the acclaimed exhibition that opened at the National Museum of Art, Osaka on the 25 th February. It is the largest exhibition of a single Australian artist ever staged overseas. Entitled Utopia: the Genius of Emily Kame Kngwarreye , it is a collaboration between the National Museum of Australia and the National Museum of Art, Osaka with Yomiuri Shimbun. It was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan and the Australian Embassy Tokyo, attracting sponsorship from a range of Australian and Japanese companies and major organisations. The Exhibition, which features an amazing diversity and scale of Kngwarreye's work, travels to Tokyo May 28-July 2008, then to the National Museum of Australia. This project provides a focus study for a major ARC grant being run out of ACIH, Unsettling Histories: Indigenous Modes of Historical Practice . (Ann McGrath, Margo Neale and Frances Peters-Little)

Ann McGrath, Director of the Australian Centre for Indigenous History in the History Program, RSSS, attended the official opening in Osaka. Arts afficianados including Janet Holmes a Court, John McDonald, Judy Behan and Christopher Hodge showered praise on the conceptual framework and visual excitement of the show and its hang. The Australian Ambassador, Murray McLean and Craddock Morton were extremely enthusiastic. A catalogue in English and Japanese was also published. ACIH Collaborator Ronin Films is making a documentary of the story behind the Exhibition.

Indigenous Biography & Autobiography Conference

9-12 July 2007
National Museum of Australia, Canberra

The above conference was sponsored by Humanities Research Centre, ANU, National Centre for Indigenous Studies, ANU, Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Western Australia, Australian Centre for Indigenous History, ANU and the Centre for Public Culture and Ideas, Griffith University.

Conference topics (especially from biographers of Indigenous people and from Indigenous autobiographers) portray Indigenous lives in the artistic, visual and performing arts.

Conference themes were Mixed Identities, Controversial lives, Who Owns the Story?, Art and Politics, Alternative Narratives, Elusive Relationships Autobiography, Performance Sessions and Who is my Audience?

My visit at the Australian Centre for Indigenous History by Isabelle Auguste

I approached the ACIH last year to inquire about the possibility of joining them. I did my PhD on Australia's Aboriginal History and Politics and the ACIH, with its focus on Indigenous History seemed to be the appropriate place to conduct the research I planned to undertake. Its ideal location, close to the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and the National Library of Australia was also an advantage. I wrote my thesis on Australia's government policy toward Aboriginal people in the light of Indigenous self-determination. My dissertation covers mainly the period starting in 1967 and stopping in 2001 and I wished to update it in view of publication. Seven years had gone since the Bridge Walks of which I still have memories, and since the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation has been abolished. How have the government responded to the documents of Reconciliation? What have been the development in Indigenous Affairs Policy? What is left of Reconciliation today in Australia? I was interested in knowing what has happened since the Centenary of Federation.

The choice of the year 2007 was not incidental. I knew 2007 would be an important year with the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum and the Federal election. I couldn't actually anticipate what would happen from June 21st though. I wished to be in the country in the running of the anniversary of this really significant moment of Australia's history - often referred to as the first stage of Reconciliation in the country, to follow up the debates, the news and the different events, anything related to it.

I was really pleased, and as a matter of fact I am really grateful to the History Program and to the ACIH for inviting me as a visiting fellow. Indeed, the six months I spent at the ANU have been really positive in many ways. It has been really fruitful in terms of my initial project. I have been able to gather much information, the many thoughts and reflection, the mixed feelings about the past 40 years. I will be able to present them at two forthcoming conferences, at the European Association for the Study of Australia Conference in Denmark in September 2007 and at the Indian Association for the Study of Australia one in Kolkota in January 2008.

Besides that, my stay in Canberra has also opened up new opportunities for future projects. The many discussions with academic staff and students about my origins and my Island made me realize how little was known abroad about Reunion Island, one of Australia's neighbour, and its special relationship to France. They fostered some ideas for some new projects to come. I will actually present some initial research at two conferences in December 2007. Moreover, I have been invited to join a project dealing with the history of my island.

Nevertheless, for the time being, my focus will remain on Reconciliation as I have just received an Award (Bourse Lavoisier) from the French Department of Foreign and European Affairs which will allow me to pursue my work on Reconciliation at a critical time in Indigenous Affairs in Australia.

Welcome to New Members of Centre

The following people have joined the Centre in 2007:

Ms Isabelle Auguste, VF
Professor Ann Curthoys, VF
Ms Abby Cooper, PhD
Ms Serene Fernando, PhD
Dr Dave Johnston, VF
Ms Spencer Leineweber, PhD
Professor Peter Read, VF
Ms Jo Weinman, Visiting PhD student

For more information please see our people page.

Visit to Yale by Tiffany Shellam

I visited Yale University in New Haven in October 2006 for three weeks. I had arranged with Professor Jay Gitlin, a historian and Assistant Director of the Howard Lamar Centre for the Study of Frontiers and Borders, to visit and give a paper on a chapter of my thesis. Whilst I was at Yale I used the Beinecke Library's collection of early Western Americana and talked to the curator, George Miles about useful sources for comparative work with American-Indians and Aboriginal Australians in my thesis. I also attended history writing groups and workshops for graduate students which were very inspiring and were a great way to find out more about the History Department at Yale and to meet some interesting graduate students. Visiting Yale was a very positive experience for me, establishing strong academic networks with students and scholars, enabling me to get a different perspective on my thesis and becoming familiar with American historiography at a leading university.

Presentation of Inaugural Minoru Hokari Scholarship

Congratulations to Ms Lorina Barker, an associate lecturer in the School of Classics, History and Religion at the University of New England. Ms Barker will be utilising the scholarship to extend her time in the field working on the history of her community and family at Weilmoringle in north-western NSW.

The ceremony, held at University House, was attended by Minoru's sister Yuki Hokari, her father Nobuo Hokari, Japanese Ambassador to Australia Hideaki Ueda, leading Indigenous historians Dr Tony Birch and Professor John Maynard and historian Professor Peter Read. The evening commenced with music on the didgeridoo provided by Duncan Smith, Weradjeri echo, followed with an introduction by Professor Ann McGrath and a welcome by Vice Chancellor of the ANU, Professor Ian Chubb.

Photographs by Neal McCracken, ANU Photography

Ceremony

Two Awards in Two Weeks for Our Community
Our Community, a 24 minute documentary directed by Sean Kennedy and produced by Frances Peters-Little has won two awards at film festivals recently.  Read more here.
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A Frontier Conversation: launched at NMA
This film centres around discussions about modes of history telling between white historians and Indigenous people in the Northern Territory and was narrated by Professor Ann McGrath, Director of ACIH.  More details here.

Unsettling Histories: Australian Indigenous Modes of Historical Practice
This seminar series to be held in 2006 aims to find fresh perspectives and constructive methods of collaboration and historical innovation, and includes an exciting and broad range of topics.   To see a program click here.

Genres of History: Australian Historical Association Conference
The Australian Historical Association held its 2006 Biennial Conference at the Australian National University on July 3-7. The ACIH was involved in a number of sessions, transcripts of which will be posted here soon.

Transcript

The Minoru Hokari Memorial Scholarship

A pathbreaking scholar and inspiring colleague, Minoru Hokari (1971-2004) made outstanding contributions towards ‘cross-culturalizing’ historical practice and towards developing a respectful collaborative research strategy with Indigenous Australians. A graduate of Hitotsubashi University (MEc 1996) and The Australian National University (PhD 2001), Minoru conducted fieldwork amongst Gurindji elders, who he acknowledged as exceptional historians in their own right.

His untimely death in 2004 curtailed a very promising career.  His colleagues and friends in the Australian Centre for Indigenous History in the Research School of Social Sciences at The Australian National University have decided to establish a scholarship to him as a memorial.

The inaugural award of this scholarship was recently made during the Australian Historical Association conference at ANU, attended by members of both the Hokari family and the Japanese Ambassador. More details of this event, including an announcement of the winner, will be available soon.

International Conference of Historical Sciences

The International Conference of Historical Sciences was held at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, in July 2005.  Attracting historians from all over the world, it was the first time that the Conference had ever met in the Southern Hemisphere. ACIH participated in various ways. Ann McGrath gave a paper in a Roundtable on ‘History and Museums: New Narratives’ with a range of leading international scholars. The roundtable was held at the Powerhouse Museum, and their staff, including Indigenous staff, participated in a stimulating discussion (download a copy of the abstract from here). Tiffany Shellam presented a Poster Session about her Doctoral thesis, First Encounters: King George’s Sound where she made a short presentation and numerous people discussed her theme with her. Ingereth MacFarlane, assisted by Kirsty Douglas and others, operated a stand throughout the conference, successfully promoting the journal Aboriginal Historyand its many monograph publications.

McBryde's longterm contributions to the understanding of Indigenous culture and heritage in Australia are explored in this collection of valuable new cross-disciplinary studies by leaders in the fields of archaeology, history, heritage management, linguistics and anthropology. With contributions from Robyne Bancroft, Phil Boot, Sandra Bowdler, Helen Brayshaw, Denis Byrne, Ann Curthoys, Iain Davidson, Jack Golson, Luise Hercus, Peter Hiscock, Dave Johnston, Rhys Jones, Roy Kennedy, Judith Littleton, Betty Meehan, John Mulvaney, Ken Mulvaney, Winifred Mumford, Mary Pappin, Michael Pearson, Peter Read, Andrée Rosenfeld, Jim Specht, Sharon Sullivan, Barbara Tjikatu, Robin Torrence, Marilyn Truscott, Sean Ulm.

Order copies from www.aboriginalhistory.org