The Times Australia
The Times News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

Why do First Nations people continue to be history's outsiders?

  • Written by Ann McGrath, Professor, Australian National University

For as long as “History” with a capital ‘H’ has been written, Indigenous peoples have been placed outside its circle. Consequently, whole groups of peoples, whole continents like Australia, and whole spans of human time, are missing from history’s scope.

Why have Indigenous peoples become History’s outsiders? One reason is the formal discipline of history originated in Europe and was based on analysing written texts.

Traditionally History has used books and articles to share its findings. It has also relied on documentary archives for its data. Yet Indigenous cultures the world over had their own methods of maintaining History: story telling, art, ritual, dance and song. Many cultures still practice these today.

In our collection, The Routledge Companion to Indigenous Global History [1], we reveal no truly global history can be written unless we take account of the depth, scale and scope of Indigenous histories.

Our book assembled a wide range of contributors (Indigenous and settler), working across a vast array of geographical locations, including Africa, Asia, Northern Europe and the Americas. The collection spans many time-zones - from the human journey out of Africa hundreds of thousands of years ago detailed by Martin Porr to the forced migrations of North American peoples in the 1820s and 30s, to the intermixed groups arising from slavery in the Caribbean.

Indigenous authors include Paulette Steeves, May-Britt Öhman, Kirstine E. Møller, Kella Robinson, Judi Wickes, and John Maynard. These authors reconnect with their traditions through an exploration of early Native American archaeology, Saami fishing stories, and the hidden stories of Australian Indigenous identity. These personal accounts repeatedly show us we have much to learn from Indigenous histories. Not only in their content, but also in their ways of telling.

Read more: For too long, research was done on First Nations peoples, not with them. Universities can change this[2]

Indigenous peoples histories

Over aeons, Indigenous peoples have developed a vision of a world shared by people and their environment - the animals, plants and their entangled stories. It is one that is mutually interdependent and intimately interconnected. It is emotional and nurturing.

During the age of discovery - when imperial and colonial powers mapped, documented and occupied their lands - Indigenous people were observed, but often as a background, fast disappearing presence. Expected to soon disappear, in Australia they were the “dying race.[3]

Traditionally, Western historians have focused on change, key moments and events. As a result Indigenous peoples prior to European arrival have been seen, incorrectly[4], as unchanging people confined to a timeless zone, a kind of limbo before History itself began.

Indigenous people were not unchanging, but rather, they were inventive and dynamic. Indigenous people’s long custodianship of their forests, rivers, and seas offer pathways to a more sustainable future. In the mounting climate emergency that the world faces today, Indigenous people’s knowledge is more important than ever.

In recent decades, much has been written about the arrival of colonialism as a huge rupture, a dramatic turning point after which nothing could be the same. Consequently, historical writing has focused upon the plight of Indigenous peoples after Europeans arrived on their lands: the violence, the massacres, the disease, the appropriation of lands, and destruction of cultures.

Read more: 'Singing up Country': reawakening the Black Duck Songline, across 300km in Australia's southeast[5]

Acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples’ rights on a global stage

With their tragic histories now better known, in 2007 the United Nations endorsed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples[6]. This declaration represented the culmination of meetings of over 700 Indigenous representatives, the participants hailing from many diverse environments and regions around the world. Indigenous peoples had long demanded their fundamental human rights be reinstated. Now they were heard in an international arena.

It is noteworthy that Australia and its English speaking allies, United States, New Zealand and Canada initially opposed the declaration[7]. Eventually agreeing to sign, they remained concerned about its potential impact on their national sovereignty.

The UN Committee recognised Indigenous people as entitled to a special category of rights. In the Declaration they shared a common entitlement to what they had held historically and was still under threat:

their political, economic and social structures and […] their cultures, spiritual traditions, histories and philosophies, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources.

Our Routledge Companion to Indigenous Global History takes a few more steps to recognising that historical suffering and ongoing injustice on a global scale. But the Companion does not overlook the richness, power and strength of Indigenous peoples.

They have developed their own historical interpretations and modes of historical practice through millennia. In our collection, authors Paul Lane, Chris Ballard, Peter Veth and colleagues, Paulette Steeves and John Maynard explain the deep stories held in the land, the sea and the sky.

The history of the deep pasts and modern presents of Indigenous peoples is the story of peoples who are the custodians of the planet upon which we all live. They have left, and continue to leave profound legacies.

On a planet where waterways, seas, lands and skies are being exploited ever more destructively, Indigenous people’s respect for the environment offers inspiring insights for future generations.

Read more https://theconversation.com/why-do-first-nations-people-continue-to-be-historys-outsiders-162762

The Times Features

Brisbane Water Bill Savings: Practical Tips to Reduce Costs

Brisbane residents have been feeling the pinch as water costs continue to climb. With increasing prices, it's no wonder many households are searching for ways to ease the burde...

Exploring Hybrid Heating Systems for Modern Homes

Consequently, energy efficiency as well as sustainability are two major considerations prevalent in the current market for homeowners and businesses alike. Hence, integrated heat...

Are Dental Implants Right for You? Here’s What to Think About

Dental implants are now among the top solutions for those seeking to replace and improve their teeth. But are dental implants suitable for you? Here you will find out more about ...

Sunglasses don’t just look good – they’re good for you too. Here’s how to choose the right pair

Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels[1] of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world. While we tend to focus on avoiding UV damage to our skin, it’s impor...

How to Style the Pantone Color of the Year 2025 - Mocha Mousse

The Pantone Color of the Year never fails to set the tone for the coming year's design, fashion, and lifestyle trends. For 2025, Pantone has unveiled “Mocha Mousse,” a rich a...

How the Aussie summer has a profound effect on 'Climate Cravings’

Weather whiplash describes the rollercoaster-like shifts in weather we’ve experienced this summer —a blazing hot day one moment, followed by an unexpectedly chilly or rainy tur...

Times Magazine

10 Important things to know about moving to Sydney

Do you want to start a new life in the Southern Hemisphere, Sydney as a resident of Melbourne? Before moving to Sydney, hire Melbourne to Sydney removalists. Also, prepare yourself and read our list of things you need to know before moving to Syd...

The Best Office Gift Ideas to Give Your Colleagues

Gift-giving is a wonderful way of expressing gratitude and appreciation towards someone, and when it comes to the workplace, office gifts are an ideal way to show your colleagues, supervisors, and clients that you care. Office gifts not only show t...

Insider Tips to Improve Your Dota 2 Matches

Dota 2 matches are the ultimate test of skill and strategy. Two teams of five battle it out on a virtual battlefield, with each player controlling a powerful hero with unique abilities. The objective of the game is to defeat the opposing team by de...

Coeliac Australia launches Christmas Holiday Appeal

Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson drives campaign to find a cure for coeliac disease 4 December 2024: In her role as an ambassador for Coeliac Australia, former Australian Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson is supporting the organisation’s first ever ...

How to Get the Most Out of Your Security Camera System

If you’re looking for the best security camera system in East Gippsland, there are a few things to keep in mind. 1.       Make sure that the camera system you choose from East Gippsland Security Service can meet your specific needs. Not all sys...

Paramedic pointers to stay safe at the tennis

As thousands flock to Melbourne Olympic Park over the next two weeks to watch tennis stars compete in the Australian Open, Ambulance Victoria (AV) is reminding spectators to stay safe on long, hot days at the major event. Ambulance Victoria (AV) p...

LayBy Shopping