Colonial killings hidden in code spark truth-telling debate

The coded murder diary of a settler is forcing Australia’s comfort with the colonial history and asks new questions about who will control the historical recording, Dr Rosemary Sorensen writes.

On the main street of a beautiful district in Victoria’s center, there is a Folksy Museum in a long, multi -room building, which contains a collection of something rich from the colonial Australia. Especially in rush tools and other objects to dig gold, then large buildings, this museum, which emerged at a surprising speed, is managed by a special historical society.

At an art festival in the neighbor Shire, I was impressed by the committee governed by a man with significant energy and visible intensity to visit with such a museum to exhibit some of the most curious and interesting items. I wander through the corridors, from the pale photos of men who find large pieces of gold to weapons – very few weapons – weapons – clothing, household items and toys.

In the back, there is a corner devoted to a mixture of local works and works of art, which I mentioned to the president when he leaves the door. Speech mood changed, replacing the comfortable conversation. Then it changed again. Bomb.

Apparently, this man knows better about the history of Achorijin, really better, better, better. I researched, says. They don’t like me very much, but there are research to prove what I say.

The day I visited that museum was a gloomy, wet afternoon. I left to ride the gray road with dizzles, I feel like sorrow. He made me think: What’s about men who read a little reading and decide what they know all of them? And why amateur history attracts cranks, bigotes, conspiracy theorists and small talent writers?

The same thoughts rose to the ink surface while reading the bright job Guardian journalists Sarah Collard And Ella Archibald-BinyWith the professor Lorena Allam Sydney is from the University of Technology and Domestic Research Institute.

Killing code part of the long -standing part Times of Killing A Newcastle University cooperation with the support of the web project that documents the history of Australia’s border wars – fund support should be mentioned. Balnaves Foundation (Three cheers to them). Killing code The story of the Western Australian pastoralist BIG LOGHe noted how and when he killed the Yamatji people in his diaries from the early 1850s. He used a simple code called Pigpen to hide these facts, so he wouldn’t immediately blame him for his 50 -year -old daily writing.

In the Western Australian state library of microfilm copies made in 1955, there are diaries (or existing, unidentified descendants) so that they can be read in their codes, codes and all in all. Geraldon -based historian Nan Broadow In the 1990s, while researching a doctor, read the originals and could see, GuardianThe 50 -year colonial diary was worth publishing when all over the cattle, breakfast and station work. Copies were made with the help of the Geraldton Library and planned to be copied and published. But here’s a little bit.

“We felt that it was to protect the person holding the diaries … Maybe not to take it in writing,” Broad told Guardian, ‘All sections that Logue wrote about border murders’.

Departments such as:

I saw some natives [then in code] And the rector rode them and put his foot in a hole and crushed my left hand and knee and hit the closed lid of my pistol and caught the rector and made a pill applied twice …

We found everything on the battlefield, except that two of the bodies were buried from a shrub and left close to each other, and the removal of the dead dog.

Nan Broadow he says It supports the truth, but also supports the publisher’s decision to exclude Logue’s own evidence of killing people:

“It’s not an old history to look at with passion yet.”

Publisher Peter Bridge conjunctive Hesperion PressAccording to the website, Carlisle in Western Australia is a bookstore behind 65 Oats Street. Specialized ‘Final transcription of reconnaissance diaries in Western Australia’Hesperian is now a ‘Between 2 June 1829 and 14 November 1829, the index of the names of the settlers who came to the Swan River of Western Australia’.

Bridge answered GuardianQuestions about why coded sentences were removed from the aimed publication “Not just print”:

“If your concern is that the code can hide the political powerful materials politically, unfortunately I recommend you to take it with Logue who cannot be used for an interview. We publish the diaries because they are not a moral confession, but not historical documents.”

And Here is a little This reminded me of that gray day among the dusty things of the complex historical museum:

“By publishing the real history and especially the history and culture of ABORİJ, we upset some mainstream media, WA museum, national and state libraries and other corrupt institutions.”

It is sad to focus on this aspect Killing code All the success of reporting is a necessity. The explanations of the meetings between the grandchildren of the logus of the loguja Yamatji country where the massacres want to be said to be told to the truth are very good, it is impossible to move. One of them, Theona Assembly MemberCalling to the grandchildren of the settlement families “Stop sticking to a wrong narrative” and them “Add the black past there and be brave enough to hear”.

It looks like a reasonable request.

Culture Wars While Happy Buffets and Pm John Howard It found it useful to capture the term “Black arm band history”And enter the trial line, (temporarily) I was employed in ABC and I was among those who were called for the crowd around the visitor.

Even if John Howard didn’t notice this painful little gesture, maybe he made ABC hierarchy. Employment was absolutely temporary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qotas4ydxqw

Dr Rosemary Sorensen is the founder of IA columnist, journalist and Bendigo Writers Festival.

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