Why Weren't We Told: A personal serach for the truth about our history by Henry Reynolds
I'm actually fairly interested in Australian History but it's difficult to find good, well written (ie. not dry, academic works.) material. This is another book I stumbled across in the library and tells the story of Henry Reynolds search for the true history of the conflict between white and indigenous Australians. He named the book after a question he is frequently asked when he talks about this area of history. The more I read, the more I realise so much has been brushed over or left out. Personally I feel it is akin to the Japanese only teaching certain parts of World War 2. Until we acknowledge that white Australia's treatment of the Indigenous people of this land has left a large and rather horrible legacy, we can't expect to achieve reconciliation. Kevin Rudd's landmark apology early last year was a great starting point. This book was written before then and I can't help but think that Henry Reynolds was one of the people cheering the loudest on the day. In an age where we frequently lament the quality of history education in our schools, I think it's important that we do continue to ask "Why weren't we told?"
3 comments:
Brilliant--I'll have to pick this one up. I'll have to admit: I know very little about what happened over there. It'll be great to get a true perspective out of the gate! Thanks for these wonderful book chocies!
The sad thing is, not many people over here are aware of what happened here. Somewhere along the lines, historians sanatised our history and we are only now starting to acknowledge that settlement of this country was not peaceful.
Hey Kylie, thanks for sharing, this sounds like an interesting and enlightening read. You might also enjoy a book I have by Raymond Evans called "Fighting Words: Writing about race". This book talks about the Aboriginal/European conflicts in colonial Qld, the anti-Chinese riots in 1888 and civilian internment during World War I. This book should be read by all school children to ensure they understand the "real" history of Australia. Only when we acknowledge the wrongs of the past can we move towards a constructive future for all Australians. Let me know if you'd like to borrow this book and I'll bring it next time I visit. Hugs, Kelly :-)
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