THE SPECTRE OF TRUGANINI - 1980 BOYER LECTURES

by Bernard Smith

Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Bernard Smith (1916–2011) was arguably Australia’s greatest art historian and one of the most important humanist thinkers internationally on ideas concerning cultural contact.

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains the 1980 Boyer lectures by Bernard Smith, President of the Australian Academy of the humanities, about white-aboriginal interactions. He starts with Truganini, as an introduction to a hidden guilt felt by whites about the fate of aboriginals, and how the settlers simply ignored aboriginal culture. They did what they did for immoral reasons which were quietly forgotten, and rationalised by seeing aboriginals as closer to animals and treated accordingly. The settlers were simple persons, not given to ethical questioning, while the aboriginals had no sense of nationalism, only tribalism, which made mutual cultural recognition implauisble. However that slowly changed and with that the self conscious awareness by both black and white of two separate cultures, and the corollary that they needed to converge. Smith is far to optimistic in thinking that the bicentenary in 1988 would recognise Makarrata, and with it a bipartisan Treaty. It seemed even likely at the time, but the 2023 Voice referendum killed such hopes, where 60% of Australians voted against any form of parliamentary Voice for the First Australians. One is depressed at how in 40 years Australians moved further to the racist right.