Week 6: Discovery

This lecture was focused on 'discovery' post invasion. Particularly that of the non Indigenous discovery of Indigenous art, culture and design.

Rock art Djulirri - North Western Arnum Land

These images were discovered recently and have been dated to 15,000-50 years ago. The rock art features highly detailed images of ships and liners. Anthropologists have been able to analyse the drawings and then search through records to find the exact models that have been drawn on the rocks. This is an important example of cross cultural contact.

"Buckley ran away from the ship" 1880's

Tommy McRae was born in the 1830's. He spent his early years living an undisturbed traditional life with no contact from settlers in an area which had not been colonised. He painted scenes of traditional life and the relationship with the coming of settlers and settler activities. The image above tells the story of William Buckely who McCrae remembers as a boy. William Buckley was a convict who escaped in 1803. He lived for more than 30 yrs with the Wutawong people near Port Phillip Bay.

William Barak was born and lived in around 1824. His father was a respected law man. He was educated at an early settler school which made him Fluent across both cultures. He was a campaigner for the rights of Indigenous communities. Most of his image are of ceremonies and traditional life.

Mickey of Ulladulla lived on the Southern Coast of New South Wales. He was employed by Settlers as a fisherman. He included himself in many of his images.

 

"Ceremony"

 

Charlie Flannigan was born in 1865 on the Richmond Downs Homestead. He was rumoured to be a champion jockey until 1892 charged with Murder. He started to draw in Jail and then was hanged in 1893.There was an exhibition in Adelaide of his works which Attracted attention. He drew stories of the injustices towards Aboriginal people but also Aboriginal people adapting drawing style.

"Richmond Downs Homestead" 1893

 

 

The following images were drawn by a young boy only known as Oscar who was taken to work on a station near the border of Queensland and Northern Territory. His drawings are of observations of European people around him.

"White Lovers Some Jealousy"

"Trying to catch cranky bill"

"Two Mormos" Artist Unknown

Baldwin Spencer was an Antropologist who went on an expidition through south western Arnhem land in 1912 and came back with 38 bark paintings. They were taken from the roofs of wet season huts. They were paintings for pleasure and ceremonial purposes. The museum took such a strong interest in these works that they later comissioned the communities for more. They attracted strong interest both in Australia and overseas, even as far as Paris. Baldwin Spencers attraction to these were Anthrpological but he later developed an appreciation for them as works of art.

 

During the time of these discoveries, artists such as Margaret Preston, a non indigenous artist, took interest in the style of Indigenous art and design. She promoted  the idea that Indigenous art had a uniquely Australian style and heritage and was evidence of ancient Australian identity. Even in the 1920's she was excited by the potential of these designs and what it meant for artistic expression.

'Aboriginal Design with Sturts Pea' 1943

It is hard to say what people thought of these images at the time they were discovered and the reasons why they created so much attraction. The reasons are both controversial and mixed. The works were seen and promoted as something that came from pre history. The idea that these images were primative made viewers feel that they were even more civilised as Aboriginal cultures were the oldest civilisation on earth where as Australia was the youngest colonisation.