Cirrus@Austlit

 (Introduction)

'A groundbreaking work – and a call to arms – that exposes the ongoing colonial violence experienced by First Nations people.

'In this collection of deeply insightful and powerful essays, Chelsea Watego examines the ongoing and daily racism faced by First Nations peoples in so-called Australia. Rather than offer yet another account of ‘the Aboriginal problem’, she theorises a strategy for living in a social world that has only ever imagined Indigenous peoples as destined to die out. Drawing on her own experiences and observations of the operations of the colony, she exposes the lies that settlers tell about Indigenous people. In refusing such stories, Chelsea tells her own: fierce, personal, sometimes funny, sometimes anguished. She speaks not of fighting back but of standing her ground against colonialism in academia, in court, and in media.' (Publication summary)

'In the same year that Adam Goodes quit the game of AFL, soprano and composer Deborah Cheetham refused to sing the Australian National Anthem at the AFL Grand Final because she could not bear to sing the words ‘for we are young and free’. In this article, we examine why the act of singing about being ‘free’ would be both absurd and obscene for Blackfullas in Australia. Engaging with the songs of Black people, locally and globally, we reveal the fiction of free speech and freedom for all and the interests those fictions serve.'  (Introduction)

Wild Black Women was hosted by Aboriginal women, Dr Chelsea Bond and Angelina Hurley and is a part of 989FM’s ‘Let’s Talk’ programming. The one hour show was designed to give Black Women’s perspectives on current issues, affairs and events that come up each week. One of the most popular and highly anticipated podcasts in the Aboriginal community, Wild Black Women was running for around three years, going from strength to strength, earning the women a spot on NITV’s ‘The Point’ before the Wild Black Woman team announced their retirement of the show in 2020.

In what’s been labelled a controvesial new documentary, SBS’s forthcoming series Fair Game provides a firsthand account of former AFL player Héritier Lumumba’s search for identity as a Black man, and how he confronted racism and prejudice at the Collingwood Football Club. Lumumba, along with his family, former teammates and sports journalists, sheds new light on his personal and professional journey, including the reason behind his name change from Harry O'Brien to Héritier Lumumba. We learn that his name Héritier, given to him by his Black father at birth, means “the prince who is gifted”. It’s in stark contrast to the dehumanising nickname of “Chimp” assigned to him by his teammates.' (Introduction)

Let's Talk is a one hour radio talk back show that has been running for well over 20 years and podcasts are available online from 1999. One of the most relevant radio shows, now also podcast for Aboriginal perspectives on politics, current affairs and events, ‘Let’s Talk’ is made in Brisbane at ‘98FM’ (Formerly known as 4AAA Murri Radio) and is played on other First Nations radio stations around the country via the National Indigenous Radio Service. Hosted by Tiga Bayles until his passing in 2016, the show continued with a range of different hosts including, Amy McQuire, Wild Black Women, Bogain Spearim, 'The Aunties' (Dr Lilla Watson and Dr Mary Graham) and Kaava Watson. As one of 989FM’s most popular and longest running programs, it is expected to remain as a key feature of the stations presence in the social, political and cultural discussions in Aboriginal Media.