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Father of Australian archaeology’ leads symposium to mark unique anniversary
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| Emeritus Professor John Mulvaney delivered the keynote address at a special symposium in Canberra which marked the 50th anniversary of a ground breaking 1961 Conference on Aboriginal Studies. (Photo: John Paul Janke) |
7 June 2011
Emeritus Professor John Mulvaney - often referred to as the ‘father of Australian archaeology - delivered the keynote address at a special symposium in Canberra in June to mark the 50th anniversary of a ground breaking 1961 Conference on Aboriginal Studies.
In May 1961, fifty five scholars representing every State and most of the institutions directly concerned with research amongst Aborigines assembled at University House in Canberra’s Australian National University to review the state of Australia’s scientific knowledge in all fields of research among the Aborigines.
That Conference convened by the late Australian anthropologist Professor W. E. H (Bill) Stanner led to the establishment of one of this countries oldest Indigenous organisations - the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).
AIATSIS is now the world’s leading research, collecting and publishing institution in the field of Australian Indigenous studies and will host the symposium at ANU’s University House – the same location as the 1961 conference.
In addition to Emeritus Professor Mulvaney - the symposium brought together many other prominent Australian academics to discuss both the past – and the future – of AIATSIS.
AIATSIS Chairperson, Professor Mick Dodson said that the symposium came at an opportune time – "when a cultural institution legislatively charged with safeguarding a precious part of Australia’s collective memory – sees that memory imperilled by funding constraints."
“In fact the title of Professor Mulvaney’s keynote address, A fight against time: the 1961 conference was particularly appropriate,” Professor Dodson added.
The 1961 conference was the culmination of suggestions by Menzies government minister, the Honourable WC Wentworth, that Australia needed a national effort in scientific research “amongst the Aborigines”.
It was considered by a Cabinet sub-committee in July, 1960 and sent to the Vice Chancellor of the National University for Technical Study.
That committee met and concluded there was need for such a national research effort but said there needed to be a conference to review the state of scientific knowledge in all fields of research amongst Aborigines.
Professor Stanner lost no time in convening the conference which recommended that ‘a Centre for Aboriginal Studies’ be established. That finally occurred with the establishment of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies in 1964.
“We have come a long way since then,” Professor Dodson said.
Other acclaimed speakers at the one day symposium included Professor Colin Tatz, Dr Ruth Latukefu and Emeritus Professor Isabel McBryde who spoke about the 1961 Conference, ANU’s Professor Nicholas Peterson whose address was entitled The Ucko Years - , Dr Lachlan Clohesy – who spoke on Wentworth – and AIATSIS Researcher Dr Geoffrey Gray.
Author and academic - Mr Michael Davis - spoke about heritage, intellectual and cultural property. The closing session included a panel discussion entitled Where we have been, we are here now, where will we be in 10-20 years time.
“AIATSIS is a vital part of Australia’s cultural institutions. It is appropriate that we recognise its history and contribution to Australian well-being and Indigenous history and research,” Professor Dodson concluded.