Always Was, Always Will Be (Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson, Magabala)

Always Was, Always Will Be is set to be an indispensable resource for young people looking to understand First Nations resistance in Australia. Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson, whose collaboration began with Nganga: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander words and phrases, provide a succinct thesis for this new book from the opening: ‘Many people today see current campaigns as new ideas, but a look at history shows us First Nations People have been fighting for equal rights since Europeans first arrived in Botany Bay.’ Emphasising Australia’s democratic system and the right to protest, the book details the activism of many First Nations individuals (such as Barangaroo and Eddie Mabo)—but also collective activities (such as strikes) and organisations (from the Australian Aborigines’ League to Reconciliation Australia). Suitable for late primary and high school students, Always Was, Always Will Be has clear curriculum connections, accessible language and vivid photographs, making it ideal for classrooms, libraries, and readers of Young Dark Emu and Sally Morgan’s books. However, I would also recommend it to adult readers who felt their education (like mine) neglected these stories in favour of ‘explorers’. For this audience, Always Was, Always Will Be will help create a fuller picture of early ‘Australia Day’ celebrations, the Parliament House opening, and many other events in colonial Australian history (and present-day life)—where First Nations people stand in resistance, telling truths the rest of us on this continent must now (so belatedly) listen to.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Angela Glindemann is a queer writer based in Naarm/Melbourne. She works as an editor for Books+Publishing. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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