Truth-telling is an opportunity for Aboriginal peoples to share their history, heritage and culture with the broader community and to voice and record evidence about past actions. It’s an opportunity to impart knowledge of thousands of years of rich histories, languages and stories, as well as provide a form of restorative justice by acknowledging Aboriginal people’s experiences of dispossession and inequity.
Explore the links below to learn more about Aboriginal history and culture in the City of Melbourne.
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First Nation's perspectives on Cook's Cottage and his voyages
Many First Nations people hold different views on Captain Cook’s legacy, including Cooks’ Cottage in the Fitzroy Gardens, which was home to Captain Cook’s parents and relocated from England to the gardens in 1934.
In 2020, a number of institutions invited First Nations perspectives on Cook to mark the 250th anniversary of his first Pacific voyage. This included the Australian Museum’s 2020 Project External link – an exhibition project centered on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s perspectives.
Aligned with Future Melbourne Goal 9: a city with an Aboriginal focus, and in the spirit of truth-telling, the City of Melbourne commissioned Dr Paola Balla, Dr Clare Land and Kate Golding to develop a publication that considers First Nations perspectives on Cook’s legacy and Cooks’ Cottage.
Entitled BLAK COOK BOOK, the publication invites visitors to the Fitzroy Gardens and the wider public to reflect on Australia’s history in all its complexity and be open to multiple perspectives.
