BOOTS, BLANKETS, AND BOMB TESTS: FIRST AUSTRALIAN PETITIONING AND RESISTANCE TO COLONISATION

Abstract

Petitions are symbolic representations of the unacceptable position of First Australians’ in society. They demonstrate the continuity and persistence of First Australian communities in asserting their rights. This article draws attention to the use of petitioning to question colonisation and colonial history. Rather than an endorsement of colonisation, petitioning presents a preliminary assessment of how petitioners instigated, set in motion, and subsequently effected necessary change for landmark legal decisions. This article proposes an archival study of petitions and related documents to ascertain the true extent of national First Australian political participation. Through petitioning, First Australian peoples not only communicate concerns about their collective future and assert the right to manage their own affairs, they also demonstrate resilience, authority, and agency.