Continued resistance
Explore the historical and continued resistance of First Nations peoples.
The Unsettled curators thank Neenah R. Gray for her assistance with this section’s web pages.
Curators’ acknowledgement
“We pay our respects and dedicate the Unsettled exhibition to the people and other Beings who keep the law of this land; to the Elders and Traditional Owners of all the knowledges, places, and stories in this exhibition; and to the Ancestors and Old People for their resilience and guidance.
We advise that there are some confronting topics addressed in this exhibition, including massacres and genocide. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be advised that there may be images of people who have passed away.”
Laura McBride and Dr Mariko Smith, 2021.
Continued resistance
First Nations resistance to British colonisation was immediate and has endured for over 230 years.
First Nations peoples have fought for their survival, lands, and livelihoods through physical and psychological resistance campaigns. Since the frontier wars and dispersals, they have continued to fight against genocidal practices and discriminatory policies.
Modern resistance seeks to challenge racism and structural inequalities, revitalise cultures and re-establish agency for Aboriginal people, their communities, and the environment. Resistance to British colonisation has ensured the survival of Aboriginal peoples, their knowledges, and cultures. For First Nations peoples, existence is resistance.
