Book Review by
Martin Roberts │ 16 May 2019
Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe challenges a history in need of a rewrite. In this lucid account of Australian Indigenous life on the land, Pascoe reveals the misrepresentations by our forefathers around what it was to be an Australian Aboriginal.
This book is revelatory in every aspect. Its point made all the more salient because it relies, in part, on the words and observations of the colonials who were there on first contact and lived the frontier existence.
Dark Emu demonstrates how, in recording Australia’s history from a colonial perspective, we have altered images and recordings to suit our purpose, inspired by the self-fulfilling prophecy that Australia was terra nullius. At the same time, Pascoe reveals an honesty through other colonial reports, given by those committed to recording what they saw, verbatim, in both print and image. This use of divergent sources, backed by anthropological evidence, enables Dark Emu a unique, parallel, historical perspective. One that reveals an indigenous society far more developed, harmonious and sustainable than was ever given credit for.
The details and intertwining accounts, so well written by Pascoe, give the reader clues as to how we have allowed traditional land management and responsible conservation to give way to “modern” agri-economic methodologies. As described in detail in Dark Emu, the story of the humble yam, sophisticated food storage and traditional fishing techniques are fascinating to both the reader of agricultural history and the amateur historian alike.
Dark Emu conveys beautifully, the resilience and environmental harmony of Australia’s Indigenous people. The book impresses, not for its examples of indigenous societal sophistication in comparison to the “modern, European world”, rather that Indigenous Australian culture was, self evidently, sophisticated enough to sustain for more than 80,000 years. In this regard, Pascoe hits a modern currency in Dark Emu. Indigenous society before European contact, represented so much of what the world currently spruiks that society needs to be now – sustainable, locally sourced, in harmony with the environment, 100% recyclable and economically viable.
Pascoe does offer some hope for the future in Dark Emu. As he explains so directly, “Colonialism is bastardry”, but more than this, Dark Emu is a call to action for modern Australia to avoid the sins of the past. Pascoe encourages us to use this knowledge, to recognise our history and our people, properly, respectfully and accurately.
On reading Dark Emu as a student of Australian history, it’s hard not to feel cheated by what we thought we knew about Indigenous Australia before 1788. To this end, Dark Emu demonstrates that, until we know better, history is indeed written by the winners.
Dark Emu is a step beyond admiration of the Australian Indigenous “problem”. As Pascoe explains, it’s not just about paying off the moral debt and moving on. It’s about respect and acknowledgement for the injustice of the past, truly recognising it and seeking to agree on how we can move forward, together.