In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, the award-winning historian and author Dr Kate Fullagar chats with Dr Gabriella-Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting Bennelong & Phillip: A History Unravelled, the first joint biography of First Nations leader, Bennelong, and the first governor of the British Colony of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip.
Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:
- Why Bennelong & Phillip is still so relevant, over 200 years since the events depicted in it occurred
- Why Kate Fullagar structured the narrative around the intertwined lives of Bennelong and Arthur Phillip rather than crafting separate biographies
- Why Kate plotted the events in Bennelong’s and Phillip’s lives in reverse order, starting with the two leaders’ funerals
- How Kate reconciled the literary challenges in crafting events in reverse order
- How Kate pieced together and interpreted thousands of fragments of evidence that were biased by a colonial lens and lacked an Indigenous perspective
- The vital evidence that enabled Kate to challenge the prevailing image of Bennelong as a tragic victim and outcast of his community
- The complexities of intercultural encounters, particularly the power dynamics, cultural misunderstandings and moments of genuine connection that shaped the interactions between Bennelong and Phillip
- Why deeply researched, revisionist accounts of a life and events are so vital in an authentic portrayal of our nation’s history and the individuals who created that history
- How Bennelong & Phillip encourages us to confront the complexities of the past and engage in ongoing conversations about reconciliation and justice.
