ABC News/Luke Bowden
The city of Hobart is divided by the statue of William Crowther.
In the heart of Tasmania’s capital, an unusual monument of a pair of severed bronze feet sat in an oak-lined square for months. The statue of renowned surgeon-turned-premier William Crowther, which had stood in Hobart’s park for over a century, was chopped down at the ankles one evening in May. The sandstone base was graffitied with the words “what goes around,” harking back to an alleged incident over 150 years ago when Crowther reportedly broke into a morgue, removed an Aboriginal leader’s skull, and triggered a grim dispute over the remaining body parts.
Tasmania played a central role in coloniser efforts to eliminate Aboriginal people in Australia. William Lanne, the sailor whose remains were targeted by Crowther, was considered the last man on the island, making his remains a macabre trophy for white physicians.
While some view Crowther as a man of his time and see his effigy as an important part of the state’s history, others, including Lanne’s descendants, see it as a symbol of colonial brutality, the erasure of Tasmanian Aboriginal people, and the whitewashing of the island’s past.
The dismembered statue now represents a city and a nation grappling with its darkest chapters.
The extinction lie
Risdon Cove, known as piyura kitina to the Palawa Aboriginal people, exemplifies the complex emotions evoked in Tasmanian Aboriginal people. The hillside, marked as the first British settlement in Van Diemen’s Land, is considered “ground zero for invasion” by Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
The events at Risdon Cove on 3 May 1804 marked the beginning of a concerted effort by British settlers to eliminate the original Tasmanian population, comprising nine nations of up to 15,000 individuals. Aboriginal people were hunted, captured, and sent to what have been described as death camps, leading to a devastating impact on their population.
The theft of Aboriginal remains, including Lanne’s skull, was part of a disturbing trend in Tasmania as the Aboriginal population dwindled. The remains were used to support discredited theories about Tasmanian Aboriginal people, perpetuating a dehumanizing narrative.
Despite efforts to erase their existence, Tasmanian Aboriginal people have fought for visibility and recognition, challenging the lie that they were extinct. The impact of this false narrative has been profound, denying rights and culture to the surviving descendants.
ABC News reporter Luke Bowden highlights the struggle of many Palawa people who feel persecuted for their Indigenous heritage while also being denied their identity due to their white ancestry. These individuals feel that significant portions of their history are missing or deliberately ignored, leading to a lack of recognition and celebration of Aboriginal culture and history in their city. Nunami, a history graduate, founded Black Led Tours to educate others about the rich black history of their city, which is often overlooked or misrepresented. The controversial Crowther statue, which some view as a symbol of Tasmania’s colonial past, has sparked debate and division among the community, with differing opinions on whether it should be removed or preserved for its historical value. The ongoing struggle for truth-telling and reconciliation with Australia’s First Peoples remains a contentious issue, with differing perspectives on how best to address the injustices of the past. ABC News/Luke Bowden “No les importa si ponemos algunas de nuestras pinturas en el centro comercial”, dice Nala.
“Pero si hablas de… cualquier tipo de beneficio para la comunidad aborigen, o de recuperar algo que nos fue robado, es un juego completamente diferente.”
Sin embargo, ella está entre aquellos que sienten que la marea está cambiando lentamente.
“La estatua de Crowther… es la primera vez que pienso, ‘Wow, la gente blanca – están empezando a entenderlo'”, dice Nala.
Blak Led Tours Tasmania/Jillian Mundy
Nunami espera que el debate sobre Crowther provoque más conversaciones sobre otros puntos de referencia de Hobart
El consejo todavía estaba decidiendo qué debería reemplazar a la escultura cuando tuvo un final inesperado.
Pero muchos querían que los pies cortados permanecieran en la plaza – tal como estaban – argumentando que hacían una declaración irónicamente “divertida” y “profunda”.
Sin embargo, a principios de esta semana, el consejo retiró los tobillos de su percha, para reunirlos con el resto de la efigie, citando requisitos de la ley de patrimonio.
Pero Nunami dice que incluso el pedestal vacío ahora ilustra la historia de Crowther y Lanne mucho mejor que la estatua lo hizo.
“Podemos decir que nosotros, como público, aprendimos, crecimos y cambiamos la narrativa de este lugar… Miren, cortamos eso.”
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