Possession: Batman's Treaty and the Matter of History

by Bain Attwood

This definitive account explores the treaties made between white settlers and Aboriginal people in Australia and the different ways in which the two groups interpreted those acts of possession. Questions such as Why were these agreements forged? How did the Aborigines understand the terms of the agreements? and On what basis did whites claim to be the rightful owners of the land? are thoroughly discussed as well as the ways the settlers rewrote history to remove mention of the destruction and displacement of the Aborigines.

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Bain Attwood is a professor of history at Monash University. He is the author of Empire and the Making of Native Title: Sovereignty, Property and Indigenous People, which compares Britain’s colonies in Australia and New Zealand. He holds both New Zealand and Australian citizenship.

Reviews

[Serena]

Read for University - Great source for Australian studies, specifcially on the topic of Batman's Treaty.

[Nick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing like The Good Country which I highly recommend.