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World Press Photo 2019


The State Library was hosting the World Press Photo of the Year exhibition on one of their side galleries. All sorts of photos -- powerful, evocative, beautiful, confronting.   A window on the world.

This was the window on Sydney from the gallery. Today's book (below) is a word window on Australia's indigenous world.


A book I have read recently
The Tall Man by Chloe Hooper documents the story of Cameron Doomagee's death in police custody on Palm Island in 2004, the subsequent riots, the police sergeant's trial for manslaughter and his acquittal.  I found it compelling investigative journalism explaining the culture, history and difficulties of the Palm Island indigenous community and appreciated Hooper's efforts to provide a balanced view of both sides of the story. 

I note that in May 2018 the Queensland government issued an apology to the people of Palm Island for the racist response by the police in the 2004 riots.

Comments

  1. I visited the World Press Photo exhibition when I was in Sydney two weeks ago and even though I enjoyed it there were many photos that were quite confronting and made me sad.

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    1. I guess that is the nature of World Press Photos since they tend to focus on hot spots. That is the challenge of our world - so much beauty and so much pain side by side.

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  2. I'm reading an account of lives of African Americans in the U.S. in the late 1800s and through to the 1970s. I suspect there are some similarities.

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    1. I guess there would be similarities in terms of dislocation and disadvantage. The Palm Islanders are indigenous people of different people groups forcibly moved into a Reserve/Mission from in 1900 through to 1970s.

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  3. I like the window.
    The book sounds very interesting, too.

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    1. I liked the window too. It is tucked in a corner of the gallery. I really enjoyed reading this book though I didn't expect to.

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  4. Wonder if it will still be on in a couple of weeks when we are over, would love to see it ✨

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    1. Unfortunately you have missed it - it is now finished.

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