1. Activism
2. Colonisation
3. Cultural heroes
4. Culture
5. Environmental protection
6. Family
7. First contact with Europeans
8. History
9. Land rights
10. Law
11. Mabo judgement
12. Reconciliation
13. Relationship to place
14. Stolen generations

‘Always was always will be’ is a landmark book which highlights important moments and struggles in First Nations history beginning with Europeans’ arrival then over the following 200 years. The book is aimed at high school/secondary students and adults. It offers a concise and broad understanding of the struggles First Nations People have endured since 1788. It describes their physical, verbal, and written fights and protests aimed at recognition as the traditional owners of Australia along with their efforts to achieve the same rights and treatment as everyone living in Australia.

‘There is a survey of the activism of many First Nations individuals (such as Barangaroo and Eddie Mabo)—but also collective activities (such as strikes) and organisations (from the Australian Aborigines’ League to Reconciliation Australia)’. Source: Books+Publishing 30 Apr 2024. The book is divided into 21 events and/or moments in history. It includes photographs of key people and events along with artists’ works. A glossary and references encourage further reading.

Special strengths of this book include the historical photographs and paintings plus the succinct, often moving retelling of events and profiles of individuals and organisations involved. These encourage further reading after an informative 93 pages of historic moments detailing the times and those who have experienced these times.

Aunty Fay Muir is a senior Boon Wurrung and Wamba Wamba Elder, First Nations community leader and Koori Court Elder. She is a Language Specialist, working as a prison educator in First Nations languages and is a creative language revival consultant and collaborator. (Source: Magabala Books website) Australian author Sue Lawson writes books for children and young adults and has published several books in collaboration with Aunty Fay Muir.

1. Paperbark Words 6 Aug 2024 interview by Joy Lawn of authors of ‘Always was always will be’ https://paperbarkwords.blog/2024/08/06/always-was-always-will-be-by-aunty-fay-muir-sue-lawson/
2. Australian Museum 9 Jul 2021 Laura McBride, Wailwan and Kooma woman and Director, First Nations, at the Australian Museum, talks about the meaning of ‘Always was always will be’ https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/always-will-be-aboriginal-land/
3. Books+Publishing 30 Apr 2024 review by Angela Glindemann of ‘Always was always will be’ https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2024/04/30/250559/always-was-always-will-be-aunty-fay-muir-sue-lawson-magabala/
4. Readings 20 May 2024 review by Dani Solomon of ‘Always was always will be’ https://www.readings.com.au/reviews/always-was-always-will-be-by-aunty-fay-muir-sue-lawson
5. National Indigenous Times 23 Jul 2024 review by Giovanni Torre of ‘Always was always will be’ https://nit.com.au/23-07-2024/12657/powerful-new-book-for-young-readers-shines-light-on-australias-history
6. University of Newcastle ‘Colonial Frontier Massacres in Australia 1788-1930’ https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/
7. Deadly Story. History of Australia Timeline of Australia from 10,000 BC to contemporary times. https://deadlystory.com/page/culture/history
8. Federal Court of Australia. 20 Oct 2017. The Rule of Law and Reconciliation. Terra Nullis discussion. https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/digital-law-library/judges-speeches/speeches-former-judges/justice-jagot/jagot-j-20171020
9. Common Ground Truth-Telling ‘What is colonisation?’14 Dec 2023 ‘Tyson Holloway-Clarke explains the history of colonisation, and how it affects us today’ https://www.commonground.org.au/article/what-is-colonisation
10. TEDx Talks ‘Immaculate perception: Jerry Kang at TEDxSanDiego 2013’, ‘Do you discriminate? UCLA law professor Jerry Kang exposes the phenomenon of automatic processing and how it relates to explicit and implicit bias.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VGbwNI6Ssk