Oral history's role in chronicling Australia's past

15/10/2025 6 min
Oral history's role in chronicling Australia's past

Listen "Oral history's role in chronicling Australia's past"

Episode Synopsis


Oral history is considered the world's oldest form of sharing knowledge and culture, and in Australia, Aboriginal people have been sharing stories this way for thousands of years.Earlier this week, former prime minister Tony Abbott launched a new book tracing the history of Australia and questioned the reliability of oral history.In response, Yorta Yorta man and chair of the First Nations Foundation, Ian Hamm, says "substance and an accurate record of events" are at the centre of oral history.Guest: Ian Hamm, Yorta Yorta man and chair of the First Nations Foundation, formerly chair of the Koorie Heritage Trust Producer: Lexie Jeuniewic