Citation
‘The Historian as Trouble-maker’ – Cultural Heritage, Tourism & the Public Historian. Peter MacFie. The Future Role of the Historian Symposium Papers, Tasmanian Historical Studies, History Department, University of Tasmania. July 1993.
Outline
History is a very junior played in the cultural heritage movement in Tasmania. This is despite the largely unnoticed Heritage Industry which deserves to assessed for its impact as an asset to the state. Even a rough calculation shows that the annual salary for heritage staff -Curators, conservators, archivists and historians- working in the two Tasmanian museums, State Archives, and freelance totals over a million dollars. Yet ALL of these are trained on the Mainland in the professional sense; there is a urgent need for schools in these skills to be established in Tasmania both to provide employment and provide an infra-structure. The above figure does not include the boost to the state’s economy from genealogical tourism, nor the value of the other professions involved in building conservation. Because of these implications, the Professional Historian’s Association of Australia (Tasmania) is urging a study of the value to the state of the Heritage Industry.
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Historians as Troublemakers (2018-06-05).pdf
Excerpt
When working in 1992 for the department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage, an anxious phone-call from the Cultural Tourism attaché within the Tasmanian Department of Tourism was received. Of concern was a request from a senior lecturer in History at the University of Tasmania who wanted signs displayed for Smith O’Brien’s cottage on Maria Island. My caller wanted to know whether the lecturer was a “Trouble-maker”!! This month there is a national conference in Melbourne on “Cultural Tourism”; there are no historians listed to speak, but the Department of Tourism’s representatives are listed. Similarly, Richard Flanagan’s texts used in the new Strahan Visitor Centre resulted in his work being queried at State Cabinet level; critical comments by one of his supervising panel were only withdrawn after threatened libel action.
These and similar incidents which have occurred to colleagues were a replica of my experiences at Port Arthur Historic Site, and as a freelance historian before and since. While at Port Arthur I was threatened directly and indirectly when asserting points of view, particularly those concerning the new site museum. All these experiences indicate that historians as a profession are not setting the agenda in the public perception and management of history. When we do become involved with history in the market place, our profound concerns and perceptions are regarded as “trouble- making.” Our view of ourselves and our role differs greatly from those who ask us for historical data, or who are employing us. As a result they are interpreting the past for the community, for the visitor, albeit unwittingly, with little or no input from historians.
We are not in charge of the public process of history which instead is being dictated to us by other professions, particularly archaeologists and planners, who see us as information providers. We are not seen as interpreters and transmitters of cultural knowledge and values. The small regard that the State has for historians is shown by there being no position or category within the government for our profession. During eight years with Parks, Wildlife and Heritage, I was classified under the clerical division as an “Administrative Officer.” All contract historians are similarly categorised. A recent advertisement for a historian required only a driver’s licence, all that the Department is legally bound to ask.
Although not yet in control, as Public Historians we are contributing to the broadening of historical knowledge, widening the professional and popular perception of history and forcing a re-evaluation of the use of history. This is particularly true at local government level, and is offering a challenge to current narrow perceptions of history both in the community and at the university.
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Index
19th C Anaesthetics and Medicine
American Political Prisoners
archaeology
Australian Heritage Commission
Burra Charter
Clark, Danny
convict stain
Crooke, William
Crowther, William Edward Lodewyck Hamilton
cultural tourism.
Daniels, Kay
Drysdale House Hospitality courses
Duffield, Ian
Dunning, Tom
Flanagan, Richard
genealogical tourism
genealogy
ghost tours
heritage industry
Heritage Legislation
historians
How Much for the Whole World
Hughes, Robert
Isle of the Dead
LaTrobe University
Maria Island
Model Prison.
Monash University
Mt Field National Park
National Estate grants
National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Perks and Quiet-life
Newton-John, Olivia
P.H.A.T.
Port Arthur
Port Arthur Conservation Project
Port Arthur Historic Site
Port Arthur Management Authority
Professional Historian’s Association of Australia (Tasmania)
Professional Historians Association of Tasmania
public historians
Public History courses
publicity
purpose of history
Queen Victoria Museum
sacred sites
Scorpion Rock look-out
Smith O’Brien, William
social history
Strahan Visitor Centre
Tasmania
Taylor, Bert
Taylor’s Australia
tourism industry,
University of NSW
Wilson, Dr G.