Cobb+Co Museum program Have Another Look Captain Cook challenges colonial view of Australian history

Australian history didn’t start with Captain Cook, and a program at Cobb+Co museum is teaching Toowoomba students about the history and culture of the people who have been on this land for thousands of years.

Ngarrumban Arts and Cultural Experience dancers (from left) Ezra Cubby, Taliesha Duncan-McCarthy, Jakaya McCarthy and Ashley Cubby at the Have Another Look Captain Cook! school program at Cobb and Co Museum, Monday, July 29, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Tony Coonan remembers being taught about Australian history at school as if it started in 1770 when Captain Cook began the process of colonising the land.

Now he is part of a program teaching students about the history and culture of the people who were here more than 60,000 years before that.

This week hundreds of school students will join in at the Cobb+Co museum for Have Another Look Captain Cook, an annual event celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture.

Ngarrumban Arts and Cultural Experience dancers at the Have Another Look Captain Cook! school program at Cobb and Co Museum, Monday, July 29, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

As Queensland Museum Cobb+Co programming officer, Mr Coonan said education about First Nations’ history has come a long way since he was at school.

“When I went through school, I learnt very very little about Aboriginal culture. It was ignored,” he said.

“All of a sudden the east coast of Australia was discovered in 1770 by Captain Cook and it’s almost as if that’s where Australian history started.

“We are sitting in a country with the world’s oldest culture and we just need to celebrate that.”

Mr Coonan said he believed Australia can’t move forward without looking back.

“If we have a better understanding of the world’s oldest culture, it just really helps keep on moving forward,” he said.

“This is a message to all of us to have another look at this amazing culture and we might appreciate it a little bit more.”

In its 11th year Have Another Look Captain Cook offers students engaging activities including smoking ceremonies, traditional dances, boomerang and spear throwing, First Nations weaving, art and symbolism, and learning about Murri tucker, medicines, tools and weapons.

Pittsworth State School students (from left) Tayt Dunlop, Charlee Belford and Ari Harris check out traditional artefacts on show at Have Another Look Captain Cook! school program at Cobb and Co Museum, Monday, July 29, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Coonan said it was important for Australian students to learn these things from a young age and the program is designed for kids from kindergarten to year 6.

“It’s fun, they’re learning and its also appreciative,” he said.

“Hopefully if there’s an appreciation at a very young age, it opens up their mind.”

Mr Coonan said he loved seeing First Nations students take part in the program.

“One of the best things is young First Nations kids coming out and saying this is the best day of my life,” he said.

“One kid said to me ‘I really like learning about this. I don’t know enough, I don’t even know what mob I’m from.

“Sometimes their learning might skip a generation through circumstance, but it’s good to see kids taking the lead on their own research.”

Have Another Look Captain Cook runs from 9.30am to 1.30pm August 4 to August 8.

Find out more information at museum.qld.gov.au/cobb-and-co.