The sporting press and Indigenous culture in the nineteenth century

Abstract

This review surveys portrayals of Indigenous athletes in nineteenth century Victorian newspaper sports writing. The review considers limited yet revelatory knowledge of the extent of the contributions of Indigenous athletes across the period, particularly where it highlights positive and constructive framings of their participation. The survey employs textual analysis to further underline the value of the sporting press as a practical resource, specifically in the recovery of “lost” or “hidden” knowledge related to the Indigenous Australians in the Victorian sporting landscape of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century.