During Reconciliation Week at UTS, you may have paused on your way through the Jones St foyer to enjoy episodes from The First Inventors on the big screen. This impactful series explores the extraordinary science and inventions behind the world’s oldest living culture, with insights which could help navigate the challenges of the future.
Developing the story
The series was directed by Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt. It was originally broadcast in 2023, but – as is always the case with developing concepts for the visual medium – the development goes back even further.
“The series actually took a couple of years to develop, partly because it changed producers along the way”, explains Larissa. “There was also a period when the host (Rob Collins) was unavailable and then became available again. And, of course, we had to navigate the disruptions caused by COVID. It was a complicated project to bring to the screen.”
The series is structured into 4 distinct themes, each looking at how landscapes were transformed, how events were recorded, how navigation tools were used and how societies were organised. As Larissa explains, there was careful thought around how the various stories could be weaved together and presented in a clear, engaging format.
“The original idea came from producer Margie Brown, who remained attached to the project throughout its development. Much of the research that underpinned the series came from CABAH (the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage), led by Distinguished Professor Sean Ulm. The quality of the work being undertaken by CABAH provided a strong foundation for exploring how Indigenous knowledges could be presented in a way that was accessible and engaging for a broad audience.”
Myth-busting and challenging stereotypes
For me, a series like this felt particularly important. It preceded the referendum but it remains timely because of it – in the aftermath of the referendum, we saw the re-emergence of some very tired stereotypes about Aboriginal culture being primitive, backward or somehow belonging only to the past. One of the things I wanted the series to demonstrate was the strength and sophistication of Indigenous knowledge systems. They reflect deep understandings of Country, ecology and the relationships that sustain life. Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt
A distinctive feature of The First Inventors is the interplay between deep ancestral knowledge and cutting-edge data/technology. In connecting these experts, there is a deeper understanding and respect for how knowledge is shared and how truths are unearthed.
“The point was never to compare Indigenous knowledge and Western science or to argue that one is better than the other”, explains Larissa. “Rather, it was to show that Indigenous knowledge systems are sophisticated in their own right, and that there is much to learn from them. They offer insights, perspectives and ways of understanding the world that remain profoundly relevant today.”
From the screen to the page
The First Inventors is available to stream on SBS On Demand. It has also been adapted into book format by prize‑winning historian Dr Billy Griffiths, Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO and Distinguished Professor Sean Ulm. The book was launched at the Australian Museum earlier this month and is now available to purchase through Allen & Unwin.