|
Malcolm Connolly
What
is your current position?
Senior Conservation Officer, Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane Qld
Field Officer, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services, Alice Springs NT
Where
did you study archaeology?
I completed a Bachelor of Arts (1999) majoring in Anthropology/Archaeology and Geography, and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (2003) specialising in Geoarchaeology at the University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus.
How
did you become interested in archaeology?
I became interested in archaeology because I am of Aboriginal descent and most of our people had left the land in my area, in the traditional sense, in the early 1900s. As a result I became interested in knowing about traditional Aboriginal culture and how people in the area managed land. As a child I would travel western Queensland with my father and see Aboriginal stone arrangements, old camp fires near large waterholes and grinding stones and stone axes stored in private collections. I had also heard about the then pioneer archaeologist, John Mulvaney, making some important archaeological discoveries at Kenniff Cave in the Carnarvon Ranges, Queensland. Later, when I started work I got to see more archaeological sites and for my own interest I would talk to local graziers and town people about Aboriginal sites in their area. I began to realize that there was a lot of archaeological evidence in western Queensland and Australia, and I wondered what work was being done to understand the archaeology and what these places meant to contemporary Aboriginal people and other Australians.
What
archaeological projects are you working on at the moment?
Between 2001 and 2003 I completed a BA (Hons) undertaking research on an open archaeological site in the Currawinya Lakes region of southwest Queensland. I researched an archaeological site in a sand dune near permanent water (artesian springs). I am currently writing a paper to publish the results of this work. In addition, in March 2004 I helped with a European archaeological project at Lake Cootharaba near Noosa on the southeast Queensland coast. I am not currently working in archaeology but I’m getting other experiences working for an Aboriginal organisation in Central Australia.
Tell
us about one of your most interesting archaeological discoveries.
I am relatively new to the archaeology field so I do not have any archaeological discoveries. But I hope that I can contribute to the understanding of archaeology in Australia as I develop further knowledge and abilities to undertake archaeological research. In my opinion, Australia has a lot to offer for archaeological researchers but accessing research money to travel vast distances to study sites and purchase resources makes it difficult for archaeological research.
Tell
us about a funny/disastrous/amazing experience that you have had
while doing archaeology.
I’ve been to some extraordinary places in arid Australia and seen some beautiful rock art and engravings sites, stone arrangements and places where Aboriginal people would camp. I was also fortunate to be present when geologist, Dr Errol Stock found fossilised Diprotodon teeth lying on top of the ground at a known archaeological site. We had a wider look around and found more teeth and bones around an artesian mound spring. It would be good to know if Aboriginal people were living there with Diprotodons and other Megafauna at that site. The inland areas are also known for their beautiful sunsets, and incredible array of native animals which makes it worth working in the region.
What’s
your favourite part of being an archaeologist?
My favourite part of being an archaeologist is about being able to understand Aboriginal ways of life through the archaeological record, and being able support Aboriginal people in cultural heritage management. Some of my best experiences have been in remote Australia with Aboriginal people, and seeing and working with the incredible amount of archaeological material found in remote areas of Australia.
Follow
up reading:
|
