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[td][/td] [td]==Background==[/td]
[td]==Background==[/td] [td][/td] [td][[Archibald Meston]] was born in Scotland in 1851 and moved to [[New South Wales]] with his family in 1859. He moved to [[Queensland]] in 1874, where he managed a sugar plantation and became a successful journalist.{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}} Meston was elected to the [[Queensland Legislative Assembly]] in 1878, but was forced out of his seat after becoming bankrupt in 1881.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|pp=21β22}} He moved to North Queensland and became editor of the ''[[Townsville Herald]]''.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=22}} Despite holding virulently racist views, he developed an interest in Indigenous affairs and joined the Aborigines' Protection Society of Queensland in 1890.{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}} He eventually developed a more respectful attitude towards Indigenous Australians, describing their treatment by white Australians as "a reproach to our common humanity".{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}}[/td] [td][/td] [td]In late 1891, it was reported that Meston was seeking to put together an Aboriginal performing troupe to participate in the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in [[Chicago]].{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=35}} Meston was supported by his business partner Brazabon Purcell, a journalist and [[Stock and station agency|stock and station agent]], who was promised a third of the profits made from the endeavour.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|pp=36, 48}} Meston and Purcell believed that the project would allow them to make a substantial profit.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=42}}[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]==History==[/td]
[td]==History==[/td] [td][/td] [td]===Recruitment of performers===[/td] [td][/td] [td]Meston and Purcell's recruitment of Indigenous performers took place between November 1891 and October 1892.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=47}} Purcell first travelled to northwestern Queensland, near the [[Northern Territory]] border.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=47}} An April 1892 newspaper reported that Purcell had "been five months travelling over the far Northwest, collecting ethnological specimens and obtaining accurate information concerning the habits and customs of the wild and comparatively unknown tribes".{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=51}} He collected a range of artefacts, including weapons and ritual items; what became of this collection remains unknown.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=53}}[/td] [td][/td] [td]In late 1891, Purcell met the first Aboriginal group to agree to join the Wild Australia Showβfive [[Wakaya people]] from near [[Lake Nash]].{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}}[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]==Members==[/td]
[td]==Members==[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]{| class="wikitable"[/td]
[td]{| class="wikitable"[/td] [td]|+Members of the Wild Australia Show[/td] [td]|+[/td] [td]!Picture[/td]
[td]!Picture[/td] [td]!Name{{sfn|Aird|Allen|Knowles|Memmott|2022}}{{Efn|The names given are the contemporary spellings of the Indigenous languages spoken by the troupe's members. In brackets are the most common spellings used during the troupe's existence.}}[/td]
[td]!Name{{sfn|Aird|Allen|Knowles|Memmott|2022}}{{Efn|The names given are the contemporary spellings of the Indigenous languages spoken by the troupe's members. In brackets are the most common spellings used during the troupe's existence.}}[/td]
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[td]The '''Wild Australia Show''' was a travelling troupe of [[Indigenous Australians]] that was active between 1892 and 1893 and staged performances in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.[/td]
[td][/td]Revision as of 09:13, 30 August 2025
[/td][td][/td] [td]==Background==[/td]
[td]==Background==[/td] [td][/td] [td][[Archibald Meston]] was born in Scotland in 1851 and moved to [[New South Wales]] with his family in 1859. He moved to [[Queensland]] in 1874, where he managed a sugar plantation and became a successful journalist.{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}} Meston was elected to the [[Queensland Legislative Assembly]] in 1878, but was forced out of his seat after becoming bankrupt in 1881.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|pp=21β22}} He moved to North Queensland and became editor of the ''[[Townsville Herald]]''.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=22}} Despite holding virulently racist views, he developed an interest in Indigenous affairs and joined the Aborigines' Protection Society of Queensland in 1890.{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}} He eventually developed a more respectful attitude towards Indigenous Australians, describing their treatment by white Australians as "a reproach to our common humanity".{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}}[/td] [td][/td] [td]In late 1891, it was reported that Meston was seeking to put together an Aboriginal performing troupe to participate in the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in [[Chicago]].{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=35}} Meston was supported by his business partner Brazabon Purcell, a journalist and [[Stock and station agency|stock and station agent]], who was promised a third of the profits made from the endeavour.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|pp=36, 48}} Meston and Purcell believed that the project would allow them to make a substantial profit.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=42}}[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]==History==[/td]
[td]==History==[/td] [td][/td] [td]===Recruitment of performers===[/td] [td][/td] [td]Meston and Purcell's recruitment of Indigenous performers took place between November 1891 and October 1892.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=47}} Purcell first travelled to northwestern Queensland, near the [[Northern Territory]] border.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=47}} An April 1892 newspaper reported that Purcell had "been five months travelling over the far Northwest, collecting ethnological specimens and obtaining accurate information concerning the habits and customs of the wild and comparatively unknown tribes".{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=51}} He collected a range of artefacts, including weapons and ritual items; what became of this collection remains unknown.{{sfn|Memmott|Nugent|Aird|Allen|2025|p=53}}[/td] [td][/td] [td]In late 1891, Purcell met the first Aboriginal group to agree to join the Wild Australia Showβfive [[Wakaya people]] from near [[Lake Nash]].{{sfn|Richards|Memmott|2023}}[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]==Members==[/td]
[td]==Members==[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]{| class="wikitable"[/td]
[td]{| class="wikitable"[/td] [td]|+Members of the Wild Australia Show[/td] [td]|+[/td] [td]!Picture[/td]
[td]!Picture[/td] [td]!Name{{sfn|Aird|Allen|Knowles|Memmott|2022}}{{Efn|The names given are the contemporary spellings of the Indigenous languages spoken by the troupe's members. In brackets are the most common spellings used during the troupe's existence.}}[/td]
[td]!Name{{sfn|Aird|Allen|Knowles|Memmott|2022}}{{Efn|The names given are the contemporary spellings of the Indigenous languages spoken by the troupe's members. In brackets are the most common spellings used during the troupe's existence.}}[/td]
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