The Message | National Museum of Australia | 2020

The Message: The Story from the Shore by award-winning filmmaker Alison Page features descendants of those who witnessed James Cook’s passage in 1770.

The National Museum of Australia commissioned Alison and director Nik Lachajczak to create a short film in collaboration with Indigenous communities along Australia’s east coast. The Message features descendants of people whose ancestors witnessed Cook’s passage, powerfully reimagining the message of the Endeavour’s arrival being passed up the coast.

The story of HMB Endeavour’s 1770 voyage lies at the core of the Australian nation. Endeavour Voyage: The UntoldStories of Cook and the First Australians exhibition explored views from the ship and shore on the 250th anniversary of the 1770 journey. The Message as part of Endeavour Voyage was on show at the National Museum of Australia from 2 June 2020 to 26 April 2021.