UWA Academic Publishes Biography of 19th Century Italian Priest in Western Australia
An acclaimed University of Western Australia academic has published a biography of a 19th century Italian priest that he hopes will contribute to Australia's current discussions about social cohesion and historical understanding. Emeritus Professor John J Kinder's The Canon of Ancona was officially launched on Tuesday, coinciding with significant national conversations about community bonds and historical perspectives.
Decade-Long Research Project
The biography represents a ten-year labor of love focused on Raffaele Martelli, who became the first Italian migrant to achieve British subject status in Western Australia. Professor Kinder's extensive research involved translating and studying thousands of archival documents from both Western Australian and Italian sources. The project began when New Norcia monk David Barry introduced Kinder to Martelli's Italian letters preserved in the monastic town's archives.
Raffaele Martelli's journey to Western Australia began in 1853 after he met New Norcia's Spanish founder and abbot, Rosendo Salvado. Before his migration, Martelli had served as a professor of language and literature in Ancona, Italy. He dedicated his life to serving various communities throughout Western Australia until his death in 1880, with his final resting place being the monastic town of New Norcia.
Historical Perspectives and Modern Relevance
Professor Kinder expressed his hope that the biography would contribute to Australia's ongoing examination of its historical foundations. "I do hope the book contributes to a move that's current in Australia at present, and that is to keep learning about our history, especially our early history, by recovering perspectives that have been forgotten or obscured in the past," Kinder stated during the launch event.
The academic emphasized the importance of recovering voices from Australia's multilingual past. "One of those perspectives actively recovered is the perspective of people whose native language was not English," he explained. "It's surprising when you look at the numbers, just how many people there were who spoke different languages in Western Australia before Federation, and it didn't seem to be a problem, at least until Federation and the new nationalism that was born with the birth of the Commonwealth."
Building Social Cohesion Through History
Kinder believes his research into early Western Australian history offers valuable insights for contemporary Australia. "I think looking at early Western Australia can remind us that social cohesion increases when all members are encouraged to make their own contribution in a spirit of - as Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson recently put it - diversity in unity," he reflected.
The book launch featured former Western Australian Parliamentarian Tom Stephens, who praised the biography's compelling narrative. "I was pulled through the story in a way that books rarely do for me, but this one, I think, will do for almost anyone with an interest in history, in the politics of the unification of Italy, in music, in the story of the Christian movement in that part of the world, and the ups and downs, and then the story that leads us here into Western Australia," Stephens remarked.
A Story of Dedication and Cultural Contribution
Stephens described Martelli's life as one of "dedication, humility and courage in the service of the communities of which he became a central part." He also revealed that the publication represents only part of the project's scope. "Now it's published and launched today in English, but that's not the end of the story," Stephens announced. "John in his spare time has made an Italian translation that will be launched in Ancona in just a few weeks time."
The Canon of Ancona is published by UWA Publishing and represents a significant contribution to both Western Australian historical scholarship and broader national conversations about migration, cultural diversity, and social cohesion in Australia's past and present.
