tamar esk ponrabbel musings: THEponrabbel

Abstract

Launceston has no history, rather it has histories and every one imagined and every one belonging to someone. James Baldwin said "people are trapped in history, and history is trapped in them." ~ Notes of a Native Son. John Aubrey (1626–1697) said "how these curiosities would be quite forgot, did not such idle fellows as I am put them down!" ~ Lives of Eminent Men, but this is no history, rather it is a muse upon 13 words written 1969 while imagining a place as it was then and before – Launceston.

These 13 words are the first to appear in John Reynolds "Launceston: history of an Australian city" and in a 21st Century context they spark imagining not quite entertained 1969 when Launceston's 'history' was being compiled and imagined.

Then Launceston was a different place, placescaped somewhat differently and a place imagined in the world somewhat differently to most of the ways it is imagined 'now'. Its 'placedness' was quite different then as it has been before then, right now and looking forward.

tamar esk ponrabbel musings

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