Piers Kelly
Linguist and anthropologist at the University of New England. Founder of the Australian Message Stick database.
Best podcasts with Piers Kelly
Ranked by the Snipd community
May 13, 2025 • 24min
Message sticks: small items with big cultural power
Piers Kelly, a linguist and anthropologist from the University of New England, and Alwyn Doolan, a Gooreng Gooreng and Wakka Wakka man, dive into the fascinating world of message sticks. They discuss these powerful communication tools in Aboriginal culture, their historical relevance, and modern journeys linking traditional voices with political dialogue. They reflect on missed opportunities to recognize their significance and advocate for ethical engagement with Indigenous communities while emphasizing the revival of these cultural artifacts.
Sep 19, 2023 • 1h 2min
Piers Kelly, "The Last Language on Earth: Linguistic Utopianism in the Philippines" (Oxford UP, 2021)
Piers Kelly discusses the creation of the Eskayan language in the Philippines, exploring its origins and role in colonial resistance. The podcast delves into the themes of mimicry and rejection in cultural identity, as well as the historical events that led to the emergence of the language. It also explores the broader applications of linguistic anthropology and the speaker's current research focus on linguistic systems in West Africa and Australia.
