Eugen Sandow’s visit to South Africa in 1904 was a triumph of colonial display and racism. Despite its prejudices it influenced the development of bodybuilding in South Africa.
While Western Australia’s secession movement foundered, it sparked a series of debates around London’s obligations to overseas Britons, Britannic identity, and the future of imperial relations.
Jack Vowles, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
If Māori did not explicitly cede sovereignty in 1840, neither did they fully retain it. If sovereignty is already being shared, where does Te Tiriti o Waitangi sit within our unwritten constitution?
Gems do not a monarch make, and repatriating the Crown Jewels would strengthen the contemporary British monarchy at a time when it most urgently needs to modernize.
Vinita Srivastava, The Conversation dan Ollie Nicholas, The Conversation
Although King Charles will have a low-key ceremony this coronation, the Crown Jewels will still figure prominently. An exploration of the jewels tells a tale of exploitation, rape and pillage.
Charles’s culinary choices might be intended to recognise the multiculturalism of Britain today. But they are also a reminder of the difficult legacy of empire.
The coronation is a critical moment for King Charles to show that the monarchy can be more efficient and more sensitive to the legacy of British imperialism.
March 2 marks the 65th anniversary of the completion of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Intended to demonstrate Commonwealth unity, it became a symbol of Britain’s imperial decline.