Before 1770: Exclusive Film Screening with Panel Discussion

An exclusive screening of the documentary Before 1770, followed by a live panel discussion.

Centuries before Cook charted the east coast, Muslim seafarers from Makassar were already sailing to Arnhem Land, trading with the Yolngu people in relationships built on language, marriage, and mutual respect. It's one of the oldest stories of intercultural connection on this continent, and most Australians have never heard it.

Before 1770 brings that history to the screen. Following the film, we're hosting a panel that widens the lens from the past to the present: who gets to tell a community's story, who gets left out of the frame, and what it takes to reclaim that narrative for yourself. Joining the conversation are Sheikh Shakeeb (Imam of Perth Mosque), Rin "Foodie Mama" (Perth food content creator), Sophie McNeill (former ABC Four Corners foreign correspondent), and Osama Hassan (Sila Circles), each bringing a distinct lens: scholarship, lived experience, journalism, and youth perspective.

This event sits at the intersection of history, media literacy, and community, and it's built for a wide audience. Students of any background will find real substance here: a piece of Australian history rarely taught, a candid look at how narratives about minority communities get built and who builds them, and a chance to hear from voices across generations and disciplines in the same room.

For UWAMSA, this event reflects what we exist to do: build genuine bridges between communities, support informed and respectful dialogue on campus, and give Muslim students a platform to be understood on their own terms rather than through a lens set by someone else. It's an evening about listening across difference, and about a shared history that already connects us more than most people realise.