Tiga Bayles spoke with Maggie Brady author of First Taste. First Taste is a ‘six pack' of booklets, designed for students, health workers, addiction workers, teachers, and any person wanting to learn more about the history of what happened when Indigenous Australians encountered alcoholic drinks. The books have lots of great illustrations, both historical and contemporary, including Aboriginal art. They are written in plain English but based on solid research.
The books are based on the idea that in all societies, drinking behaviour is something learned from other people and from the social environment. In the case of Indigenous Australians, too much stress has been placed on the idea of a ‘biological' vulnerability which has had a disempowering effect.