I have finished reading this book by Ray Kerkhove. The book is called How They Fought: Indigenous Tactics and Weaponry of Australia’s Frontier Wars. It was published by Boolarong Press in 2023. Ray Kerkhove wrote about Australia’s Frontier Wars in this book. By the way of disclaimer, the book was provided to me by the author for review, but this has in no way influenced my comments below.

Ray Kerkhove’s book, How They Fought: Indigenous Tactics and Weaponry of Australia’s Frontier Wars, serves as a guide to how Indigenous people fought. It does not focus on a specific battle or location. The book is organized into sections about how Indigenous people organized themselves, the strategies they used, the weapons they fought with, and how they defended themselves. It includes many tables, diagrams, and maps for better understanding, making it unique among other books on the Frontier Wars. Kerkhove presents it like a handbook, providing facts and details about Indigenous tactics and weaponry. He does not follow a timeline but emphasizes that First Nations peoples in Australia fought in smart and adaptable ways using clever strategies. Kerkhove believes we can analyze these fighting practices across different regions and time periods, showing that First Nations peoples used effective tactics.

Ray Kerkhove’s research reframes the Frontier Wars as a sophisticated and deliberate military campaign rather than a series of random, disorganized skirmishes. He argues that Indigenous resistance was driven by clear purpose and advanced strategy, challenging the traditional view that these fighters were merely reacting to settler violence. Instead, Indigenous groups were proactive military actors who used their deep knowledge of the land to control the conflict. They employed clever guerrilla tactics, such as setting ambushes in the bush, utilizing “hit-and-run” maneuvers, and luring enemies into traps through feigned retreats.

Beyond physical combat, Indigenous fighters engaged in strategic warfare by gathering intelligence through extensive family networks and scouting parties. They also launched calculated strikes against the settlers’ economy, targeting livestock and supplies to make the occupation unsustainable. Kerkhove highlights that people living at the time recognised these events as a formal war. Ultimately, the book portrays Indigenous people as smart, resourceful, and highly organized leaders who fought a coordinated defense of their country, rather than just participating in isolated, desperate clashes.

Kerkhove’s work is similar to Henry Reynolds’ work on frontier violence, which Reynolds argues was perceived as war. In books like The Other Side of the Frontier (2) and Forgotten War (3), Reynolds highlights how this violence is often forgotten, not due to a lack of evidence, but because of our historical memory. Kerkhove doesn’t discuss this directly but uses it to explore the realities of war on the ground. Together, their works complement each other: Reynolds focuses on the broader picture while Kerkhove provides detailed accounts of what transpired, showing that Indigenous resistance was indeed a war. Both authors write about war, but Reynolds emphasizes the overall view, whereas Kerkhove dives into the finer details.

The difference between John Connors’ book, The Australian Frontier Wars, 1788-1838 (4), and Kerkhove’s is important. Connors focuses on early Australia, discussing events, battles, and the roles of the British army, settlers, and police in increasing violence. Kerkhove’s book spans a longer period and covers more ground without a strict timeline. Connors is helpful for understanding events over time in the frontier, while Kerkhove’s is better for comparing different regions. It shows how Indigenous people in various places found similar ways to respond to invasion and coercion. Both authors provide valuable insights in different ways.

When comparing How They Fought to The Black War (5) by Nicholas Clements, you also notice a difference. Clements examines the events in Tasmania closely. He describes the fighting as a harsh guerilla war that seemed endless. People felt scared, and both sides made many mistakes, leading to worsening conditions. Clements also closely examines how people interacted with each other and the land, considering the impact of violence on communities.

Kerkhove’s book How They Fought takes a broader approach, sacrificing detail in the process. It provides examples from across the continent to show various tactics and patterns over time. While covering a wide array of topics for comparison, the book lacks in-depth detail on specific tactics. Those wanting to understand the reasons behind tactics in certain locations might prefer Clements’ detailed storytelling, whereas Kerkhove’s book is better for an overview of different tactics.

Another useful comparison is with Jonathan Richards’ The Secret War (6). Richards examines the violent systems used by authorities, like the police and government, highlighting issues with inaccurate records. He also addresses unfair records. In contrast, Kerkhove focuses on how Indigenous people resisted these authorities, paying less attention to colonial control. While both scholars explore the same time period, they emphasise different aspects: Richards studies colonial powers and Kerkhove examines Indigenous resistance methods. Together, their perspectives complement each other. Richards outlines the oppressive systems faced by Indigenous fighters, while Kerkhove details how these fighters attempted to outsmart or manipulate that system. Their viewpoints fit together like two interlocking pieces, with Richards depicting the organised system and Kerkhove illustrating the resistance efforts.

The strengths of How They Fought come from its guidebook format with images, which is helpful for teaching and comparisons. However, when it presents war perspectives from different countries, it tends to oversimplify Indigenous fighting methods. Additionally, the organization of the content can obscure important questions about how things change over time. The aim wasn’t to detail those but to  reconstruct the ‘general pattern’ of tactics, and structures across Australia. Although the section on weaponry modifications such as the use of iron, glass, guns and horses does demonstrate adaptions over time.

How They Fought is an important book for those who study the Frontier Wars. Rather than recounting a specific event, it focuses on how Indigenous people engaged in battle and the tools they used. The book highlights that Indigenous people were indeed engaged in a war, providing a clearer understanding for researchers and educators about the nature of this conflict. Ultimately, How They Fought helps us recognise Indigenous resistance as a war and not a one-sided conflict against an unsophisticated and disorganised opponent.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and read it in just a few sittings. A must buy for those interested in the Australian Frontier wars and Indigenous warfare in general. Those wishing to game this period will find it an invaluable resource.

Footnotes

1. Ray Kerkhove, How They Fought: Indigenous Tactics and Weaponry of Australia’s Frontier Wars (Brisbane: Boolarong Press, 2023).
2. Henry Reynolds, The Other Side of the Frontier: Aboriginal Resistance to the European Invasion of Australia (Sydney: UNSW Press, 2006).
3. Henry Reynolds, Forgotten War (Sydney: NewSouth Publishing, 2013).
4. John Connor, The Australian Frontier Wars, 1788–1838 (Sydney: UNSW Press, 2002).
5. Nicholas Clements, The Black War: Fear, Sex and Resistance in Tasmania (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 2014).
6. Jonathan Richards, The Secret War: A True History of Queensland’s Native Police (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 2008).