Fernando's ghost

He's been described as an Aboriginal prophet - an extraordinary man who dreamt of self-determination more than a century ago.

Anthony Martin Fernando emerges at a time in our history when Aboriginal people were being confined on reserves and missions - yet he spent much of his life overseas, agitating for political rights for Aboriginal people from self-imposed exile in Europe.

With that proverbial fire in his belly and not much else, Fernando travelled across Europe earning a living however he could. 

But as you can imagine it was a precarious existence - a life lived in the shadow of poverty and homelessness spiked with racism.

It was on his wandering journey that Fernando left evidence – bits and pieces of an impassioned activist life - detailed by cultural historian Dr Fiona Paisley in her biographical study The Lone Protestor.