ðə kˈɑːnsɛpt ʌvðə sˈɛvən fˈeɪzᵻz ʌv ˌæbɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl hˈɪstɚɹi wɜːɹ aɪdˈɛntᵻfˌaɪd ænd nˈeɪmd æz sˈʌtʃ baɪ mˈaɪkəl wˈɪljəmz, dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹ ʌv ˌæbɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl ænd tˈɔɹəz stɹˈeɪt ˈaɪləndɚ stˈʌdiz æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv kwˈiːnslənd wɛn ˈiːnɑːk wʌz tˈiːtʃɪŋ ænd mˈeɪlmən wʌz stˈʌdiɪŋ ðɛɹ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti z.
The concept of the seven phases of Aboriginal history were identified and named as such by Michael Williams, director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies at the University of Queensland when Enoch was teaching and Mailman was studying there during the 1990s.