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Re: Jason's post re social media, and a question about invisibility
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From: Judith Ridge <judith.ridge_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:34:27 +1100
On 19 February 2014 03:42, Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Off list, I was asked why Native people in the US, in comparison to
> aboriginal people in Australia, are so invisible.
>
>
>
My curiosity has been piqued by this, Debbie! I wonder if it's true that Native Americans are less visible than Aboriginal Australians (and please note that in reference to Australia's First Nations people, Aboriginal and Aborigine is always capitalised) and what led the person to ask the question.
It is true that Aboriginal studies are a compulsory part of our curriculum, so children can't go through school without some knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture, and social and political issues related to Aboriginal Australia are quite present in our media and cultural discourse. Is this not the case with Native Americans? And one of the most highly awarded Australian TV shows of recent times is Redfern Now, a series of inter-connected but stand-alone one hour dramas, all written and performed by Aboriginal screenwriters and actors, set in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern, which has long had a large Aboriginal community living there.
In terms of children's literature, one of our first Children's Laureates
(we had two the first time around) was Monty Boori Pryor, who descends from the Birrigubba, Kungganji and Kukuimudji people of northern Queensland, and who is one of our best-loved and hardest-working children's authors. He has visited damn near every school in the country over the past 20 years! Boori has published around half a dozen children's books, as well as a memoir, Maybe Tomorrow, which I urge you all to read if you can find a copy. (And I can suggest some Australian online booksellers if required.)
Apart from Boori, there are a number of Aboriginal writers and illustrators for children, but not nearly enough. I am still waiting for some fantastic Aboriginal writer to emerge to write strong contemporary urban fiction about Aboriginal children and teens--many of the existing books are set in rural/outback Australia, or are traditional Dreamtime stories, or memoirs of childhoods from many decades ago. So there's still work to be done.
(Having said that, Ambelin Kwaymullina is writing interesting dystopian YA fiction from within the context of her Aboriginal cultural perspective, which is a very welcome addition to the field!)
Anyway, just some meandering thoughts. I haven't had a chance to follow as much of the discussion this month as I'd have liked, but what I have read has been challenging and stiumulating, so thanks to everyone on the list.
Cheers,
Judith
[image: Inline images 1]
Received on Thu 20 Feb 2014 10:35:37 PM CST
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:34:27 +1100
On 19 February 2014 03:42, Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Off list, I was asked why Native people in the US, in comparison to
> aboriginal people in Australia, are so invisible.
>
>
>
My curiosity has been piqued by this, Debbie! I wonder if it's true that Native Americans are less visible than Aboriginal Australians (and please note that in reference to Australia's First Nations people, Aboriginal and Aborigine is always capitalised) and what led the person to ask the question.
It is true that Aboriginal studies are a compulsory part of our curriculum, so children can't go through school without some knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture, and social and political issues related to Aboriginal Australia are quite present in our media and cultural discourse. Is this not the case with Native Americans? And one of the most highly awarded Australian TV shows of recent times is Redfern Now, a series of inter-connected but stand-alone one hour dramas, all written and performed by Aboriginal screenwriters and actors, set in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern, which has long had a large Aboriginal community living there.
In terms of children's literature, one of our first Children's Laureates
(we had two the first time around) was Monty Boori Pryor, who descends from the Birrigubba, Kungganji and Kukuimudji people of northern Queensland, and who is one of our best-loved and hardest-working children's authors. He has visited damn near every school in the country over the past 20 years! Boori has published around half a dozen children's books, as well as a memoir, Maybe Tomorrow, which I urge you all to read if you can find a copy. (And I can suggest some Australian online booksellers if required.)
Apart from Boori, there are a number of Aboriginal writers and illustrators for children, but not nearly enough. I am still waiting for some fantastic Aboriginal writer to emerge to write strong contemporary urban fiction about Aboriginal children and teens--many of the existing books are set in rural/outback Australia, or are traditional Dreamtime stories, or memoirs of childhoods from many decades ago. So there's still work to be done.
(Having said that, Ambelin Kwaymullina is writing interesting dystopian YA fiction from within the context of her Aboriginal cultural perspective, which is a very welcome addition to the field!)
Anyway, just some meandering thoughts. I haven't had a chance to follow as much of the discussion this month as I'd have liked, but what I have read has been challenging and stiumulating, so thanks to everyone on the list.
Cheers,
Judith
[image: Inline images 1]
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