Midnight Oil

Subject: Maralinga: The Anangu Story
From: "tr_espen" <tomspencer@eml.cc>
Date: 13/05/2009, 3:22 pm
To: powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au

Dear Powdies

Aboriginal women have written a book about the untold story of Maralinga, described recently on the ABC's "7.30 Report":

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2567310.htm

Homeschooler Jennifer Deaves describes it as follows:

"Beautifully presented and illustrated "Maralinga: the Anangu story" is told in words and pictures of the Yalata and Oak Valley Community members. They tell of what happened in South Australia in the Maralinga Tjarutja lands before and after the bombs. It tells the story of the earliest beginnings, white invasion/settlement, life in a mission and the devastation left behind by nuclear testing. It combines the English and Aboriginal language with aboriginal artwork and historical photographs to produce a book to be cherished for years. It is an honest and factual work of culture and history that tells it as it was.

I became quiet attached to the women in this book and the early way of Aboriginal life. I questioned whether our environment would be in the state it is today if we had continued to respect our land as the Aborigines do. Should it not have been the Aborigines who taught the white man a few things all those years ago? After recently reading Paula Shaw's Seven Seasons in Aurukun, which introduces an Aboriginal community from the perspective of a white teacher, Maralinga was a welcome introduction to Aboriginal life and white man invasion from the others' perspective.

Due to the information enclosed in this book I feel it would be suitable for upper primary and secondary students. It is a great study on Aboriginal culture, our land and Australian history."

"Maralinga: The Anangu Story" is available from Allen and Unwin:

http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=397&book=9781741756210

The great effort and thought that has gone into the book is reflected by the preparation of accompanying teaching notes, for students ages 10-14 years.

t