I am pleased to announce that ANZ LitLovers will again be hosting Indigenous Literature Week in the second week of July to coincide with NAIDOC Week here in Australia. (6 to 13 July). This is a week when Australians celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and this year the NAIDOC Week theme is Serving Country: Centenary & Beyond. ANZ LitLovers’ contribution to NAIDOC is to celebrate all forms of Indigenous Writing, and I hope that many of my readers will join in and read a book by an Indigenous author.
If you would like to participate, your choice of indigenous literature isn’t restricted just to Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori literature. Participants are welcome to join in reading indigenous literature from anywhere in the world, from Canada to Guyana, from Native American to Basque to Pashtun or Ixcatec. (For a list of indigenous people of the world, see this list at Wikipedia.) As to how we define indigenous, that’s up to indigenous people themselves. If they identify as indigenous themselves, well, that’s good enough for me.
Thanks to contributions from a fantastic bunch of participants in ILW 2012 and 2013 the reading list is growing. For reasons of space and time and personal preference my reading list is limited to literary fiction titles by indigenous Australian and New Zealand authors but participants are free to choose any form you like – short story, memoir, biography, whatever takes your fancy! The permanent link to my reading list (and to other sources) is on the ANZLL Books You Must Read page in the top menu, and you can also find it in the list of Pages near the bottom of the RH Menu.
Thanks to all those who joined in last year and have encouraged me to host the week again.
Interested? Sign up now to give yourself time to source the book you want to read, and please, leave a comment here on this page after signing up.
To sign up
1. If you have a blog or a Library Thing or GoodReads account, click on the Mr Linky image below. (You might need to press Control to allow the Pop-up). Mr Linky will open up on a new page where you enter your name and the name of your blog if you have one, and then the URL of your blog or Library Thing or GoodReads profile page. If you don’t have a blog or one of these accounts, just use the comments box below.
2. Tell us what you think you might read in the comments box. You never know, you might encourage someone else to try the book too! (You can always change your mind later if you want to).
If you want to check that you’ve signed up with Mr Linky, refresh this page, click on the widget again, and you will see something that looks like this and you should be able to see your name on it.
Reviews
To share your thoughts about the book you’ve read
When you’ve read the book and you’re ready to share your thoughts about it, please visit the Reviews page where you can post your comments about the book and/or a link to your review on your own blog or at GoodReads or Library Thing.
*****
I’ve been hoarding a couple of books for this year’s ILW. I’ll be reading these two to start with…
- Calypso Summer by Jared Thomas of the Nukunu People of the Southern Flinders Ranges (Magabala Books). This book was the 2013 winner of the State Library of Queensland’s Black&Write Prize. Update: See my review.
- Baby No Eyes by Patricia Grace of Ngati Toa, Ngati Raukawa and Te Ati Awa descent (Penguin New Zealand). Patricia Grace is an award winning author of a number of novels and short story collections. I really admired her novel Potiki (see my review) so I’m looking forward to this one. Update: see my review.
PS Use the #IndigLitWeek & #NAIDOC hashtags on Twitter.
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
Oh good, Lisa, glad you are doing it again. (Must say I have huge troubles with your Mr Linky, Couldn’t get it to work in Safari, and eventually it seemed to work in Firefox but I don’t see my name listed back here. Anyhow, fingers crossed that it has worked.)
My aim will be to read Mullumbimby (Probably) or Swallow the air, which has been on my pile for sometime. That’s a busy week for me so my guess is that I’ll only read one but I will do my darnedest to read at least one!
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By: whisperinggums on June 13, 2014
at 1:17 am
Fantastic, thanks, Sue, it will be great to have you on board again:)
(Sorry about Mr Linky, it’s a bit of a mystery to me why it works for some folks and not for others).
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By: Lisa Hill on June 13, 2014
at 7:17 pm
Beats me too …
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By: whisperinggums on June 13, 2014
at 7:49 pm
So glad you are doing this. I have several books to add from the ones I have been reading. I will add them later today. Mullumbimby is one of my new favorites.
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By: mdbrady on June 13, 2014
at 2:38 am
Yay, Marilyn, I was hoping you’d be on board again, I do so value that global perspective that you bring to your reviews:)
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By: Lisa Hill on June 13, 2014
at 7:18 pm
This is an incentive for me to read the Patricia Grace novel Sharkell gave me when I last visited Oz.
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By: kimbofo on June 14, 2014
at 12:37 am
Great, thanks, Kim. Which one is that?
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By: Lisa Hill on June 14, 2014
at 8:44 am
i just added Mullumbimby to Mr. Linky. That’s the only one by an Indigenous author that I have read this spring.
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By: mdbrady on June 14, 2014
at 1:45 am
2014’s first review! Thank you:)
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By: Lisa Hill on June 14, 2014
at 8:44 am
I’ve been waiting for this and have already got my books. I’ll be reading Power of Bones by Keelen Mailman, a new memoir from Allen & Unwin. I’ll also be reading Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe – published by Magabala.
Mr. Linky did not work for me even though I’m using my desktop computer. It keep coming back with an error message – “Link URL must begin with 'http://'“. ' is an apostrophe but when I put an apostrophe in front of my URL it did not work either. I’ll try again later.
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By: perkinsy on June 16, 2014
at 9:36 am
Yes, I tried several times on my laptop – both Safari and Firefox. It eventually seemed to work in Firefox, but not the first time I tried. I couldn’t even get my cursor to land in the box. It just kept expanding the form.
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By: whisperinggums on June 16, 2014
at 11:27 am
That’s very peculiar. It’s working fine here, and I can see Sue’s entry is there.
Tell you what, I’ll try it out at work and see what happens.
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By: Lisa Hill on June 16, 2014
at 8:03 pm
Good to have you on board, Yvonne, those two books sound very interesting. I’ve read a couple of Bruce Pascoe’s books, but I haven’t heard of the other one. Looking forward to seeing your reviews:)
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By: Lisa Hill on June 16, 2014
at 8:05 pm
[…] Interested? Sign up now to give yourself time to source the book you want to read. Click this link to go to the ANZ LitLovers page. […]
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By: Announcing 2014 Indigenous Writers Week at ANZ LitLovers « LisaHillSchoolStuff's Weblog on June 22, 2014
at 6:46 pm
[…] Announcing 2014 Indigenous Literature Week at ANZ LitLovers […]
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By: 2014 Indigenous Literature Week at ANZ LitLovers | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on June 22, 2014
at 10:48 pm
Hi Lisa
I am choosing ‘Grace Beside Me’ by Sue McPherson which I won here at your blog a while back. Now I have the incentitive to read this novel that was a winner in 2011. State Library of QLD Indigenous Writing Fellowship. I might also read Mullimbimby as I have that one on my shelf.
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By: Jenny Snell (@wellreadisjen) on June 23, 2014
at 9:36 am
That’s great, Jenny, I look forward to reading your review at Library Thing!
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By: Lisa Hill on June 23, 2014
at 2:43 pm
Hi Lisa. I’ll be reading Bruce Pascoe’s ‘Dark Emu’
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By: Janine Rizzetti on June 25, 2014
at 11:50 am
Hi Lisa
I’ll be reading ‘Dark Emu’ by Bruce Pascoe.
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By: residentjudge on June 25, 2014
at 11:53 am
Is that a new one by him, Janine? I think I’ve got one by Pascoe on my TBR to read but that one doesn’t ring a bell. He writes for kids and YA too, I think…
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By: Lisa Hill on June 25, 2014
at 12:10 pm
In NAIDOC Week, I’ll be on a road-trip to Uluru and will make some time to read. I’ll be travelling with the book “Traditional Healers of Central Australia: Ngangkari” by the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjara Women’s Council Aboriginal Corporation (publisher – Magabala Books).
My current manuscript will benefit greatly from this trip to the Centre, and I’m sure to be inspired by the Ngangkari book. As an Aboriginal writer, I think your Indigenous Literature Week is a great way to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers, as well as raising awareness of NAIDOC Week. Can I add a link to your post on my blog?
I must make sure I come back to visit your blog regularly, Lisa.
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By: Karen Wyld on June 26, 2014
at 9:14 pm
Hello Karen! I am delighted to welcome an indigenous author to Indigenous Literature Week – and the book you’ve chosen to read sounds fascinating. That book I just reviewed, Jared Thomas’s Calypso Summer includes elements of traditional healing in its plot – and I’m keen to know more about this so I’ll be looking forward to your review.
I’ve visited your website and must compliment you on the cover design of your book, it looks gorgeous!
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By: Lisa Hill on June 26, 2014
at 10:26 pm
I haven’t read Calypso yet, but went to the launch. Jared lives nearby, and is very supportive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and writers.
The artwork on my cover is by a Ukraine artist – she does amazing designs.
I read some of the Ngangkari book last year, but just haven’t had the time to finish it. Its very good, I’m sure you will find it fascinating.
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By: Karen Wyld on June 26, 2014
at 11:40 pm
[…] And if you head over to Lisa Hill’s blog at ANZ LitLovers, you’ll find that she is hosting Indigenous Literature Week, also in celebration of NAIDOC […]
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By: May 2014 Roundup: Diversity | Australian Women Writers Challenge on June 27, 2014
at 5:13 pm
I don’t have a blog, but sign me upplease. I have just finished reading Carrots and Jaffas and really enjoyed it. Also I have reserved Patricia Grace’s novel at my local library.
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By: Meg on June 29, 2014
at 8:17 pm
Hi Emma, good to hear from youJ
No, I’ve never come across this blog… do you know Tom? You are welcome to ask him on our behalf, and give him Dagny’s contact email to join him up if he wants to. I like his style!
(Actually, I like all the different styles we have on that blog. I am so pleased with how it is turning out).
Cheers
Lisa
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By: Lisa Hill on June 29, 2014
at 10:36 pm
[…] going to kick off Indigenous Literature Week 2014 with a review of a delightful picture book called Tracker Tjugingji, by Bob Randall of the […]
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By: Book review: Tracker Tjugingji, by Bob Randall and Kunyi June-Anne McInerney « LisaHillSchoolStuff's Weblog on July 5, 2014
at 11:32 pm
[…] This review is part of my contribution to the Australian Women Writers’ Challenge and to Indigenous Literature Week run by book blogger, Lisa […]
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By: The Power of Bones by Keelen Mailman | Stumbling Through the Past on July 6, 2014
at 11:22 am
[…] of NAIDOC week, it would be great to see some reviews of their books. You can also head to ANZ LitLovers, where Lisa Hill is holding a challenge for this week, whereby you may sign up and review a novel by any Indigenous writer from around the […]
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By: Celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Writing: Interview with Ambelin Kwaymullina | Australian Women Writers Challenge on July 6, 2014
at 7:52 pm
[…] read this book for Indigenous Literature Week 2014, but I recommend it as a great story to read any […]
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By: Yami, the autobiography of Yami Lester, by Yami Lester | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on July 11, 2014
at 10:32 am
[…] If you haven’t already signed up for 2014 ILW, here’s the link! […]
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By: Baby No-eyes, by Patricia Grace | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on January 7, 2018
at 8:08 pm