8/6/22 Please note: this page has been edited to reflect its name change to First Nations Reading Week.
Cultural warning: First Nations Australians are advised that some references throughout this blog include images or names of people now deceased.
ANZ LitLovers Indigenous Literature First Nations Reading Week is a virtual event that has always been about encouraging Australians to read and learn from Indigenous authors and to celebrate all forms of Indigenous First Nations Writing.
This year ANZ LitLovers will again be hosting Indigenous Literature First Nations Reading Week to coincide with NAIDOC Week,
from Sunday July 3rd to Sunday July 10th 2022.
The NAIDOC 2022 theme – Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! – calls for working together for systemic change.
I hope that many readers will join in and read a book by a First Nations author. But even if you don’t have time or opportunity to do that, at least you can read the reviews, because educating ourselves about Australia’s Black History and culture, and listening to First Nations voices is a pathway forward.
Reading the reviews of First Nations-authored books that have been featured during First Nations Reading Week at ANZ LitLovers every year is not the only place to start educating yourself, but it’s an easy place to start because the reviews lead to the authentic, authoritative voices of First Nations authors.
While I would like Australians to participate by reading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literature, participants are welcome to join in reading First Nations literature from anywhere in the world, from Canada to Guyana, from Native American to Basque to Pashtun or Ixcatec. (For a list of First Nations people of the world, see this list at Wikipedia.) As to how we define First Nations, that’s up to First Nations people themselves. If they identify as First Nations, well, that’s good enough for me, (and if you want to see how foolish it is to label people, see the first quotation here.)
Thanks to contributions from a fantastic bunch of participants in previous years of ILW FNRW the reading list is now extensive. For reasons of space and time and personal preference my reading list is mostly literary fiction titles by First Nations Australian and New Zealand authors but participants are free to choose any form —short story, memoir, poetry, biography, genre-benders or whatever takes your fancy! The permanent link to my reading list (and to other useful reading lists) is on the ANZLL First Nations Literature List in the top menu. (There is a list of First Nations Women Writers there too.)
Thanks to all those who joined in last year and have encouraged me to host the week again.
Interested?
- If you’d like to participate simply say so in comments below. Tell us what you think you might read in the comments box to help spread awareness of what’s available. . You never know, you might encourage someone else to try the book too! (You can always change your mind later if you want to).
- Bookmark the page for Reviews from First Nations Reading Week at ANZ LitLovers 2022 so that you can use the comments box there either
- to provide the URL of your review on your blog, your Goodreads page or your Library Thing page, or
- to share your thoughts as a comment and then I’ll add it to the reading list.
- If you would like to write a guest review of your book for ANZLL I will happily host it here too.
If you would like to read works by an author who comes from the place where you live and you know its First Nations place name, you can use the drop-down menu in the RHS to search, using ORIGIN OF AUTHOR by continent/Australasian Literature/AUSTRALIAN authors by First Nations.
I have a wealth of reading on the TBR. It’s unlikely I can read them all, but I’ve listed them here as an ambition. I tend to read recent releases first, but this year I’m going to try to read the ones that have been on the TBR for too long.
- Black and Blue, by Veronica Gorrie, a Krauatungalang Gunai woman.
- True Tracks, Respecting Indigenous Knowledge and Culture, by Terri Janke, a Murri woman of Torres Strait descent with Meriam, Wuthathi & Yadaighana connections.
- Loving Country, a guide to sacred Australia, by Bruce Pascoe of the Bunurong people in Victoria and Vicky Shukuroglou
- Born into This, by Adam Thompson, a Pakana man from Launceston, Tasmania
- If Everyone Cared, the autobiography of Margaret Tucker (1904-1996) a Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman from New South Wales.
- When Rosa came Home by Karen Wyld, of Martu descent, from people of the Pilbara region in Western Australia
I have two Samoan books among titles from New Zealand:
- What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? by Alan Duff (Maori)
- The Graphologist’s Apprentice by Whiti Hereaka (Maori)
- The Dream Swimmer (The Mahana trilogy #2) by Witi Ihimaera (Maori)
- Scarlet Lies by Lani Wendt Young (Samoa/Maori)
- Leaves of the Banyan Tree by Albert Wendt (Samoa, resident in NZ)
Also on the TBR is a recent release from UQP: The Strangers by Red River Métis (Michif) Canadian First Nations author Katherena Vermette. Please see my review of this book to see why Métis people are not identified as ‘First Nations’ in Canada.
Most of the above titles can be purchased, but although things have improved for high profile Indigenous writers mainstream publishers don’t generally make it easy to find (or find out about) new First Nations writing. I find the most useful sources for First Nations titles are
- UQP – use their Categories /Fiction /Indigenous menu to find David Unaipon Award winners, titles from the Blak & Bright Festival, and Black Australian Writing;
- Wakefield Press – choose browse by category from the top RHS side of the home page (under the search box) and select ‘Aboriginal and Indigenous’. Not all these titles are by indigenous authors so choose carefully;
- and indigenous publishing houses Magabala Books and Jukurrpa/IAD Press
PS Please use the #FirstNationsReadingWeek hashtag on Twitter.
This post was written on the traditional land of the Ngaruk-Willam clan, one of the six clans of the Bunerong (Boonwurrung or Boon wurrung) saltwater people of the Kulin nation.
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
I’m giving my grandson Tamihana the novel Auē by Becky Manawatu, maybe I’ll read it for next year’s ILW. I’ve given you a couple of First Nations books for your page, from my North America project, but for June I’m reading James Baldwin. Bad Planning. I have Claire G Coleman’s third SF novel on order but it will probably miss the cut. Blame her bad planning. I’m not sure where to go from there but I may re-do my review of Chelsea Watego’s Another Day in the Colony, which surprisingly no one has approached yet (that I’ve noticed).
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By: wadholloway on June 4, 2022
at 2:32 pm
I’m planning to read Chelsea Watego’s Another Day in the Colony… I joined the Rabble Books First Nations book subscription and this was the first book that arrived.
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By: kimbofo on June 4, 2022
at 2:41 pm
Thanks Kim, I’ll see what else I can come up with.
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By: wadholloway on June 4, 2022
at 3:09 pm
Auē is a fantastic book, I look forward to seeing what you think of it.
I heard Coleman talking about her book/s at the Margaret River Festival just recently, but I didn’t blog any of it because I was just too busy with other things to take notes and do it properly. Still, It was nice of them to make it available digitally, most festivals have abandoned that, and I miss being able to ‘travel’ far and wide to the different litfests, especially the WA ones.
I did read your review of Another Day in the Colony, *chuckle* ’tis quite brief though your enthusiasm is obvious. I’ve heard her talk about it too, though I can’t remember where/how that came about…
PS I was hoping that Alexis Wright’s new one would be out in time, but it looks unlikely. Which is a good thing because I really must read some of my TBR.
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By: Lisa Hill on June 4, 2022
at 3:13 pm
I will be participating, Lisa, I’ve got a nice stack ready and waiting. I recently did some cultural awareness training as part of my new job and it was wonderful… one of the recommendations was to educate yourself about Indigenous Australians by reading widely, both fiction and non-fiction, and I couldn’t agree more.
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By: kimbofo on June 4, 2022
at 2:44 pm
That’s great, thank you!
That cultural awareness training sounds interesting, it sounds like you have a good employer.
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By: Lisa Hill on June 4, 2022
at 3:03 pm
The training was brilliant. They are even planning Noongar language lessons soon and I really want to give that a shot.
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By: kimbofo on June 4, 2022
at 4:02 pm
It’s a lovely language. I bought some bilingual Noongar children’s stories by Kim Scott for the school library and I used to read them to my junior classes, and we just loved the sound of them.
*musing*
It’s strange how some languages are lovely to listen to, almost musical, like Italian and Spanish and Indonesian. Some Aboriginal languages make me think of water run over stones in a creek,,,
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By: Lisa Hill on June 4, 2022
at 5:58 pm
Did I tell you I met Kim Scott recently? He was at a book launch for David Whish-Wilson here at a pub in Freo, and I had a fan girl moment and gushed about Benang and he said I must be a very patient reader cos most people found it a difficult read!
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By: kimbofo on June 4, 2022
at 6:37 pm
I had a fan girl moment when he was here in Melbourne for the Premier’s Lit Awards. This was before the announcement that he’d won and looking back on it, he must have known and yet he was generous with his time and we had quite a long chat about his Noongar language project. (That’s where I bought the bilingual book).
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By: Lisa Hill on June 4, 2022
at 7:36 pm
Hi Lisa,
I have Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese on the shelf, I’ll try to read it on time.
Thanks for organizing this event again.
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By: Emma on June 4, 2022
at 4:03 pm
Hello Emma, that sounds perfect, thanks for joining in!
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By: Lisa Hill on June 4, 2022
at 5:58 pm
I have a stack too, including After story which will be done later in the month with my reading group. Then I have Heiss, Araluen, another Behrendt and others on the pile!
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By: whisperinggums on June 4, 2022
at 4:30 pm
Ooh, I can’t wait to hear what your group does with After Story!
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By: Lisa Hill on June 4, 2022
at 5:59 pm
I will try to tell you!
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By: whisperinggums on June 4, 2022
at 7:16 pm
I just brought a memoir from Patrrice Grace the New Zealand be perfect for this other than that I’m sure I may find another to squeeze in
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By: winstonsdad on June 4, 2022
at 6:57 pm
She’s a wonderful writer!
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By: Lisa Hill on June 4, 2022
at 7:34 pm
Hello Lisa and Lit Enthusiasts,
I’m elated to participate in this year’s Indigenous Literature Week. NAIDOC’s 2022 Theme is a call to action against injustice which is reminiscent of the song, “Get Up Stand Up” by Bob Marley & Peter Tosh. I want to share some literature titles by Australian Aboriginal, Pasifika, and Maori writers that I take great interest in:
Fiction
Born into This by Adam Thompson
The White Girl by Tony Birch
After Story by Larissa Behrendt
Small Holes in the Silence by Patricia Grace
Biography/ Autobiography/ Memoir
Am I Black Enough For You? 10 Years On by Anita Heiss
Essays
Sister Girl: Reflections on Tiddaism, Identity and Reconciliation by Jackie Huggins
Poetry
Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen
Children’s Books
Mophead & Mophead Tu: The Queen’s Poem by Selina Tusitala Marsh
I would like to recommend the digital project, Living Nations, Living Words, created by the United States First Nations poet laureate Joy Harjo. She has used her platform to promote and disseminate literature by Native and other Indigenous poets. Here is the link to Living Nations, Living Words:
https://www.loc.gov/programs/poetry-and-literature/poet-laureate/poet-laureate-projects/living-nations-living-words/
I hope to learn about other writers and texts that the ANZ LitLovers community will celebrate.
Happy reading,
Sonia Adams, U.S.A.
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By: smaxine27 on June 6, 2022
at 12:27 am
Hello Sonia, as always, it’s good to hear from you — and thank you for the mention of that book by Patricia Grace because I’ve read many of her books but I didn’t know about that one.
I’ll have a look at that website that you suggest… what I am so pleased about is that recognition and promotion of First Nations writing is so much better than when I started over a decade ago!
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By: Lisa Hill on June 6, 2022
at 11:42 am
[…] First Nations writers so will count these towards my own Reading First Nations Writers project and Lisa’s Indigenous Literature Week (July […]
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By: 20 Books of Summer – 2022 edition – Reading Matters on June 6, 2022
at 6:01 pm
Hi Lisa, Thanks for organising this again! I’m planning to participate by reading The Swan Book by Alexis Wright of the Waanyi people.
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By: Andrew Blackman on June 13, 2022
at 7:05 pm
Wonderful, welcome aboard, that is such an amazing book!
(And she’s got a new one coming out later this year, so that’s a treat in store.)
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By: Lisa Hill on June 13, 2022
at 8:54 pm
Oh, I didn’t know that – I’ll look out for the new release later this year. I read Carpentaria years ago and really enjoyed it, so I’m looking forward to this one.
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By: Andrew Blackman on June 14, 2022
at 5:34 am
I think The Swan Book is even more engaging than Carpentaria so I expect you will enjoy it:)
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By: Lisa Hill on June 14, 2022
at 9:37 am
I will be participating Lisa – no idea what I will read, beyond it will be Australian released, and likely to be connected to NSW.
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By: Julie Goucher on June 19, 2022
at 8:55 pm
Wonderful, Julie, it’s great to have you back again!
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By: Lisa Hill on June 19, 2022
at 9:18 pm
[…] is hosting a week dedicated to the works of indigenous authors, an event she has retitled First Nations Reading Week, July 3rd-10th, and she has plenty of recommendations to peruse as […]
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By: June 2022: Read Indigenous (4 of 4) – Buried In Print on June 30, 2022
at 5:09 pm
I’m an Aboriginal man. I come from the Kapalbara/ Baradha people from my mothers side. On my fathers side I am of Kukuyalanji/Kukuyimidtha decent. I am proud of who I am, my culture and heritage. I am also a poet, I love to read about Aboriginal history, as well as write about it in.
” If Everyone Cared ” by Margaret Tucker looks like a book I would love to read as I have often wondered that myself and written about.
Dan Davis
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By: Daniel Kielly-Davis on July 4, 2022
at 10:44 am
Hello Dan, thank you for your comment. Am I right in thinking that your country is in Far North Queensland? I have read some wonderful books by First Nations authors from up that way.
I think that Margaret Tucker was a Yorta Yorta woman from around the Murray River. I haven’t finished writing my review of her autobiography yet, but she was a remarkable woman!
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By: Lisa Hill on July 4, 2022
at 10:55 am
[…] finally, this is my contribution to Lisa’s First Nations Reading Week (July 3-10, 2022), which coincides with NAIDOC Week, an annual event to celebrate and recognise the […]
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By: ‘Am I Black Enough for You? 10 Years On’ by Anita Heiss – Reading Matters on July 5, 2022
at 7:22 pm
[…] ANZLitLovers First Nations Literature Week, 3-10 July 2022 […]
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By: Lies Damned Lies, Claire G Coleman | The Australian Legend on July 6, 2022
at 6:49 pm
[…] is hosting a week dedicated to the works of indigenous authors, an event she has retitled First Nations Reading Week, July 3rd-10th, which is an excellent opportunity for me to mention a poetry collection that I absolutely loved […]
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By: An Assortment of Indigenous Storytellers – Buried In Print on July 9, 2022
at 5:09 pm