ANZ LitLovers LitBlog

 First Nations Reading Week 2022 at ANZ LitLovers 

Cultural warning: Indigenous Australians are advised that some references throughout this blog include images or names of people now deceased.

8/6/22 Please note: this page has been edited to reflect its name change to First Nations Reading Week. 

For information about FNRW 2022, click here.

Reviews

Thanks to everyone who is participating in 2022 First Nations Reading Week – I hope that hosting this celebration helps to make more people aware of First Nations writing!

You are welcome to add your review/s early (or late). I will be monitoring this page until the end of July.

When you are ready to share your reviews, please use comments below:

Include

• your name & the name of your blog (if you have one) and the URL where your review is posted (your blog, or your Goodreads or Library Thing account).  If you know the name of the First Nation or language group of your author please include that too.

(Please do not add Amazon consumer reviews because they generate intrusive Amazon ads and I don’t care to support Amazon advertising).

• If you don’t have a blog or a Goodreads/Library Thing account, then please share what you thought about the book you read in the comments section at the bottom of this post.
• Or, if you’d like to write a review of greater length, contact me at anzlitloversATbigpondDOTcom about writing a guest review to be hosted on the ANZ LitLovers blog.

I will gather these links to generate a list which will be added under the headings below on this page. I will also add any new titles that crop up to the permanent First Nations Literature Reading List.

PS If you haven’t signed up to participate yet, or want to know more about ILW, click on the link at the top of this page.

2022 Reviews (in alphabetical order by author)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors

Evelyn Araluen, a Goorie-Koori woman from Wurundjeri Country in New South Wales

• Dropbear (2021)
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums

Claire G Coleman who identifies with the South Coast Noongar people of Western Australia

• Lies, Damned Lies, see Bill’s review at The Australian Legend

Terri Janke is a Murri woman from Cairns and of Torres Strait descent with Meriam and Wuthathi heritage.

• True Tracks, Respecting Indigenous knowledge and culture, (2021) see my ANZ LitLovers review 

Bruce Pascoe is a Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man.

• Loving Country, a Guide to Sacred Australia, with Vicky Shukuroglou, see my ANZ LitLovers review

Adam Thompson is a Pakana man from Tasmania.

• Born into This, see my ANZ LitLovers review

Margaret Tucker, born in NSW of Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta descent.

• If Everyone Cared (1977), see my ANZ LitLovers review and for context, all readers are requested to read my post Decolonising a Blog… a work in progress #2: Learning about the emergence of Indigenous life writing.

Karen Wyld is of Martu descent, from people of the Pilbara region in Western Australia.

• When Rosa Came Home, (2013) see my ANZ LitLovers review

Children’s Books

Brona from This Reading Life reviewed children’s picture books on the theme of the Uluru Statement from the Heart:

• Somebody’s Land (Welcome to Our Country series) by Adam Goodes, an Adnyamathanha & Narungga man, and Ellie Laing.  Illustrated by David Hardy who is a Barkindji man, author and artist.
• Ceremony, in the same series, also by Goodes, Laing & Hardy.
• Finding the Heart: A story about the Uluru Statement for young Australians, by Thomas Mayor and illustrated by Blak Douglas
• Miimi Marraal: Mother Earth by Melissa Greenwood who identifies with her mother’s a Gumbaynggirr heritage.

Maori and Pacific Authors

Whiti Hereaka, of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa and Pākehā descent.

• The Graphologist’s Apprentice, see my ANZ LitLovers Review

And from elsewhere…

Richard Wagamese, from the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations of One Man Lake, Swan Lake and Whitedog Ojibwe First Nation

• Indian Horse, see Emma’s  review at Book Around the Corner

David Heska Wanbli Weiden, an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota nation

• Winter Counts, see Emma’s review at Book Around the Corner

Further reading

• Monday Musings on Australian Literature: First Nations Australian Poets, by Sue at Whispering Gums
• Black, White and Exempt, edited by Lucinda Aberdeen and Jennifer Jones with contributions from Ash Francisco, a Wiradjuri woman; Beth Marsden; Jessica Horton; Jennifer Jones; John Maynard, a Worimi man; Auntry Judy Wickes, a Kalkadoon and Wakka Wakka woman; Katherine Ellinghaus; Karen Hughes; Aunty Kella Robinson, a Wemba Wemba woman; Leonie Stevens; Lucinda Aberdeen;

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.