First Nations Experience

MADELAINE DICKIE & WAYNE BERGMAN - Some People Want to Shoot Me

There is a great deal of distrust between indigenous land councils and the media- with good reason.  The Kimberley Land Council are facing enormous pressure to make the right decision for their people, but also the environment. Madelaine Dickie is co -author of this story of Wayne Bergmann's struggle to get justice for his people and understanding of their decisions. But you can't please everyone.

Recorded at the Byron Writers Festival 2024

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LISA FULLER - Ghost Bird

Horror stories and scary beasties are common to all cultures and Lisa Fuller weaves an Indigenous story  of the Ghost Bird into a riveting  story involving twin sisters, one of whom  is 'snatched' - where did she  go? The other twin, has to find her.

Recorded at CONFLUX Canberra 2023

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JULIE JANSON - Madukka: The River Serpent

Aunty June gains a TAFE certificate 3 in Investigative Services and sets up Yanakirri Investigative Services. When a leading environmentalist goes missing , Aunty June picks up a case that the local police seem to be ignoring. Along the way, she has to deal with corruption, bikies, racism, sexism and water theft!

Recorded at BAD Crime Festival Sydney 2023

 

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MARCIA LANGTON - The Quiet Revolution -Boyer Lecture 2012

  Professor Marcia Langton delivered this lecture in 2012, but only sees further advancement since then in the area of indigenous people's development of the land. The creation of millions of hectares of natural reserves, managed areas and conservation by traditional ways is restoring the land and its peoples to health. Expansion of this scheme is the way of the future, as the country's original inhabitants take back control they also gain self respect , prosperity and autonomy.

Recorded at Bellingen Writers Festival 2019

 

MELISSA LUCASHENKO- Too Much Lip

This read by Melissa  is a part of the history of one of the character's in her novel, Kerry's 'Pop' who she is desperate to visit before he dies. It forms a backdrop to the character, Kerry's problems in her own life, to illustrate how trauma can repeat down through the generations . There is a good mix of comedy and drama in Melissa's novels.

Recorded at the Byron Writers Festival 2018

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MARK McKENNA -Return to Uluru

At Uluru in 1934 an Aboriginal man was murdered by a white police officer. Although the officer went to trial he was acquitted and went on to live a long and prosperous life. Investigating this cold case throws up a surprising legacy - a detailed journal by the officer found in a family garage that reveals all. Mark McKenna is one of Australia's leading historians.

Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2022

 

KIM MAHOOD - Wandering with Intent

Kim Mahood's beautiful essays document over three decades of wandering the outback and 'yarning', learning about this country we have have seized without full understanding of its rhythms and cycles.

Position Doubtful

Old maps and charts can tell us many things about history, but in following them are we just following our own desires? Kim Mahood makes her own charts to explain how she feels about 'country'.

Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2017

WARREN MUNDINE - In Black and White

This extract from his memoir is called 'Reclaiming Work as a Virtue'. Warren recounts the rigorous work ethic instilled in him from childhood. He believes the right to work is a basic human dignity and by denying people a meaningful role in society we weaken its very structure.

Recorded at the Byron Writers Festival 2018

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BRUCE PASCOE - Young Dark Emu

Young Dark emu is a simpler version 'Dark Emu' ,Bruce Pascoe's deeply researched account of the true history of indigenous Australia. Far from being simple hunter gatherers, moving constantly around the continent in search of food, Australia's early inhabitants grew crops, trapped fish, made permanent settlements and had a rich cultural life. Bruce Pascoe sees the future is in the hands of young Australians, to understand this legacy, and what we can all learn from it.

Recorded a the Byron Writers Festival 2019

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ELLEN VAN NEERVEN -Personal Score: Sport, Culture and Identity

Blending cultural studies, memoir and poetry to explore the troubled nexus between race, gender and sexuality, Ellen uses sport as an example to effect change towards these issues  .  An award winning First Nations author, this is her first non-fiction book.

Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2023

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CHELSEA WATEGO - Another Day in the Colony

This read is from a collection of essays which examine the ongoing and daily racism faced by First Nations peoples. It starts with a personal recollection of grief that expands to expound on a collective, ongoing grief of the loss of country.

Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2022

 

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