Post-colonial Literature for Children EDU32PLC Week 3 - Lecture 5 Aboriginal voices in Australian Literature © La Trobe University, David Beagley 2005

References Scutter, H. (2001) Writing the childhood self: Australian Aboriginal autobiographies, memoirs and testimonies. The Lion and the Unicorn. 25(2):

A little bit of Politics Hegel: the dominant approach of science in the 18 th -19 th centuries was Taxonomy – identifying, classifying, differentiating, and categorizing the parts of the universe, including human society. Marx: Society has an economic imperative. To enable production, people are grouped into classes (workers, consumers, capital controllers etc.). Injustices arise when one group dominates others and controls an unequal share of the production. Thus, class conflict is inevitable, and political. From Greek: Polis – city, polites – citizen, politikos - popular

A little bit of Politics Therefore, assumptions from this view: that people must identify with labelled groups/classes in society that they will, consequently, behave according to that prescribed identity that those classes are in opposition to control the benefits of society that they will fight each other for that control Thus, to the 19 th century European mind, Australian Aboriginals were an opponent in the race for survival.

Voice What is “voice” in literature? Perspective, point of view, personality of the perceived “speaker” Character voice – the person portrayed Narrative voice – the teller of the story Authorial voice – the impression conveyed by the creator Personal voice - the tone and expression of a particular person Cultural voice – the underlying social context

Voice How is “voice” conveyed? Personal voice By the language characteristics of the “speaker” Vocabulary, idiom, accent, grammar Emotions, expression, tone Cultural voice By the issues expressed By the social context of that expression Cultural markers, that distinguish Identity of the personal voice

Aboriginal voices in Australian Literature Until recently, very, very little: David Unaipon Oodgeroo Noonuccal – Kath Walker Last two decades, a rich and rapidly growing corpus deriving directly from personal experience presenting personal identity and culture with pride Not so much “history at a distance” as “me in my world”

Memoirs, autobiographies, testimonies and reminiscences Sally’s Story, My Girragundji, Tucker, Do not go around the edges Stradbroke Dreamtime, Rabbit Proof Fence, As I grew older, Maybe Tomorrow, Binna Binna Man, Minah, The shack that dad built, A is for Aunty Very strong focus on childhood memories Clear, open portrayal of identity and “cultural markers” Largely written for younger audience

Childhood memories Celebrate the fun and innocence of childhood, before bad times of adulthood Restore that past, start again Personal and private world, unaware of outside “noise” Symbolic of return of pre-colonial days Affirms identity by clear sense of self and shows what can be.

Identity and cultural markers Use of language – grammar, vocabulary, personal voice Place, setting and landscape Family and relationship patterns Activities, seasons and “circle of life” Belief systems and religion Relationship to European communities

Younger audience “Softer” representation, less confronting Emphasis on essential innocence of children - both as speaker and audience Does this emphasis on Childhood and Children avoid the essentially political context of the situation of Aboriginal Australia?

Political Context Does this emphasis avoid the essentially political context of the situation of Aboriginal Australia? All literature is political because it reflects its social context The softer focus highlights the positive aspects of Aboriginal life, rather than the negative aspects of European treatment Therefore, the attempt to “protect” children actually reaffirms the identity, dignity and survival of Aboriginal culture