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Post-colonial Literature for Children EDU32PLC Week 4 - Lecture 7 European voices in Aboriginal History: Telling the Big Picture © La Trobe University,

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Presentation on theme: "Post-colonial Literature for Children EDU32PLC Week 4 - Lecture 7 European voices in Aboriginal History: Telling the Big Picture © La Trobe University,"— Presentation transcript:

1 Post-colonial Literature for Children EDU32PLC Week 4 - Lecture 7 European voices in Aboriginal History: Telling the Big Picture © La Trobe University, David Beagley 2006

2 References Foster, J., Finnis, E.J. and Nimon, M. (1995) Aboriginal Australia: a century of attitudinal change. in Australian Children’s Literature: an exploration of genre and theme. Wagga: CIS, Charles Sturt University Heiss, A. (2002) Writing about Indigenous Australia - some issues to consider and protocols to follow: a discussion paper. Southerly. 62(2) Summer: 197-205 Jarman, M. (1999) Postcolonialism and language use in Australian Children’s Literature: a case study of The Children of Mirrabooka. in Something to Crow About: new perspectives in Literature for Young people. eds. Susan Clancy and David Gilbey. Wagga Wagga: CIS, CSU

3 Binary approaches Aboriginal voice/European voice Positive/negative Past/present History/future How do you prefer to remove a band-aid? Slowly and delicately … Just rip it straight off !!!

4 Differing approaches Positive reminiscences have advantages Forward looking, not living in the past Focus on the good aspects, not the “black armband” features Enables pride in self and identity Emphasis on young audience promotes shared identifications Don’t scare the children

5 But …… The reality is … Near genocide across a continent over two centuries - massacres, dispossession, racism Life expectancy 20+ years less than other Australians Many communities with 3rd world conditions in health, housing, finance Immense social problems of adjustment to European expectations How is this story to be told?

6 European stories and story telling Structural and contextual elements Linear history - focus on sequence of events, causes and consequences Individual characters - independent of each other and “negotiating” their relationships Setting and place - background against which the human drama takes place Are there distinct cultural voices that create different ways of telling stories?

7 European perspectives In telling Aboriginal stories, are Europeans: Telling of their own role in the shared history Coming to terms with the negative aspects Appropriating the stories and their cultural roles Reaching towards a shared understanding Mediating and interpreting the “foreign” Recognizing the integrity of Aboriginal culture Are European versions European stories or Aboriginal stories?

8 Protocols for European writers Language Vocabulary – Aboriginal / European Idiom Voice Consultation Local, contextual Mutual creation – mixed voice for mixed audiences Research

9 Protocols for European writers Respect Ownership of story, context and detail Use of terminology and address Representation – individuals, events, beliefs Perspective and purpose

10 Fact or Fiction? Stories for older readers Children of Mirrabooka Deadly, Unna? European authors Focus on the interaction between Europeans and Aboriginals Do not shy away from the negative and confronting elements Present the story in direct, realist style

11 Children of Mirrabooka “Dream/flashback/time travel” style used by other authors for similar stories Tangara - Nan Chanucy, You, me and Murrawee Allows two voices to be used: European in present, Aboriginal in past Allows “discovery” by modern world or character of hidden crimes Therefore, allows reflection by modern European on past injustices But also maintains explorer/discovery binary of post-colonialism

12 Children of Mirrabooka Probably the first non Aboriginal novel which deals explicitly and as an extended theme with Land Rights and dispossession But does the fantasy / time travel aspect weaken the reality of the situation by making it fantasy, or by resigning it to history? Eventually, the colonization of the station is accepted and continues – Jenny as colonial master, despite her pangs of conscience..

13 Children of Mirrabooka Multiple voices: European/Aboriginal Authorial/Narrative Can such a story be told in an unbiased, balanced way? Is the story about the European in the present or the Aboriginal in the past? Is it appropriation of an Aboriginal story for European sensibilities?

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