Literature in our Collection
(A-L)

Catholic Education Office of Western Australia (Hg.): From digging sticks to writing sticks. Stories of Kija women, Perth 2001, ISBN 0949426091

Table of Contents        ¦         Cover Text        ¦         Book Review

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements -9-

Foreword -11-

Preface -13-

Key storytellers -17-

Setting the Scene -23-

Part one: Cultural background and two-way history -29-

1. Ngarrangkarni time -31-

2. Ngarrangkarni interrupted -45-

3. Massacres, violence and survival -59-

4. We still follow Ngarrangkarni -77-

5. Living culture -91-

Part two: Female Kija leaders -105-

6. Dinah: The connecting life-stream -107-

7. Queenie: Law woman and leader -121-

8. The Barramundi Dreaming -135-

9. Winnie: The Ngapuny woman -145-

10. Madigan: Organiser and teacher of culture -159-

11. Buttercup and Judy: Footwalking this country -175-

Part three: Around the stations -189-

12. Culture takes root in alien country -191-

13. Struggeling, but we still dance corroboree -203-

14. The quiet archievers -215-

Part four: Breaking new ground -229-

15. From station life to mission schools -231-

16. All the Kija Mob come to Turkey Creek- 247-

Part five: Two-way learning begins -261-

17. The Ngalangangpum story -263-

18. Two-way learning in action -283-

19. Two-way right through now -299-

20. From digging sticks to writing sticks -311-

Bibliography -323-

Picture Credits -326-

Glossary of Kija words -327-

Cover Text

'From digging sticks to writing sticks' began to take shape in 1989 when senior women of the Warmun Community asked Sister Veronica to help them record their stories. This decision reflects the link to women made between sharing their narratives and their obligation to maintain and transmit their culture. The stories they chose to share have links with both the Dreaming and with Christianity. Their accounts also focus on traditional life, contact with non-Aboriginal settlers, survival, the challenge of station life, the formation of the Warmun Community and the establishment of Ngalangangpum School. Initially, young girls were the target audience, but as the collection of stories proceeded, the women invited several significant males to share aspects of culture and local history. The men gave permission for artwork depicting the landscape, dreaming stories and personal experiences to be reproduced. As nothing of a secret nature was recorded, community leaders agreed that information could be accessed by both male and female readers. This book is one with a difference. Within its pages there are opportunities to meet key storytellers and get an insight into their colourful personalities. In direct and expressive language they share their pain as they recall the violence that placed their way of life under siege. In the midst of adversity, these same storytellers show a sense of humour and a calm resolve to the faithful to their culture and pass it on to their children. The process of transforming these stories into book form has been one of trust and collaboration. Kija speaking Eileen Bray and Mary Thomas have provided advice on translations, while Sister Veronica has fulfilled her role of recording the content in print form. It is sincerely hoped that 'From digging sticks to writing sticks' will help bring about the respect and understanding to strongly yearned for by Aboriginal people.