Literature in our Collection
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Mattingley, Christobel (Hg.): Survival in Our Own Land. 'Aboriginal' Experiences in 'South Australia' since 1836, Australian Scholarly Publishing, Adelaide 1988, ISBN 0340578513

Table of Contents        ¦         Cover Text        ¦         Book Review

Table of Contents

Nunga statements -viii-

Foreword -ix-

Preface -x-

Acknowledgements -xiii-

Abbreviations -xiv-

Nunga and Goonya -xv-

Part One: In the Beginning -1-

Before and after -3-

From dignity to cast-offs: Clothing -12-

From bush tucker to poison: Rations -18-

Part Two: 'British Subjects' -28-

The foreigners' law -30-

'Outrages and affrays': Conflict -37-

'Under the Act': Legislation -44-

The Nunga people's burdon: Bureaucracy -57-

Punishment and police -61-

Part Three: The Land Our Mother -69-

Losing our birthright -70-

Aboriginal land rights by Bill Edwards -79-

'Atom bombs before Aborigines': Maralinga -88-

Part Four: Goonya Ways -96-

Foreign ways within four walls: Education -98-

Losing our mother tongues: Language -110-

Work for wages: Employment -116-

Work without wages: Exploitation -127-

Men -134-

Women -144-

'The hope for the future': Children -156-

Part Five: The Struggle for Souls -172-

Bible and bell: The missions -174-

Poonindie -179-

Point McLeay -183-

Kopperamanna and Killalpaninna -189-

Point Pearce -195-

Koonibba -202-

United 'Aborigines' Mission and Oodnadatta -210-

Colebrook -213-

Swan Reach and Gerard -220-

Nepabunna -227-

Ooldea and Yalata -235-

Umeewarra -247-

Finniss Springs -250-

Ernabella -254-

Part Six: Nungas Now and Always -262-

Second class citizens: Discrimination -264-

Making our mark in the Goonya world: Achievements -273-

Nungas now and always: Aspirations and identity -294-

Epilogue -306-

References -308-

Notes and sources -311-

Indexes -319-

General -319-

Goonya Place Names -328-

Nunga Place Names -329-

Group Names -330-

Nunga Names -330-

Cover Text

'Survival in Our Own Land' is not a typical addition to Australian literature about 'Aborigines'. Nor was this volume written by some 'eminant authority on Aborigines'. It presents history in 'South Australia' for the first time from the point of view of Nungas, as many 'Aborigines' call themselves, showing Goonyas, as Europeans are called, as the invaders. Almost one hundred and fifty Nungas have told how the Goonya invasion and the implementation of Goonya law and policy have affected us. For 'South Australia's' centenary we were a chapter in a Goonya book. Now we are our own book. Their stories, in prose and poetry, speak volumes of much that has previously been omitted from history and text books. Many have been told for the first time for this book. Extracts from Goonya archival documents, many never before published, have also been included to illustrate Goonya attitudes and action which have caused the death of many of our peoples and the destruction of much of our culture. Thirty-five carefully researched chapters spanning from first encounter to the present day deal with a wide range of issues. They include the imposition of clothes, rations and British laws; conflict and its causes; legislation, including the detested 'exemption' provisions; the burdon of bureaucracy; land, land rights, and the British nuclear tests at Maralinga; education and language; employment and exploitation; particular effects of invasion and the alien society on men, women and children; missionary activities with separate chapters on the sexteen major missions; discrimination; identity and aspirations; and a very substantial chapter on achievements, awards and contributions in the arts, education, community service, military service and sport. 332 photographs and facsimiles from over forty private and institutional collections, many previoulsy unpublished, are a feature. Other features are two specially drawn maps, extensive footnotes and a ful list of sources. In addition to the comprehensive general index, there are also separate indexes of place names, both Nunga and Goonya, and an index of Nunga personal names. The re-issue of this unique book, which was initiated by 'Aboriginal' people for 'South Australia's' sesquicentenary, is a timely contribution to today's debate on indigenous issues. It provides a rare and unsurpassed insight, a vital help in understanding the indigenous position.