Alternative title: BlackWords : Celebrating the New Australian Literature
Issue Details: First known date: 2015... 2015 Celebrating the New Australian Literature
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'The last 40 years have seen a steady rise in the volume of Aboriginal writing published as authors across genres write stories that reflect not only the diversity of who we are today, but also demonstrate the skills we have collectively and individually honed over time. This paper looks at writing and publishing over the past decade (2005-2014) and explores the resources and milieu around Indigenous authored and controlled activities during the period.

Aboriginal people, along with Torres Strait Islanders, are collectively categorised as the Indigenous peoples of Australia. At the point of first contact there were approximately 700 different Aboriginal nations and languages across the continent, with an estimated population of 750,000. According to population statistics from the most recent census in 2011 the Indigenous population was 669,900 people or 3% of the overall Australian population.

Considering the size of the population and the relatively short history of our participation in the writing and publishing industries, there is much to celebrate in what our writers, publishers and editors have achieved in the past decade.'

Source: Author's introduction.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon The BlackWords Essays Kerry Kilner (editor), Gus Worby (editor), Anita Heiss , St Lucia : AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource , 2015 8665955 2015 selected work criticism

    This collection of essays has been produced for teachers, students, researchers, and readers in order to highlight AustLit’s BlackWords project, the most comprehensive resource of Indigenous Australian writing available. The essays aim to assist readers to better understand the impact of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writing and publishing on Australia’s literary landscape.

    The essays showcase recent trends in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writing and highlight the diversity of voices, the range of themes, the genres authors are publishing in, and the ongoing importance of storytelling in contemporary Indigenous society. Common themes emerge in the concerns of Indigenous writers: identity; connection to country; urban life; language maintenance and reclamation. While Indigenous authored books to assist with literacy at a community level is a growing aspect of publishing.

    Terminology

    A range of terminology has been used in these essays in order to define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers and storytellers who make up the BlackWords dataset. In each case, the chosen term reflects the context of the work being considered. The term ‘First Peoples’ and ‘First Nations’ will mean Aboriginal only, while Indigenous and Black are inclusive of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.


    Acknowledgements

    The author, Dr Anita Heiss, would like to thank Emeritus Professor Gus Worby, Flinders University and Yunggorendi First Nations Centre, for his professional support and good will in undertaking a scholarly edit of these essays; and to Kerry Kilner for textual editing and for recognising the importance of having them as part of the AustLit database.

    Dr Heiss would also like to acknowledge the support of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council who granted her a literature fellowship to research and write these essays, and thereby making them freely available to visitors to BlackWords. AustLit maintains BlackWords through the support of The University of Queensland and the generosity of our subscribers.

    St Lucia : AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource , 2015
    pg. 1
  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon The BlackWords Essays Kerry Kilner (editor), Gus Worby (editor), Anita Heiss , St Lucia : AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource , 2015 8665955 2015 selected work criticism

    This collection of essays has been produced for teachers, students, researchers, and readers in order to highlight AustLit’s BlackWords project, the most comprehensive resource of Indigenous Australian writing available. The essays aim to assist readers to better understand the impact of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writing and publishing on Australia’s literary landscape.

    The essays showcase recent trends in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writing and highlight the diversity of voices, the range of themes, the genres authors are publishing in, and the ongoing importance of storytelling in contemporary Indigenous society. Common themes emerge in the concerns of Indigenous writers: identity; connection to country; urban life; language maintenance and reclamation. While Indigenous authored books to assist with literacy at a community level is a growing aspect of publishing.

    Terminology

    A range of terminology has been used in these essays in order to define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers and storytellers who make up the BlackWords dataset. In each case, the chosen term reflects the context of the work being considered. The term ‘First Peoples’ and ‘First Nations’ will mean Aboriginal only, while Indigenous and Black are inclusive of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.


    Acknowledgements

    The author, Dr Anita Heiss, would like to thank Emeritus Professor Gus Worby, Flinders University and Yunggorendi First Nations Centre, for his professional support and good will in undertaking a scholarly edit of these essays; and to Kerry Kilner for textual editing and for recognising the importance of having them as part of the AustLit database.

    Dr Heiss would also like to acknowledge the support of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council who granted her a literature fellowship to research and write these essays, and thereby making them freely available to visitors to BlackWords. AustLit maintains BlackWords through the support of The University of Queensland and the generosity of our subscribers.

    St Lucia : AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource , 2019
    Note:

    Revised Ed.

Last amended 1 May 2019 08:32:20
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