image of person or book cover 1907590868775816778.jpg
Image courtesy of UQP
y separately published work icon Yumba Days single work   autobiography   young adult  
Issue Details: First known date: 1999... 1999 Yumba Days
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'The Yumba, an Aboriginal settlement, is home to Herbie, his brothers,

sisters, relations and friends on the outskirts of town. From his back

door the view of his playground stretches beyond the banks of the

Warrego River, as far as the eye can see. The fun-loving Herbie learns

his culture from both Aboriginal and white worlds: from his tribal

elders and from the local townies. For Herbie his Yumba is a village

peopled with friends and family, who keep an eye on him and his mates.

But there's always escape to the surrounding hopbush plain, a larrikin's

paradise. Herbie's rollicking adventures range from school-age antics

to his teenage years as a stockman and, briefly-on into the present and

his wry observations in travelling the world as an author.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

Notes

  • Included in the 2000 White Ravens Catalogue compiled by the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Other Formats

  • Also sound recording.

Works about this Work

Spreading the Seeds : Australian Indigenous Publishing for Young People Robyn Sheahan-Bright , 2009 single work essay
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , May vol. 24 no. 2 2009; (p. 8-12)

Sheahan-Bright explores '...the growth in publishing by Indigenous writers and publishers, and of writing on Indigenous cultural themes, and some of the issues which confront publishers when dealing with Indigenous writers and illustrators' (8). The article begins with some background, and points out that despite a cultural and artistic heritage that dates back thousands of years, Indigenous writing and publishing has not been widely recognised in mainstream Australian until most recently and Sheahan-Bright says "This is despite their having been engaged in colonial conflict and later subject to the...assimilation policies which discouraged involvement with European notions of literacy" (8). She discusses the origins of the Indigenous publishing houses Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP), Institute of Aboriginal Development (IAD Press), Magabala Books, Keeaira Press, Black Ink Press, Indij Readers and briefly refers to the above mentioned texts in the section entitled 'what's being published'. This leads into a summary of the five main issues in relation to Indigenous publishing and the 'need for authenticity in writing about Indigenous peoples and culture' (11). Sheahan-Bright lists these issues as 'respect for country and Indigenous control of material', relevance of copyright issues, lack of understanding from non-Indigenous Australians, the need to consider 'protocol, specific authority, appropriation' and finally, to develop an awareness of the social factors that contribute to the socially and economically disadvantaged position of the majority of Indigenous Australians. She argues that 'knowledge of Indigenous culture is a genuine part of Australian culture ...and the publishing output should reflect that' (12). However, she concludes that while 'there has been growth in publishing Indigenous voices in English', in general, 'there are many miles still to be travelled and many seeds still to be sown' (12)

Untitled Jean Yates , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: Books from Our Backyard : Must-Read Books from Queensland 2006; (p. 81)

— Review of Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
Writing the Childhood Self : Australian Aboriginal Autobiographies, Memoirs, and Testimonies Heather Scutter , 2001 single work criticism
— Appears in: Lion and the Unicorn , April vol. 25 no. 2 2001; (p. 226-241)
The author discusses how Australian Aboriginal writers are dealing with cultural loss by calling on childhood memories to restore a sense of reality, significance and wholeness.
Untitled Rosemary Thomas , 2000 single work review
— Appears in: Fiction Focus : New Titles for Teenagers , vol. 14 no. 3 2000; (p. 40-41)

— Review of Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
Untitled Kevin Brophy , 2000 single work review
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , February vol. 44 no. 1 2000; (p. 26-27)

— Review of Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
Untitled Kevin Brophy , 2000 single work review
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , February vol. 44 no. 1 2000; (p. 26-27)

— Review of Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
Untitled Kevin Steinberger , 1999 single work review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , November vol. 14 no. 5 1999; (p. 44)

— Review of Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
Untitled Jean Yates , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: Books from Our Backyard : Must-Read Books from Queensland 2006; (p. 81)

— Review of Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
Untitled Rosemary Thomas , 2000 single work review
— Appears in: Fiction Focus : New Titles for Teenagers , vol. 14 no. 3 2000; (p. 40-41)

— Review of Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Helen Horton , 2000 single work review
— Appears in: Imago : New Writing , vol. 12 no. 1 2000; (p. 117-120)

— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography ; Yumba Days Herb Wharton , 1999 single work autobiography
Writing the Childhood Self : Australian Aboriginal Autobiographies, Memoirs, and Testimonies Heather Scutter , 2001 single work criticism
— Appears in: Lion and the Unicorn , April vol. 25 no. 2 2001; (p. 226-241)
The author discusses how Australian Aboriginal writers are dealing with cultural loss by calling on childhood memories to restore a sense of reality, significance and wholeness.
Spreading the Seeds : Australian Indigenous Publishing for Young People Robyn Sheahan-Bright , 2009 single work essay
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , May vol. 24 no. 2 2009; (p. 8-12)

Sheahan-Bright explores '...the growth in publishing by Indigenous writers and publishers, and of writing on Indigenous cultural themes, and some of the issues which confront publishers when dealing with Indigenous writers and illustrators' (8). The article begins with some background, and points out that despite a cultural and artistic heritage that dates back thousands of years, Indigenous writing and publishing has not been widely recognised in mainstream Australian until most recently and Sheahan-Bright says "This is despite their having been engaged in colonial conflict and later subject to the...assimilation policies which discouraged involvement with European notions of literacy" (8). She discusses the origins of the Indigenous publishing houses Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP), Institute of Aboriginal Development (IAD Press), Magabala Books, Keeaira Press, Black Ink Press, Indij Readers and briefly refers to the above mentioned texts in the section entitled 'what's being published'. This leads into a summary of the five main issues in relation to Indigenous publishing and the 'need for authenticity in writing about Indigenous peoples and culture' (11). Sheahan-Bright lists these issues as 'respect for country and Indigenous control of material', relevance of copyright issues, lack of understanding from non-Indigenous Australians, the need to consider 'protocol, specific authority, appropriation' and finally, to develop an awareness of the social factors that contribute to the socially and economically disadvantaged position of the majority of Indigenous Australians. She argues that 'knowledge of Indigenous culture is a genuine part of Australian culture ...and the publishing output should reflect that' (12). However, she concludes that while 'there has been growth in publishing Indigenous voices in English', in general, 'there are many miles still to be travelled and many seeds still to be sown' (12)

Last amended 12 Nov 2014 15:10:22
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