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Issue Details: First known date: 1993... 1993 As I Grew Older : The Life and Times of a Nunga Growing Up Along the River Murray
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Ian Abdulla's paintings and text offer a snapshot of an Aboriginal family living on a small stretch of the Murray River in South Australia in the 1950s and 1960s. This was a time of immense and profound environmental and social change when the assimilation policy still existed and there were few employment opportunities for Aborigines.

'Ian's personal story of survival affirms the culture of rural Aborigines who despite being dispossessed have been determined to stay on the land.' (Publication summary)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Norwood, Norwood, Payneham & St Peters area, Adelaide - North / North East, Adelaide, South Australia,: Omnibus Books , 1993 .
      image of person or book cover 584038614997333317.png
      This image has been sourced from online.
      Extent: 40p.
      Description: col. illus., map.
      ISBN: 1862911835 (pbk.), 1862911606

Works about this Work

As I Grew Older Written and Illustrated by Ian Abdulla Vicki Thornton , 2014 single work review
— Appears in: Buzz Words , May 2014;

— Review of As I Grew Older : The Life and Times of a Nunga Growing Up Along the River Murray Ian Abdulla , 1993 single work picture book
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)

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.
The Books From '93 Alfred R. Mappin , 1994 single work column
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , March vol. 9 no. 1 1994; (p. 17-19)
Alf Mappin looks at some of the Australian children's books published in 1993. Most are only referred to in passing.
Untitled Jo Goodman , 1993 single work review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , November vol. 8 no. 5 1993; (p. 27)

— Review of As I Grew Older : The Life and Times of a Nunga Growing Up Along the River Murray Ian Abdulla , 1993 single work picture book
Untitled Beatrice Fincher , 1993 single work review
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , May vol. 37 no. 2 1993; (p. 15)

— Review of As I Grew Older : The Life and Times of a Nunga Growing Up Along the River Murray Ian Abdulla , 1993 single work picture book
Untitled Jo Goodman , 1993 single work review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , November vol. 8 no. 5 1993; (p. 27)

— Review of As I Grew Older : The Life and Times of a Nunga Growing Up Along the River Murray Ian Abdulla , 1993 single work picture book
As I Grew Older Written and Illustrated by Ian Abdulla Vicki Thornton , 2014 single work review
— Appears in: Buzz Words , May 2014;

— Review of As I Grew Older : The Life and Times of a Nunga Growing Up Along the River Murray Ian Abdulla , 1993 single work picture book
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)

The Books From '93 Alfred R. Mappin , 1994 single work column
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , March vol. 9 no. 1 1994; (p. 17-19)
Alf Mappin looks at some of the Australian children's books published in 1993. Most are only referred to in passing.
Last amended 25 Sep 2018 14:56:55
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