'Family is one of the most important things in Sam Faulkner’s life. Ali Drummond is Sam Faulkner's grandfather, and this is his story.'
'Ali Drummond has had an extraordinary life, by any standards. Orphaned when young, Ali took to a life at sea aged fourteen. Originally taken on as an apprentice, Ali applied himself to learning the skills he needed to survive and prosper in a sometimes dangerous life seeking pearl shells, trochus and bêche de mer. Alert to the Japanese divers’ knowledge, Ali learnt well from them and went on to become an expert diver and skipper himself.'
'After years on the mainland, cutting cane, roadworking and supporting his growing family, Ali returned to his beloved Torres Strait. He has been a strong supporter of his community, has enjoyed playing lawn bowls competitively and has provided advice about the maritime environment he knows so well – knowledge now keenly sought by scientists and others. Now 90, Ali is one of a handful of elders able to share these stories first-hand.'
'Two themes emerge strongly: the importance of Ali’s wife Carmen and their family, and the desire to be out on the water, fishing. Sam Faulkner has rendered Ali Drummond’s life with affection, skilfully weaving together Ali’s stories with colourful reminiscences from his family.' (Source: AIATSIS website)
Acknowledgements: "Family is important to all of us. It is especially important to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our extended families provide support, guidance and leadership to individuals as well as continuing the strong oral tradition and transmission of culture from on generation to another."
"Having a record of Ali Drummond's life is important to me: he's my grandfather. So it's also my family's story, as well as an opportunity to share his rich and varied experiences with a broader community."
(Source: Faulkner, S. with Drummond, A., Life B'long Ali Drummond: A Life in the Torres Strait, Aboriginal Studies Press, 2007, p. vii)
'Families are important, our centre from which support, guidance and leadership are culturally transmitted from person to person, through generation to generation. Samantha Faulkner uses the life of her grandfather, Ali Drummond, to explore — through her relationships with near and extended families — these connections in her own life to her roots in the Torres Strait and those she has established on the mainland. Throughout this book, the cultural connections and reflections on family remain strong.' (Introduction)
'Families are important, our centre from which support, guidance and leadership are culturally transmitted from person to person, through generation to generation. Samantha Faulkner uses the life of her grandfather, Ali Drummond, to explore — through her relationships with near and extended families — these connections in her own life to her roots in the Torres Strait and those she has established on the mainland. Throughout this book, the cultural connections and reflections on family remain strong.' (Introduction)
