Reading for Reconciliation

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

Australians are notoriously ignorant of the historical and current injustices suffered by our Indigenous peoples.  This is largely due to the fact that we learned very little about them in school and society in general and newspapers in particular give a very "white" view of Aboriginal affairs.  We acknowledge that there is a problem but it is presented as something which is caused by the Indigenous people and which they need to fix. "Stop causing us problems."

Reading for Reconciliation is a group of people who commit themselves to raising their awareness of the situation as experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Peoples.  They do this by reading texts written by or which present the views of our Indigenous Australians. 

One such group operates in Brisbane Queensland. Helen Carrick, the group coordinator, provides some information below.

• WHAT?  A Book Club with a difference!!! This group of readers has been meeting for over six years to expand their knowledge of the background of current Indigenous issues in Australia.
• WHERE?  At the centrally located Loris Williams Room at kuril dhagun, State Library of Queensland.
• WHEN? Sunday mornings, from 10.30 – 12.30, at approximately six weekly intervals.
• HOW DOES IT WORK?  Before each meeting, members all read a particular title and come together to discuss what they have learned from it. The list of titles and dates is established at a planning session at the start of the year. Each member takes turns at being the “leader” of the discussion of a particular title. All titles chosen are available through the BCC Library service. (A big “Thank you” to them for their assistance.)
• WHO? We are a non-political; non-religious group of diverse backgrounds and ages. New members are always welcome to join us.
• WHY? Our aim is to be MORE than “just another book club”, by increasing our knowledge, understanding and empathy regarding indigenous issues in an informal, friendly setting.
  
  • We don’t generally read scholarly tomes, but principally biographies and autobiographies of Indigenous people.
  •  We have been fortunate to have had many authors come and speak with us about their writings.
• Reconciliation Australia has endorsed our group and featured earlier booklists on its web site. Reconciliation Queensland promotes this initiative on the RQI website. The State Library of Queensland set up a Reading for Reconciliation group for their staff. We are featured in Brisbane City Council’s “Coolamon Calendar”.
• The Future? Hopefully, local Reading for Reconciliation groups will spring up throughout the State, focusing on titles particularly relevant to their locality as well as general ones. Close associations with various Brisbane Libraries and the State Library have already been established and it is expected that this development will continue and grow.

If you are interested, or have any questions, please contact Helen Carrick via e-mail: helen.carrick @uq.net.au 

I am more than happy to help you join the Brisbane group or assist you to establish your own.

2011 Dates and Books

What have we read?

2004

• The Way We Civilize – Ros Kidd
• Is That You Ruthie? – Aunty Ruth Hegarty
• Forcibly Removed – Uncle Albert Holt
• Lighting the Way: Reconciliation Stories – Dianne Johnstone 
• My Place – Sally Morgan

2005

• Born a Half-Caste – Marnie Kennedy 
• If Everyone Cared: Autobiography of Margaret Tucker – Margaret Tucker 
• Dingo: the Story of Our Mob – Sally Dingo
• Sister Girl: the Writings of Aboriginal Activist and Historian, Jackie Huggins – Jackie Huggins
• Very Big Journey: My Life as I Remember It – Aunty Hilda Jarman Muir
• The Life of Riley – Lin Riley

2006

• Why Warriors Lie Down and Die: Djambatj mala  - Richard Trudgen
• Freedom Ride: a Freedom Rider Remembers  - Ann Currthoys
• A Bastard Like Me – Charles Perkins
• Why Weren’t We Told? – Henry Reynolds
• Edward Koiki Mabo: His Life and Struggle for Land Rights – Noel Loos and Koiki Mabo
• Paddy’s Road: Life Stories of Patrick Dodson – Kevin Keefe
• Saltwater People: the Waves of Memory – Nonie Sharp

2007

• The Secret River – Kate Grenville
• Faith: Faith Bandler – Gentle Activist -  Marilyn Lake
• One Hour More Daylight: an Historical Overview of Aboriginal Dispersal in South and South West Queensland – Mark Copland, Jonathan Richards and Andrew Walker 
• Mum Shirl: an Autobiography – Mum Shirl 
• Oodgeroo Noonuckle – poetry – various titles 
• Jackson’s Track : Memoir of a Dreamtime Place – Daryl Tonkin 
• A Dumping Ground: a History of the Cherbourg Settlement – Thom Blake 

2008

• Auntie Rita – Jackie Huggins 
• Under the Wintamarra Tree – Carol Edwards 
• Maybe Tomorrow -  Boorie Pryor 
• Torres Strait Islander Women and the Pacific War – Elizabeth Osborne 
• Kimberley Warrior: the Story of Jandamarra – John Nicholson 
• Songman – Bob Randall (plus video Kanyini) 

2009

• Unbranded  (or other title) – Uncle Herb Wharton 
• The Tall Man – Chloe Hooper 
• Bittersweet Journey – Aunty Ruth Hegarty 
• The Grand Experiment – Anouk Ride 
• Life b’long Ali Drummond : a Life in the Torres Strait – Samantha Faulkner 
• Anonymous Premonition – Yvette Holt 
• Stradbroke Dreamtime – Oodgeroo Noonuccal 

2010

• Riding the Black Cockatoo – John Danalis 
• Maralinga: the Anagu story  - Yalata and Oak Valley communities with Christobel Mattingley 
• Footprints: the Journey of Lucy and Percy Pepper – Simon Flagg
• Ted Kennedy, Priest of Redfern – Edmund Campion
• The City’s Outback  - Gillian Cowlishaw
• It is No Secret  - Donna Meehan
• Seven Seasons at Arakun  - Paula Shaw
• Three Warriors Within – Marcus Pedro

DATES FOR THE REST OF 2010

August 22  It is No Secret  - Donna Meehan
October 3  Seven Seasons at Arakun  - Paula Shaw
November 14  Three Warriors Within – Marcus Pedro

ALL ARE WELCOME: COME AND JOIN US?