Book Details

Land is Life: From Bush to Town: The Story of the Yanyuwa People

The Yanyuwa were visited by Maccassan trepangers long before Europeans came to Australia. Hence, this remote community has had a longer history of contact with non-Aboriginal people than most other Aboriginal groups. In many ways, the account presented here challenges conventional views of the impact of contact between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. It also demonstrates the importance of the past in shaping the present and reveals what is meant by 'land is life'.

In telling the story of the Yanyuwa, Richard Baker brings to bear a remarkable array of skills: geography, archaeology, knowledge of sacred sites, a flair for oral history and a commitment to gathering it, painstakingly over many years, in ways that do not compromise the trust of his informants. The result is an account which is fair and balanced, humane and credible.

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