“When I wrote the book Why Warriors Lie Down and Die twenty-five years ago, I realised there was a much deeper story to tell about the relationship between the original Australians and the others in the mainstream Australian community.”
Have you read Richard Trudgen’s book, Why Warrior’s Lie Down and Die?
This book is for anyone who wants to understand what it’s like for Aboriginal people on the other side of the cultural divide.
In his book, Trudgen highlights how miscommunication between mainstream Australia (the Balanda) and traditional Aboriginal communities exacerbates the crisis. He notes that anti-social behaviours are not inherent to traditional Aboriginal culture, but rather the result of a “failed interface” between cultures.
This week for First Nations Friday we encourage you to sign up to the Why Warriors newsletter. Trudgen founded Why Warriors over 40 years ago in 1973, as a cross cultural organisation committed to real positive change across Aboriginal communities, led by Yolngu visionaries and leaders. There is even an online learning platform for Yolngu people to translate mainstream Australian concepts and culture into their language and worldview: https://djambatjmarram.com/
Read their latest news here:
We hope to have a copy of the book in our Allwood library soon, or we welcome your donation!