{"id":27322,"date":"2024-03-23T12:32:56","date_gmt":"2024-03-23T02:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingtime.com.au\/?p=27322"},"modified":"2024-04-02T15:01:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T05:01:20","slug":"tamarra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingtime.com.au\/tamarra\/","title":{"rendered":"Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country"},"content":{"rendered":"
Kalkaringi School Students<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country<\/em> is a notable book, now shortlisted for Book of the Year Award in 2024. Congratulations to its team and I wish you Book of the Year Award!<\/p>\n
This title might feel long, but necessary to captivate young readers. There is also much appeal in the cover artwork and young people might potentially glimpse an ant on the cover before reading termites in the title to their surprise! I call this shortlisted book Tamarra<\/em> as a shorter title version and I correctly pronounce the word as Da-Marr-a<\/em> which translates to termite mound in Gurindji Country. While acknowledging and paying respect to the traditional custodians of the land, this book, literature, and history is one that I highly recommend for the Gurindji Country.<\/p>\n
Named the coordinator and an award winning Professor of Linguistics, Felicity Meakins returns with Tamarra<\/em>, her latest project following an ongoing list of remarkable projects she has led in Gurindji community including Kawarla: How to Make a Coolamon\u00a0<\/em>(Batchelor Press, 2014), Yijarni: true stories from Gurindji country<\/em> (Aboriginal Studies Press, 2016), Birrka Marnini: Making Things Mudburra\u00a0<\/em>(Batchelor Press, 2019), and\u00a0Karu: Growing up Gurindji\u00a0<\/em>(Spinifex Press, 2019). Professor Meakin\u2019s additionally produces videos at ICTV.com.au with this meticulous research to keep the stories of Gurindji Country, their people and their languages defined and documented for the future generations to learn.<\/p>\n
There are intriguing cultural practices and cultural theories that we continue to learn from the everlasting spiritual bonds and guardianship of the land that the Gurindji community have inspired us with since their historical walk off in 1966. There are captivating, cultural experiences shared from this First Nations community revealing their family bonds, gifts of nature and their land connections that we must continue to embrace for tomorrow. The Gurindji people of the Northern Territory speak to us in volumes about rights, voices, identity, family, and earnt respect which they hold strong and value.<\/p>\n