The language of poetic deception
An Australian's "greatest talent is for idiomatic invention. It is a manifestation of our vitality and restless imagination".
Baker S 1983, A Dictionary of Australian Slang, 3rd Edition , Currey O'Neil, Melbourne (1st published 1959)
The diversity of accents in a country is a reflection upon the country’s diverse social identities. In England, different classes speak English with different accents. In America, different regions and different races speak English with different accents. In Australia; however, there is no variation in accent according to region, race, or socio-economic class. Instead, the accent varies according to ideology. Two Australians can grow up side by side and end up speaking different versions of Australian English, using different accents and using different words.
see language and identity
Australia has three defined accents. About ten per cent of Australians speak like ex-prime minister Bob Hawke with what is known as a broad accent. Although only a small minority of Australians actually use broad accents, it has a great deal of cultural credibility. For example, it is used by a disproportionately large number of newsreaders. It is also used in a disproportionately large number of television commercials.
Around 80 per cent of Australians speak like Nicole Kidman with what is known as a British received accent or general Australian English.
A final ten per cent speak like ex-prime minister Malcolm Fraser with what is known as a cultivated accent. The accent sounds like someone educated at Oxford University in England. Although it is not very popular today, in past eras, the cultivated accent had the kind of cultural credibility that the broad accent has today. For example, newsreaders on the government funded ABC had to speak with the cultivated accent. Since there was a shortage of Australian men able to speak in the accent, male newsreaders were imported from England. It is usually spoken by women or men who don't like Australia.
A second cultural peculiarity of Australia is that there is a significant difference between how men speak and how women speak. It is quite rare to find a woman speaking with a broad Australian accent, and quite rare to find a man speaking with the cultivated accent. A woman speaking with a broad accent would be like a woman wearing a blue bonds singlet and talking about pig shooting. Likewise, a man with a cultivated accent would be like a man wearing a skirt and talking about make-up. No other English speaking country has the same gender difference in pronunciation.
A third peculiarity is that there is no regional variance in the accent. Despite the vast distances between Australian cities, and the very different migrant histories in the cities, all Australians speak with one of the three accents, with roughly the same proportion of speakers in each region. (The myth of regional variance is never anything more than a couple of words such as 'castle.') The lack of regional variance suggests that regional identities have not as strong in Australia as they have been in different parts of Britain and America. Instead, most of the Australian identities have related revolved around a pro-Australia anti-Australia social dynamic that has existed Australia wide. Alternatively, Australians may have had different conceptions about gender identities. Men have been expected to be more of the roguish side while women more on the refined side. If compared to New Zealanders, Australian men are definitely more masculine while Australian women are more feminine.
As well as being distinguished in pronunciation, the Australian version of English is also differentiated in regards to function and usage. One difference is in regards to informality. In America and England, the use of informal English is often interpreted as a sign of rudeness. Consequently, titles and family names are used to maintain a degree of social distance between people. In Australia; however, formality is more typically used by professional that don't like each other. The difference is most clearly seen in greetings used in business letters. Whereas Americans usually greet with Dear Ms/Mrs/Mr (family name), Australians are more like Dear (first name.) Likewise, boss and workers get on first name basis far more quickly than they do in other English speaking countries.
American English vs Australian English
The American strain of the English language is simple and easily understood by most English speakers the world over. Its simplicity can be traced to the country's puritan foundations. As religious fanatics wanting to expand their flock, puritans desired a language of persuasion. To ensure clarity, they used generic words that were understood by the majority of the population. To increase the persuasive power of their words, they used a lot of analogies.
Contrasted to America, the foundations of Australian English were in the prison system. Unlike puritans, convicts did not want a simple language to persuade others to unite behind them. To the contrary, convicts wanted to disguise their language so that no one would know what they were talking about.
As a legacy, the contemporary Australian dialect, or Strine, is littered with idioms, similes and invented words that make it one of the world's most advanced English dialects. Although speakers of American English struggle to understand English speakers from outside of America, speakers of Strine can understand everyone, or confuse everyone if they so desire.
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The smooth vowels - The Aboriginal influence?
Aboriginal words have always had a very prominent use in Australian English. For example, Australia’s unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda, uses Aboriginal words like coolibah, jumbuck and billabong. Likewise, most of rural Australia has been given Aboriginal names like Wagga Wagga, Joondalup, Bondi, Yakadanda.
Perhaps the lazy way that Australians are perceived to speak is a result of using the Aboriginal words. The Aboriginal words generally end with a vowel sound, which is quite smooth and pleasant on the ear. It is possible that the use of the diminuitive, such as shortening words like journalist to journo, was a way of smoothing over the rough edges of British English in order to gain more consistency with the smoother Aboriginal English.
*Most Aboriginies speak with a broad Australian accent.
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The language of the deception - The convict influence?
Nearly two generations after the First Fleet, 87 per cent of the population were either convicts, ex-convicts or of convict descent. With such strong convict foundations, it was inevitable that Australia's linguistic traditions would be different from the mother country:
" No other class of society would use slang more readily or adapt it more expertly to their new environment; no other class would have a better flair for concocting new terms to fit in with their new conditions in life " Sidney Baker (The Australian Language, 1945)
In 1869, Marcus Clarke described how locals devised language to ' convey a more full and humorous notion of all his thoughts' or to conceal'the idea he wishes to convey from all save his own particular friends'.
The most notable method of concealment was cockney rhyming slang. Rhyming slang created an idiom type sentence out of two or more words, the last of which rhymes with the intended word. For example, "plates of meat" were "feet" and "hit the frog and toad" was "hit the road." Although few Australians use rhyming slang today, its legacy may be the prevalence of idioms in Strine.
The abbreviation of words might be another legacy of rhyming slang. As rhyming slang involved the addition of new words, sentences became long-winded. In order to compensate, long words might have been shortened. Thus "have a Captains Cook" which is rhyming slang for "have a look", was abbreviated down to "ava Captains." Pomegranate, which is rhyming slang for "immigrant", was abbreviated to "Pom."
The skills that were acquired when abbreviating rhyming slang clauses may then have been applied to also economise ordinary clauses. So words such as "good day" were economised to "g'day", "afternoon" to "arvo", "politician" to "pollie" , "journalist" to "journo" and "barbecue" to "barbie."
Aside from rhyming slang, another method the convicts used to conceal their true meaning was to turn the meaning of a word upside down. For example, "bastard" or "ratbag" were used a terms of endearment as well as insults. The only way to know up from down was to infer from the tone of the sentence.
As is to be expected, the combination of novel words, rhyming slang and tonal communication had the authorities at a loss. This often allowed the convicts to make them the butt of ridicule. A good example of this can be found in the memoirs of Captain James Rowntree:
"On Monday of this week a Welsh convict named Jones called me "a Fair Dinkum Arsehole". Such insolence and was about to pistol whip him when Jones quickly started rambling. The funny thing was that it turns out that "Fair Dinkum" actually reverses the insult which follows. By calling me "a Fair Dinkum arsehole" he was saying that I am, in some way, the farthest thing possible away from an arsehole. Feeling quite chuffed with myself I refrained from beating the man. I have decided to play along with their folly. In the last few days I have been called a "Fair dinkum Prick", Dick, Asseshead, Cows Tit and some really vulgar words that I would not put to paper. It has taken time but I have finally gained respect from these horrid convicts " 12th Febuary, 1839 *
* sometimes reality should not stand in the way of a good story
*Australian English is not cockney, and working class Australians do not subsitute an 'f' for a 'th' like working class English people.
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The musical accent - The influence of the Chinese?
It has often been said that Australians seem to sing their words. Tones are very important, and with the abbreviation of words to emphasize the stressed syllable, it follows the general pattern of how English sounds when it is sung. Valerie Desmond in The Awful Australian (1911), speculated that this practice may have been copied from the Chinese in the community:
"But it is not so much as the vagaries of pronunciation that hurt the ear of the visitor. It is the extraordinary intonation that the Australian imparts to his phrases. There is no such thing as cultured, reposeful conversation in this land; everybody sings his remarks as if he was reciting blank verse in the manner of an imperfect elocutionist. It would be quite possible to take an ordinary Australian conversation and immortalise its cadences and diapasons by means of musical notation. Herein the Australian differs from the American. The accent of the American, educated and uneducated alike, is abhorrent to the cultured Englishman or Englishwoman, but it is, at any rate, harmonious. That of the Australian is full of discords and surprises. His voice rises and falls with unexpected syncopations, and, even among the few cultured persons this country possesses, seems to bear in every syllable the sign of the parvenu.The Australian practice of singing his remarks I can only ascribe to the influence of the Chinese. During my stay in Melbourne, I spent one evening at supper in a Chinese cookshop in Little Bourke Street, and I was instantly struck by the resemblance between the intonation of the phrases between the Chinese attendants and that of the cultivated Australians who accompanied me."
Any similarity between Australian English and Chinese is more likely be co-incidence than a sign Chinese influenced Australia. Accents are influenced more by identity than by encounters with different accents. This is the main reason why all Australian regions speak roughly the same despite having vastly different migrant histories.
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An expansive lexicon - The world influence
As a nation, Americans are one-way communicators with the rest of the world. Via Hollywood and their sitcoms, they have educated the world in regards to the words they use and the way they pronounce them.
On the downside, because Americans have little exposure to the outside world, speakers of American English struggle to comprehend other English dialects. Americans do not play international sports and do not watch television that originates from outside of America. Many Americans can't even understand simple words like "bloke", and "pub" or simple idioms like "have a crack", "play a straight bat" or "any dramas?" Even when the rare international movie makes it to America, such as Mad Max, it is often dubbed into American English so that Americans can understand it.
As a consequence, speakers of American English have a very limited vocabulary range and are often like a deer lost in headlights when in an international environment.
On the other hand, speakers of Strine can understand all of the world's English dialects. Through sports such as cricket, Australians are exposed to commentators from the West Indies, India, Pakistan, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, South Africa, New Zealand and England. Other sporting contests, such as international rugby, also provide the mass exposure to international English that further expands the Australian lexicon.
In terms of travel, Australians are keenly interested in the outside world. Almost 10 per cent of Australians go on a backpacking holiday. Almost one million Australians are currently expatriates. When these travellers eventually return to Australia they bring with them the new words they have learnt.
Via movies and television, Australians keep up-to-date with the evolutions in both American and British English. Any new word that that is broadcast in either the American or British media quickly finds its way to Australia.
Most importantly, the cockney origins of Strine give Australians a strong ability to invent and comprehend novel idioms. This is the most difficult skill of speaking English but also the most important. Idioms are like poetry. They add visual imagery to a sentence to enhance its power and emotive appeal. Without them, English speakers can communicate no better than a ten-year-old.
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Linguistic Determinism - Australian psychology
Linguistic Determinism is a psychological theory that proposes that the structure of a language shapes the user's thoughts. For example, French has more emotional words than English. Consequently, French speakers have a psychological lattice work that better supports the growth, proliferation and exploration of emotional thoughts.
The theory is used to explain why French Canadians from the province of Quebec share behavioural mannerism very similar to French speakers around the world. Furthermore, even though they are both exposed to similar influences, French Canadians are very different from English speaking Canadians.
Linguistic Determinism also explains some of the peculiar cultural traits of Australians. Words like larrikin, wowser and bludger do not exist in any other English dialect. An Australian's ability to use such words allows them to celebrate a style of behaviour and to criticise another style of behaviour in a way other English speakers can not. This in turn shapes the Australian's attitude towards the behaviour.
Strine's use of slang also reinforces Australia's egalitarian values. Slang is used to show that the speaker belongs to the same group as the listener. By constantly developing slang, Australians are constantly breaking down psychological barriers of formality and social distance. Unlike Australia, most other English speaking countries fear intruding on someone's "space". Instead of using slang, they use very formal English to maintain social distance. When they encounter an Australian using slang, they often feel the Australian is being arrogant or rude.
The business letter format is simple example of how Australian slang has reinforced the egalitarian psychology of Australians. Americans and English people begin letters with Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs/Lord/Your Highness... Australians usually begin business letters with Dear (First name).
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The Aussie English CD
Strine in use - Great critics, poor leaders
Strine's influence upon Australian psychology is both a blessing and a curse. Breaking down formality helps assimilate diverse groups into one and so makes for a very inclusive society. It also makes Australians very critical thinkers; with a strong ability to identify problems, or tear down myths. Consequently, Australians are not as easily lead as are other nationalities around the world.
On the downside, Strine is a great language for tearing people apart. It can be used to confuse, and with the prevalence of colourful phrases, invent a colourful expression to belittle someone else. Perhaps this explains why Australians are terrible leaders and abysmal persuaders - unlike Americans. They are great at tearing down a tall poppy, but very poor at being the tall poppy trying to encourage others to follow.
The benefits and liabilities of Strine were exemplified by former PM Paul Keating. Keating had a fantastic imagination, a brilliant wit and a colourful command of language. When on the attack he was a genius at exposing inconsistencies and/or belittling people with humour. But after becoming PM, Keating revealed himself to be one of the worst leaders Australia has ever had. Internationally, he caused an diplomatic crisis by referring to the Malaysian Prime Minister as a recalcitrant. He also exposed his lack of respect for formality when he put his arm around the Queen and was subsequently nicknamed the Lizard of Oz. Domestically, his tear down style led to the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.
Keating on Former Leader of the Opposition, John Hewson:
(His performance) is like being flogged with a warm lettuce leaf.
I have a psychological hold over Hewson...He's like a stone statue in the cemetery.
I'm not going to be fairy flossed away as my opposite number, John Hewson, is prepared to be fairy flossed away by some spaced out, vacous ad agency.
On Former Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Peacock
"I suppose that the Honourable Gentleman's hair, like his intellect, will recede into the darkness."
"We're not interested in the views of painted, perfumed gigolos."
"I was nearly chloroformed by the performance of the Honourable Member for Mackellar. It nearly put me right out for the afternoon."
On John Howard
"What we have got is a dead carcass, swinging in the breeze, but nobody will cut it down to replace him."
"But I will never get to the stage of wanting to lead the nation standing in front of the mirror each morning clipping the eyebrows here and clipping the eyebrows there with Janette and the kids: It's like 'Spot the eyebrows'."
"I am not like the Leader of the Opposition. I did not slither out of the Cabinet room like a mangy maggot..."
On Independent, Steele Hall:
"The Honourable Member has been in so many parties he is a complete political harlot."
On the press
"You (Richard Carleton) had an important place in Australian society on the ABC and you gave it up to be a pop star...with a big cheque...and now you're on to this sort of stuff. That shows what a 24 carat pissant you are, Richard, that's for sure"
Reporter: How long is it since you've been to Fyshwick Markets ?
Keating: "Not long, not long. In fact if you get down to woollies at Manuka on Saturday I'd probably run over you with a trolley as I did a journo recently."
On the coalition party
"Honourable Members opposite are a joke." "They are irrelevant, useless and immoral." "...they insist on being mugs, Mr Speaker, absolute mugs."
"The Opposition crowd could not raffle a chook in a pub"
"Honourable Members opposite squeal like stuck pigs"
On former Prime Minister Bob Hawke
"Now listen mate," [to John Browne, Minister of Sport, who was proposing a 110 per cent tax deduction for contributions to a Sports Foundation] "you're not getting 110 per cent. You can forget it. This is a fucking Boulevard Hotel special, this is. The trouble is we are dealing with a sports junkie here [gesturing towards Bob Hawke]. I go out for a piss and they pull this one on me. Well that's the last time I leave you two alone. From now on, I'm sticking to you two like shit to a blanket.
On Former Labour politician, Jim McClelland:
"That you Jim? Paul Keating here. Just because you swallowed a fucking dictionary when you were about 15 doesn't give you the right to pour a bucket of shit over the rest of us."
On Fund Managers:
"...these donkeys..." "It must get right up their nose, quaffing down the red wine at these fashionable eateries in Bent Street and Collins Street, with the Prime Minister calling them donkeys - but donkeys they are."
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More reading
Horvath, B. M. (1985). Variation in Australian English: The sociolects of Sydney. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Mitchell, A. G., & Delbridge, A. (1965). The pronunciation of English in Australia. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
Mitchell, A. G., & Delbridge, A. (1965). The speech of Australian adolescents. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
Sussex, R. (1989). The Americanization of Australian English: Prestige models in the media. In P. Collins & D. Blair (Eds.), Australian english: The language of a new society (pp. 158-168). St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
Taylor, B. A. (2001). Australian English in interaction with other Englishes. In D. Blair & P. Collins (Eds.), English in Australia (pp. 317-340). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Tracy, K. (2001). Discourse analysis in communication. In D. Schiffrin & D. Tannen & H. E. Hamilton (Eds.), The handbook of discourse analysis (pp. 725-749). Oxford: Blackwell.
Turner, G. W. (1994). English in Australia. In R. Burchfield (Ed.), The Cambridge history of the English language. Vol. V: English in Britain and overseas: Origins and development (pp. 277-327). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
from http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/strine.htm#amae
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Thursday, December 3, 2009
interesting school web pages
Surfin the net-- finding schools in NZ. Creating a list of contacts for our school visits. Thought you'd like to look, too
http://www.shirleyprimary.school.nz
http://www.queenstown.school.nz/
http://www.shirleyprimary.school.nz
http://www.queenstown.school.nz/
Tell me about this electrical adapter...
Why do I need an electrical adapter when I travel overseas?
from http://www.howstuffworks.com/question430.htm
More Science Videos »
Although technology is helping to make the world seem a lot smaller, there are still major differences between countries. Electrical standardization is one area where not much has changed since the original national standards were set by each country. If you travel a lot, this can make things very frustrating!
The United States and most of the Western hemisphere use electrical systems operating at 110-120 volts. Almost every other country uses 220-240 volts as a standard. The 110v systems have a 60Hz cycle while most of the 220v systems operate at 50Hz. This difference in cycles per second is not normally a big deal but it can make certain items like electric clocks run faster or slower. With a few exceptions, most notably Brazil and South Africa, alternating current (AC) is the method used to deliver electricity. But be aware of those countries that use direct current (DC) -- it can easily destroy any equipment plugged in that wasn't made to operate in that system.
There are three items you may need to switch between the different power systems:
Adapters
Converters
Transformers
The adapter is simply a connector that changes the plug shape to match the outlet. It does not change the voltage or electrical output in any way. If you know that the plug shape is the only difference between your equipment and the electrical system you are planning to use, then an adapter is all you need. Some items come with ability to use either 110v or 220v built right in. In fact, most computers now have smart power supplies that are switchable between the two. Look at the different plug shapes shown below for various countries.
Standard North American plugs, two-prong (left) and grounded(right)
Standard British Plugs
Standard Australian plug (left) and Indian plug (right)
Standard European plug (left) and a standard South African plug (right)
If your equipment requires a specific voltage, then you need a converter or a transformer. Converters use an electronic switch to approximate 110v by rapidly cutting on and off the current received from a 220v source. This is okay for some electrical items like hair dryers but not good for anything electronic (something with a computer chip in it). Also, converters should not be used for anything that is going to be plugged in longer than a few minutes.
Electronic items need a transformer. You will also want to use a transformer if you are stepping up from 110 to 220. Where a converter would simply limit the amount of electrical output without really reducing it, a transformer actually reduces the voltage of the electricity going through it. This is a very important distinction. Always use a transformer with electronics!
from http://www.howstuffworks.com/question430.htm
More Science Videos »
Although technology is helping to make the world seem a lot smaller, there are still major differences between countries. Electrical standardization is one area where not much has changed since the original national standards were set by each country. If you travel a lot, this can make things very frustrating!
The United States and most of the Western hemisphere use electrical systems operating at 110-120 volts. Almost every other country uses 220-240 volts as a standard. The 110v systems have a 60Hz cycle while most of the 220v systems operate at 50Hz. This difference in cycles per second is not normally a big deal but it can make certain items like electric clocks run faster or slower. With a few exceptions, most notably Brazil and South Africa, alternating current (AC) is the method used to deliver electricity. But be aware of those countries that use direct current (DC) -- it can easily destroy any equipment plugged in that wasn't made to operate in that system.
There are three items you may need to switch between the different power systems:
Adapters
Converters
Transformers
The adapter is simply a connector that changes the plug shape to match the outlet. It does not change the voltage or electrical output in any way. If you know that the plug shape is the only difference between your equipment and the electrical system you are planning to use, then an adapter is all you need. Some items come with ability to use either 110v or 220v built right in. In fact, most computers now have smart power supplies that are switchable between the two. Look at the different plug shapes shown below for various countries.
Standard North American plugs, two-prong (left) and grounded(right)
Standard British Plugs
Standard Australian plug (left) and Indian plug (right)
Standard European plug (left) and a standard South African plug (right)
If your equipment requires a specific voltage, then you need a converter or a transformer. Converters use an electronic switch to approximate 110v by rapidly cutting on and off the current received from a 220v source. This is okay for some electrical items like hair dryers but not good for anything electronic (something with a computer chip in it). Also, converters should not be used for anything that is going to be plugged in longer than a few minutes.
Electronic items need a transformer. You will also want to use a transformer if you are stepping up from 110 to 220. Where a converter would simply limit the amount of electrical output without really reducing it, a transformer actually reduces the voltage of the electricity going through it. This is a very important distinction. Always use a transformer with electronics!
Gift (registery) lists
OK, I know the trip is a financial outlay for you and your families, so I offer these possible Christmas/birthday/anniversary/graduation/President's Day/Valentine's Day/Mother's Day/Father's Day/etc gifts with all tenderness and best interests. Of course the most likely gift you can "ask" for or hint for, would be cash to go toward the trip. However, Aunt Mabel may want to give you something tangible so I have started collecting possible helpful items that you might want to suggest or post on the refrigerator door, or accidently include in your Christmas Card, or post on Facebook.
here it goes:
electrical adapter (in Walmart, Target, etc), toiletry bag, collection of little empty plastic bottles and jars, travel size toothpaste/deodorant/shampoo, sturdy suitcase strap (especially in wild easily recognizable colors), travel alarm clock, collapsable suitcase or duffle so you can go with one bag and return with two, vacuum type bags that compress bulky jacket etc (I found a bog of 4 varying sizes at W'mart for $13 and it needs NO vacuum cleaner to suck out the air-- more to come. AND lets hear ideas from you.
here it goes:
electrical adapter (in Walmart, Target, etc), toiletry bag, collection of little empty plastic bottles and jars, travel size toothpaste/deodorant/shampoo, sturdy suitcase strap (especially in wild easily recognizable colors), travel alarm clock, collapsable suitcase or duffle so you can go with one bag and return with two, vacuum type bags that compress bulky jacket etc (I found a bog of 4 varying sizes at W'mart for $13 and it needs NO vacuum cleaner to suck out the air-- more to come. AND lets hear ideas from you.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Lists of Children's Bookspp Australian/ New Zealand authors or content
The Cradle Ship by Edith Annie Howes. (London: Cassell, 1916) Reprinted by Cassell, 1936, 1941, 1944, 1946.
"Its subject matter broke new ground in New Zealand junior fiction and the book was translated into several foreign languages." (Gilderdale, A Sea Change)
Six Little New Zealanders by Esther Glen. (London: Cassell, 1917) Also London: Cassell, 1928 and 1947; new edition illustrated by Els Noordhof, Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.
Quicksilver by Isabel Maud Peacocke. (London: Ward Lock, 1922)
1991)
Silver Island: A New Zealand Story by Edith Annie Howes. (Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs, 1928). Also new edition illustrated by Alan Gilderdale, Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.
Tales Out of School: the Adventures of Hilda (Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1984).
Myths and Legends of Maoriland. (Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed, 1946) Reprinted in 1967, 1950 and 1958; 3rd edition revised and enlarged in 1961; republished as Maori Myths and Legendary Tales (New Holland, 2000 and 2001).
1991)
Falter Tom and the Water Boy by Maurice Duggan. Illustrated by Kenneth Rowell. Also London: Faber, New York: Criterion, Hamilton: Paul’s Book Arcade, 1958. New edition with illustrations by Faith Jaques, Auckland: Longman Paul and London: Kestrel, 1974; new edition illustrated by Gwenda Turner, Auckland: Penguin, 1984. Sound recording published Wellington: Radio New Zealand, Replay Radio, 1991.
The Year of the Shining Cuckoo by Joyce West. (Hamilton: Paul’s Book Arcade, 1961) Also London: Dent, and Auckland: Blackwood & Janet Paul, 1963; New York: Roy, 1964; Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985.
The Runaway Settlers by Elsie Locke. Illustrated by Anthony Maitland. (London: Cape; Auckland: Blackwood & Janet Paul, 1965) Also New York: Dutton, 1966; London: Puffin, 1971 and 1977; new edition with illustrations by Gary Hebley, Christchurch: Hazard Press, 1993. Also published in a German edition.
A Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Jenny Williams. (London: Dent, 1969; New York: Watts, 1969) Also Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1972; as A Lion in the Meadow and 5 Other Favourites (London: Dent, 1976); London: Dent, 1986; Woodstock, N.Y.: Overlook Press, 1992; Harmondsworth and New York: Puffin, 1989. Also numerous foreign language editions.
The Duck in the Gun by Joy Cowley. Illustrated by Edward Sorel. (New York: Doubleday, 1969) New edition, illustrator Robyn Belton (Auckland: Shortland, 1984) Also Japan: Japan Peace Museum, c1990.
The First Margaret Mahy Story Book by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes. (London: Dent, 1972) Reprinted 1976.
School Journal.
Again, the Bugles Blow by Ron Bacon. Illustrated by V.J. Livingston. (Auckland: Collins, 1973) Also new edition illustrated by R. Jahnke, Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1984.
Crayfishing With Grandmother by Jill Bagnall. Illustrated by Barbara Strathdee; Maori text by Hapi Potae. (Auckland: Collins, 1973)
The House on the Cliffs by Ruth Dallas. Illustrated by Gavin Rowe. (London: Methuen, 1975; Wellington: Hicks Smith, 1975) Also London: Methuen Children’s Books, Auckland: Methuen, 1981.
The House of the People by Ron Bacon. Illustrated by R.F. Jahnke. (Auckland: Collins, 1977) Also Auckland: Waiatarua Publishing, 1983; Gt. Brit.: Child’s Play (International), 1986; New York: Child’s Play (International), 1990.
Traveller by Anne de Roo. (London: Heinemann, 1979) Also London: Puffin, 1983; also a Japanese edition.
The Great Piratical Rumbustification & the Librarian and the Robbers by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Quentin Blake. (London: Dent, 1978) Also Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1981 and 1984; New York: Beech Tree Paperback Books, 1993; Boston: David R. Godine, 2000; first title also Oxford, Windrush, 1990; numerous foreign language editions.
Under the Mountain by Maurice Gee. (Wellington and New York: Oxford University Press, 1979) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1981; Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1982; Auckland: Puffin, 1997.
The Silent One by Joy Cowley. Illustrated by Sherryl Jordan. (Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1981) Also New York: Kopf, 1981; London: Methuen, 1982; Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1984; Tokyo: Kagyusha, 1984; Ringwood, Vic.: Puffin, 1986; Auckland: Puffin, 2000. Also numerous foreign language editions, and produced as a movie, videorecording and sound recording.
Te Kuia me te Pungawerewere. Translated by Syd Melbourne. (Auckland: Puffin, 1982)
Bidibidi by Gavin Bishop. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1991; basis for a TVNZ 13-part series, 1990.
The Haunting by Margaret Mahy. (London: Dent, 1982); New York: Auckland: Scholastic, c1982; London: Methuen Children’s, 1984; London: Mammoth, 1989; New York: Atheneum, 1982; Bath: Chivers, 1989; London: Puffin, 1992 and 2000. Also numerous foreign language editions.
Mr Fox by Gavin Bishop. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also London: Piccolo, 1986; Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1999.
The Halfmen of O by Maurice Gee. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1984; Auckland: Puffin, 1997; also foreign language editions.
Night Race to Kawau by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1985 and 1991; Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1985.
Bertie and the Bear by Pamela Allen. (Melbourne: Nelson, 1983; London: Hamilton, 1983; Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983). Also New York: Coward-McCann, 1984; Melbourne: Nelson, 1985, Puffin, 1989.
Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1999) which won the NZ Post Children’s Choice Award, 2000. Just published is Scarface Claw (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 2001).
The Tree Witches by Glenda Turner. (Harmondsworth: Kestrel (Penguin), 1983) Also Alibaba Verlag, 1983 (German).
Jacky nobody by Anne de Roo. (Auckland: Methuen, 1983) Also London: Methuen Children’s Books, 1985; Revised edition, Russell: Russell Centennial Trust Board, Te Whare Taonga o Kororareka/Russell Museum, 1999; also as Vem Ar Du, Jacky? (Stockholm: Raben & Sjog, 1988).
The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance by Margaret Mahy. (London: Dent, 1984) Also New York: Atheneum, 1984; London: Methuen Teens, 1987; G.K. Hall: 1988; Bath: Chivers, 1988; Macmillan Education, 1989; London: Mandarin, 1990; London: Penguin, 1993 and 1995; New York: Puffin, 1994; numerous foreign language editions.
Visitors by Caroline Macdonald. (Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1984) Reprinted 1988. Also Melbourne: Nelson, 1985, Puffin, 1987 (reprinted 1990); also a Danish edition.
Hemi’s Pet by Joan de Hamel. Illustrated by Christine Ross. (Auckland: Reed Methuen, 1985; North Ryde, NSW: Angus & Robertson, 1985) Also Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987; Picture Puffin, 1988; Capetown: Leo, 1989 (in 5 African language editions); Auckland: Puffin 1990.
New Zealand ABC by Gwenda Turner. (Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1985) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1986. Also published as a frieze.
Literature Foundation of New Zealand Inc., 1no.3, May 2001)
A Lion in the Night by Pamela Allen. (Melbourne: Nelson, 1985; London: Hamilton, 1985) Also Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985 (reprinted 1990); New York: Coward-McCann, 1985; New York: Putnam, 1986; Ringwood: Puffin, 1988.
Jellybean by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1985) Also New York: Viking Kestrel, 1986; Harmondworth: Puffin, 1987; also Clavis, 1987 (Dutch ed).
Taniwha by Robyn Kahukiwa. (Auckland: Puffin, 1986 [reprinted 2000])
The Keeper by Barry Faville. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1986) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1988; also several foreign language editions.
The Tricksters on a sense of place to release its marvellous story, and to shape character and theme in its original treatment of the concepts of creativity, truth and illusion." (Hebley, The Power of Place)
Just an Ordinary Kid by Lisa Vasil. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1987) Also Auckland and Ringwood, Vic: Penguin, 1988. Also as a sound recording.
Just an Ordinary Kid is a minor classic." (Fitzgibbon, Beneath Southern Skies)
Memory by Margaret Mahy. (London: Dent, 1987) Also Oxford: Windrush, 1988; London and Auckland: Penguin, 1989; Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1990; London: Puffin, 1995; New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1999; also as a sound recording and in several foreign language editions.
Alex by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1987) Also Auckland: Penguin, 1989; Harmondworth: Puffin, 1989; Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989; New York: Bantam Starfire, 1991; film tie-in edition: Auckland: Penguin, 1992; Auckland: Puffin, 1998; included in The Alex Quartet (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1992); also several foreign language editions; also produced as a movie.
My Brown Bear Barney by Dorothy Butler. Illustrator Elizabeth Fuller. (Auckland: Reed Methuen, 1988) Also Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1988; London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1989; New York: Greenwillow, 1989; Auckland: Little Mammoth, 1990; Sevenoaks: Picture Knight, 1991; Auckland: Reed Children’s Books, 1994.
The Mangrove Summer by Jack Lasenby. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1988) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1990.
Biddy Alone by Wanda Cowley. Illustrated by Susan Opie. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1988)
Grandpa’s Slippers by Joy Watson. Illustrated by Wendy Hodder. (Auckland: Scholastic, 1989) Also published in overseas editions. Published in Maori as Nga Paenaena o Papa Koroua (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1993).
Chen Li and the River Spirit by Anthony Holcroft. Illustrator Lyn Kriegler. (Auckland and London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1990).
Tangaroa’s Gift : Te Koha a Tangaroa by Mere Whaanga-Schollum. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1990).
Grandma McGarvey by Jenny Hessell. Illustrated by Trevor Pye. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1990) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1992.
The Wednesday Wizard by Sherryl Jordan. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1991) Also New York: Scholastic, 1993; London: Andre Deutsch, 1993; London: Hippo, 1994.
Denzil’s Dilemma (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1992) and Denzil’s Great Bear Burglary (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1997).
Prudence M. Muggeridge, Damp Rat by Gaelyn Gordon. (Auckland: Collins, 1991; Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1991) Also Bluegum, 1992.
Bow Down, Shadrach by Joy Cowley. (Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1991) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1992 and 2000.
Duckat by Gaelyn Gordon. Illustrated by Chris Gaskin. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1992) Also New York: Scholastic Hardcover, 1992; London: Andre Deutsch, Scholastic, 1992.
The Little Yellow Digger at the Zoo (Auckland: Scholastic New Zealand, 1998).
Deepwater Black by Ken Catran. (Auckland: HarperCollins, 1992) Also London: Hodder Children’s Books, 1995; Sydney: Hodder Headline, 1996.
New Zealand Literature)
Underrunners by Margaret Mahy. (London: Hamilton, 1992) Also New York: Viking, 1992; Bath: Chivers, 1992; London: Puffin, 1994; also foreign language editions.
The Juniper Game by Sherryl Jordan. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1991; New York: Scholastic, 1991) Also London: Scholastic, 1992; Andre Deutsch, 1992; Denmark:
Forlaget Klim, 1992; Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1994.
Slide the Corner by Fleur Beale. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1993) Reprinted 1996 and 2000.
Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan. (New York: Scholastic, 1992) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1993 and 1994.
A Dolphin in the Bay by Diana Noonan. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1993) Also Norwood, SA: Omnibus Books, 1993.
Sasscat to Win by Paula Boock. (Dunedin: McIndoe, 1993) Also South Melbourne: Hyland House, 1995.
The Fat Man by Maurice Gee. (Auckland: Viking, 1994) Also New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997; New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1999; Auckland: Puffin, 2000.
The Blue Lawn by William Taylor. (Auckland: HarperCollins, 1994) Simultaneously published in the USA; also Los Angeles: Alyson Books, 1999.
Take It Easy by David Hill. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1995)
The Waterfall by Jack Lasenby (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1995)
Dead Man’s Head (Dunedin: McIndoe, 1994); reprinted Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1997,
The Battle of Pook Island (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1996). won the NZ Post Junior Fiction Award, 1997.
Crossroads by Janice Marriott. (Auckland: Reed, 1995) Also Norwood, SA: Omnibus Books, 1995.
Mechanical Harry by Bob Kerr. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1996)
Mechanical Harry and the Flying Bicycle (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1999).
The Bantam and the Soldier by Jennifer Beck. Illustrated by Robyn Belton. (Auckland: Scholastic New Zealand, 1996)
Sanctuary by Kate de Goldi. (Auckland: Penguin, 1996) Also Ringwood, Vic., Puffin, 1996.
The Shearwater Bell by Margaret Beames. (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1997)
Dare, Truth or Promise by Paula Boock. (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1997) Also London: Livewire, 1998; Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999.
Alphabet Apartments by Lesley Moyes. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1997)
Fat, Four-Eyed and Useless by David Hill. (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1997)
Because We Were the Travellers by Jack Lasenby. (Dunedin: Longacre, 1997) Also South Melbourne: Hyland House, 1997.
I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale. (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1998)
A Summery Saturday Morning by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Selina Young. (Auckland: Penguin, 1998) Also New York: Viking, 1998; London: Hamilton, 1998.
The Tiggie Tompson Show by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Puffin, 1999)
Tiggie Tompson: All At Sea (Auckland: Puffin, 2001)
The House That Jack Built by Gavin Bishop. (Auckland: Scholastic New Zealand, 1999)
The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999) Also London: Simon & Schuster, 2000; Leicester: Spectrum, 2000.
Becker, Bonny. A Visitor for Bear. Illus. by Kady MacDonald Denton. Candlewick. (9780763628079).
The simple backdrop of bear’s forest home sets the stage for a visit from the persistent and irritating mouse who insists the two will become friends.
Bee, Wlliam. Beware of the Frog. Illus. by the author. Candlewick. (9780763639204).
Living alone in the forest, Old Mrs. Collywobbles needs protection from the Greedy Goblin, the Smelly Troll, and the Giant Hungry Ogre. Her pet frog jumps out of folklore to come to her rescue and give Mrs. Collywobbles more than she anticipated.
Campbell, Sarah C. Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator. Photos by Sarah C. and Richard P. Campbell. Boyds Mills Press. (9781590785546).
Magnified photographs and informative text provide a nonfiction look at the carnivorous wolfsnail trapping and devouring its victim. This science book will amaze and attract readers. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Davis, Eleanor. Stinky. Illus. by the author. RAW Junior/TOON Books. (9780979923845).
Stinky, the swamp monster, is at first determined to rid his beloved “muddy, slimy, smelly swamp” of Nick, only to realize that this dreaded “kid” is not the appallingly clean intruder he supposes him to be. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Dorros, Arthur. Papá and Me. Illus. by Rudy Gutierrez. Rayo, an imprint of HarperCollins. (9780060581565).
Lively artwork tells the story of a father and son who spend a special day together in the city—singing, cooking, going to the park and the beach, riding the bus, and telling stories, culminated by a visit with Papá’s parents. (2009 Belpré Illustrator Honor Book)
Fleming, Denise. Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp. Illus. by the author. Henry Holt. (9780805078923).
After a week at Cowboy Camp for Dogs, Buster’s homesickness evaporates as he joyfully joins the controlled canine chaos of camp activities. Fleming’s richly colored multimedia art details the camp’s layout and the animals’ constant motion.
Frazee, Marla. A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Illus. by the author. Harcourt. (9780152060206).
With lively, detailed, subtly retro cartoons, Frazee gently pokes fun at adult expectations and captures the unbounded joy of two friends experiencing a parent-free summer adventure. (2009 Caldecott Honor Book)
George, Jean Craighead. Goose and Duck. Illus. by Priscilla Lamont. HarperCollins/Laura Geringer. (9780061170768).
Goose imprints on the boy who finds his egg, Duck imprints on goose, and both follow the boy around until fall when they figure out who they are and join their fellows flying south.
Graham, Bob. How to Heal a Broken Wing. Illus. by the author. Candlewick. (9780763639037).
On a busy city street, young Will stops for an injured pigeon. Soft watercolor panels depict the family’s care of the bird and its subsequent release into the sky over the city.
Grant, Judyann Ackerman. Chicken Said, “Cluck!” Illus. by Sue Truesdell. HarperCollins.(9780060287238).
Earl and Pearl shoo Chicken away as they work on their pumpkin patch, but as the story comes full circle, it’s Chicken who does the shooing and saves the day. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Harris, Robie H. Maybe a Bear Ate It! Illus by Michael Emberley. Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic. (9780439929615).
When a favorite book goes missing, our frantic narrator conducts a frenzied search, imagining the worst. Cartoony art illustrates the emotions of losing and finding a cherished object.
Henkes, Kevin. Old Bear. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. (9780061552052).
During his annual hibernation, Old Bear dreams of the seasons of his youth. Seasonal changes and Old Bear’s sense of wonder are gently evoked in Henkes’ ink and watercolor pictures.
Hills, Tad. What's Up, Duck? A Book of Opposites. Illus. by the author. Random House/Schwartz & Wade. (9780375847387).
Adapting Duck and Goose for the board book crowd, Hills whimsically presents concepts such as loud and quiet, far and near, and heavy and light in clear, child-appealing watercolors.
Hole, Stian. Garmann’s Summer. Illus. by the author. Tr. by Don Bartlett. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. (9780802853394)
Humorous and poetic text, combined with surreal and multi-layered artwork, creates a truly unique and complex look at the universality of fear and uncertainty in this tale of a six-year-old’s last summer before starting school. (2009 Batchelder Honor Book)
Kohara, Kazuno. Ghosts in the House! Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook. (9781596434271).
Faced with a houseful of ghosts, a little girl and her cat come up with a creative solution for repurposing them. Orange and black linocuts, collaged with rice paper “ghosts,” complete this appealing package for very young children.
McDonald, Megan. The Hinky Pink. Illus. by Brian Floca. Atheneum/Richard Jackson.(9780689875885).
Until the young seamstress Anabel finds the perfect bed for the Hobbledy-gob Hinky-Pink, she will get no sleep and the Princess’s dress will never be ready in time for the ball.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. One Boy. Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter.(9781596432741).
Seeger’s eye-catching picture book leads readers to discover words within words through a distinctive die-cut design and clean, bold illustrations. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Willems, Mo. Are You Ready to Play Outside? Illus. by the author. Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group. (9781423113478).
Easily approachable text and expressive drawings tell the story of Piggie and Gerald who experience the ups and downs of a rainy day. (2009 Geisel Award Book)
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Illus. by Nathan Hale. Bloomsbury.(9781599900704).
In a vibrantly illustrated graphic novel set in a make-believe frontier land, an untraditional Rapunzel escapes the tower, uses her long braids as weapons, and takes revenge on the wicked Mother Gothel.
Law, Ingrid. Savvy. Dial/Walden Media. (9780803733060).
This rich first-person narrative draws readers into a wild bus ride, winding through the countryside on a journey of self-discovery for Mibs Beaumont and her companions. (2009 Newbery Honor Book)
One Woolly Wombat by Rod Trinca Kerry Argent (Illustrator) 1985
Tucking Mommy in by Morag Jeanette Loh Donna Rawlins (Illustrator)1988
The Tram to Bondi Beach by Elizabeth Hathorn Julie Vivas (Author)1989
Mr. Archimedes' Bath by Pamela Allen 1980
The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek by Jenny Wagner, 1980
Possum Magic (Voyager Books) by Mem Fox Julie Vivas (Illustrator) 1991
"Its subject matter broke new ground in New Zealand junior fiction and the book was translated into several foreign languages." (Gilderdale, A Sea Change)
Six Little New Zealanders by Esther Glen. (London: Cassell, 1917) Also London: Cassell, 1928 and 1947; new edition illustrated by Els Noordhof, Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.
Quicksilver by Isabel Maud Peacocke. (London: Ward Lock, 1922)
1991)
Silver Island: A New Zealand Story by Edith Annie Howes. (Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs, 1928). Also new edition illustrated by Alan Gilderdale, Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.
Tales Out of School: the Adventures of Hilda (Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1984).
Myths and Legends of Maoriland. (Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed, 1946) Reprinted in 1967, 1950 and 1958; 3rd edition revised and enlarged in 1961; republished as Maori Myths and Legendary Tales (New Holland, 2000 and 2001).
1991)
Falter Tom and the Water Boy by Maurice Duggan. Illustrated by Kenneth Rowell. Also London: Faber, New York: Criterion, Hamilton: Paul’s Book Arcade, 1958. New edition with illustrations by Faith Jaques, Auckland: Longman Paul and London: Kestrel, 1974; new edition illustrated by Gwenda Turner, Auckland: Penguin, 1984. Sound recording published Wellington: Radio New Zealand, Replay Radio, 1991.
The Year of the Shining Cuckoo by Joyce West. (Hamilton: Paul’s Book Arcade, 1961) Also London: Dent, and Auckland: Blackwood & Janet Paul, 1963; New York: Roy, 1964; Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985.
The Runaway Settlers by Elsie Locke. Illustrated by Anthony Maitland. (London: Cape; Auckland: Blackwood & Janet Paul, 1965) Also New York: Dutton, 1966; London: Puffin, 1971 and 1977; new edition with illustrations by Gary Hebley, Christchurch: Hazard Press, 1993. Also published in a German edition.
A Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Jenny Williams. (London: Dent, 1969; New York: Watts, 1969) Also Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1972; as A Lion in the Meadow and 5 Other Favourites (London: Dent, 1976); London: Dent, 1986; Woodstock, N.Y.: Overlook Press, 1992; Harmondsworth and New York: Puffin, 1989. Also numerous foreign language editions.
The Duck in the Gun by Joy Cowley. Illustrated by Edward Sorel. (New York: Doubleday, 1969) New edition, illustrator Robyn Belton (Auckland: Shortland, 1984) Also Japan: Japan Peace Museum, c1990.
The First Margaret Mahy Story Book by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes. (London: Dent, 1972) Reprinted 1976.
School Journal.
Again, the Bugles Blow by Ron Bacon. Illustrated by V.J. Livingston. (Auckland: Collins, 1973) Also new edition illustrated by R. Jahnke, Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1984.
Crayfishing With Grandmother by Jill Bagnall. Illustrated by Barbara Strathdee; Maori text by Hapi Potae. (Auckland: Collins, 1973)
The House on the Cliffs by Ruth Dallas. Illustrated by Gavin Rowe. (London: Methuen, 1975; Wellington: Hicks Smith, 1975) Also London: Methuen Children’s Books, Auckland: Methuen, 1981.
The House of the People by Ron Bacon. Illustrated by R.F. Jahnke. (Auckland: Collins, 1977) Also Auckland: Waiatarua Publishing, 1983; Gt. Brit.: Child’s Play (International), 1986; New York: Child’s Play (International), 1990.
Traveller by Anne de Roo. (London: Heinemann, 1979) Also London: Puffin, 1983; also a Japanese edition.
The Great Piratical Rumbustification & the Librarian and the Robbers by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Quentin Blake. (London: Dent, 1978) Also Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1981 and 1984; New York: Beech Tree Paperback Books, 1993; Boston: David R. Godine, 2000; first title also Oxford, Windrush, 1990; numerous foreign language editions.
Under the Mountain by Maurice Gee. (Wellington and New York: Oxford University Press, 1979) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1981; Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1982; Auckland: Puffin, 1997.
The Silent One by Joy Cowley. Illustrated by Sherryl Jordan. (Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1981) Also New York: Kopf, 1981; London: Methuen, 1982; Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1984; Tokyo: Kagyusha, 1984; Ringwood, Vic.: Puffin, 1986; Auckland: Puffin, 2000. Also numerous foreign language editions, and produced as a movie, videorecording and sound recording.
Te Kuia me te Pungawerewere. Translated by Syd Melbourne. (Auckland: Puffin, 1982)
Bidibidi by Gavin Bishop. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1991; basis for a TVNZ 13-part series, 1990.
The Haunting by Margaret Mahy. (London: Dent, 1982); New York: Auckland: Scholastic, c1982; London: Methuen Children’s, 1984; London: Mammoth, 1989; New York: Atheneum, 1982; Bath: Chivers, 1989; London: Puffin, 1992 and 2000. Also numerous foreign language editions.
Mr Fox by Gavin Bishop. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also London: Piccolo, 1986; Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1999.
The Halfmen of O by Maurice Gee. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1984; Auckland: Puffin, 1997; also foreign language editions.
Night Race to Kawau by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1982) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1985 and 1991; Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1985.
Bertie and the Bear by Pamela Allen. (Melbourne: Nelson, 1983; London: Hamilton, 1983; Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983). Also New York: Coward-McCann, 1984; Melbourne: Nelson, 1985, Puffin, 1989.
Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1999) which won the NZ Post Children’s Choice Award, 2000. Just published is Scarface Claw (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 2001).
The Tree Witches by Glenda Turner. (Harmondsworth: Kestrel (Penguin), 1983) Also Alibaba Verlag, 1983 (German).
Jacky nobody by Anne de Roo. (Auckland: Methuen, 1983) Also London: Methuen Children’s Books, 1985; Revised edition, Russell: Russell Centennial Trust Board, Te Whare Taonga o Kororareka/Russell Museum, 1999; also as Vem Ar Du, Jacky? (Stockholm: Raben & Sjog, 1988).
The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance by Margaret Mahy. (London: Dent, 1984) Also New York: Atheneum, 1984; London: Methuen Teens, 1987; G.K. Hall: 1988; Bath: Chivers, 1988; Macmillan Education, 1989; London: Mandarin, 1990; London: Penguin, 1993 and 1995; New York: Puffin, 1994; numerous foreign language editions.
Visitors by Caroline Macdonald. (Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1984) Reprinted 1988. Also Melbourne: Nelson, 1985, Puffin, 1987 (reprinted 1990); also a Danish edition.
Hemi’s Pet by Joan de Hamel. Illustrated by Christine Ross. (Auckland: Reed Methuen, 1985; North Ryde, NSW: Angus & Robertson, 1985) Also Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987; Picture Puffin, 1988; Capetown: Leo, 1989 (in 5 African language editions); Auckland: Puffin 1990.
New Zealand ABC by Gwenda Turner. (Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1985) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1986. Also published as a frieze.
Literature Foundation of New Zealand Inc., 1no.3, May 2001)
A Lion in the Night by Pamela Allen. (Melbourne: Nelson, 1985; London: Hamilton, 1985) Also Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985 (reprinted 1990); New York: Coward-McCann, 1985; New York: Putnam, 1986; Ringwood: Puffin, 1988.
Jellybean by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1985) Also New York: Viking Kestrel, 1986; Harmondworth: Puffin, 1987; also Clavis, 1987 (Dutch ed).
Taniwha by Robyn Kahukiwa. (Auckland: Puffin, 1986 [reprinted 2000])
The Keeper by Barry Faville. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1986) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1988; also several foreign language editions.
The Tricksters on a sense of place to release its marvellous story, and to shape character and theme in its original treatment of the concepts of creativity, truth and illusion." (Hebley, The Power of Place)
Just an Ordinary Kid by Lisa Vasil. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1987) Also Auckland and Ringwood, Vic: Penguin, 1988. Also as a sound recording.
Just an Ordinary Kid is a minor classic." (Fitzgibbon, Beneath Southern Skies)
Memory by Margaret Mahy. (London: Dent, 1987) Also Oxford: Windrush, 1988; London and Auckland: Penguin, 1989; Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1990; London: Puffin, 1995; New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1999; also as a sound recording and in several foreign language editions.
Alex by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1987) Also Auckland: Penguin, 1989; Harmondworth: Puffin, 1989; Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989; New York: Bantam Starfire, 1991; film tie-in edition: Auckland: Penguin, 1992; Auckland: Puffin, 1998; included in The Alex Quartet (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1992); also several foreign language editions; also produced as a movie.
My Brown Bear Barney by Dorothy Butler. Illustrator Elizabeth Fuller. (Auckland: Reed Methuen, 1988) Also Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1988; London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1989; New York: Greenwillow, 1989; Auckland: Little Mammoth, 1990; Sevenoaks: Picture Knight, 1991; Auckland: Reed Children’s Books, 1994.
The Mangrove Summer by Jack Lasenby. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1988) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1990.
Biddy Alone by Wanda Cowley. Illustrated by Susan Opie. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1988)
Grandpa’s Slippers by Joy Watson. Illustrated by Wendy Hodder. (Auckland: Scholastic, 1989) Also published in overseas editions. Published in Maori as Nga Paenaena o Papa Koroua (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1993).
Chen Li and the River Spirit by Anthony Holcroft. Illustrator Lyn Kriegler. (Auckland and London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1990).
Tangaroa’s Gift : Te Koha a Tangaroa by Mere Whaanga-Schollum. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1990).
Grandma McGarvey by Jenny Hessell. Illustrated by Trevor Pye. (Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1990) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1992.
The Wednesday Wizard by Sherryl Jordan. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1991) Also New York: Scholastic, 1993; London: Andre Deutsch, 1993; London: Hippo, 1994.
Denzil’s Dilemma (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1992) and Denzil’s Great Bear Burglary (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1997).
Prudence M. Muggeridge, Damp Rat by Gaelyn Gordon. (Auckland: Collins, 1991; Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1991) Also Bluegum, 1992.
Bow Down, Shadrach by Joy Cowley. (Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1991) Also Auckland: Puffin, 1992 and 2000.
Duckat by Gaelyn Gordon. Illustrated by Chris Gaskin. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1992) Also New York: Scholastic Hardcover, 1992; London: Andre Deutsch, Scholastic, 1992.
The Little Yellow Digger at the Zoo (Auckland: Scholastic New Zealand, 1998).
Deepwater Black by Ken Catran. (Auckland: HarperCollins, 1992) Also London: Hodder Children’s Books, 1995; Sydney: Hodder Headline, 1996.
New Zealand Literature)
Underrunners by Margaret Mahy. (London: Hamilton, 1992) Also New York: Viking, 1992; Bath: Chivers, 1992; London: Puffin, 1994; also foreign language editions.
The Juniper Game by Sherryl Jordan. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1991; New York: Scholastic, 1991) Also London: Scholastic, 1992; Andre Deutsch, 1992; Denmark:
Forlaget Klim, 1992; Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1994.
Slide the Corner by Fleur Beale. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1993) Reprinted 1996 and 2000.
Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan. (New York: Scholastic, 1992) Also Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1993 and 1994.
A Dolphin in the Bay by Diana Noonan. (Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1993) Also Norwood, SA: Omnibus Books, 1993.
Sasscat to Win by Paula Boock. (Dunedin: McIndoe, 1993) Also South Melbourne: Hyland House, 1995.
The Fat Man by Maurice Gee. (Auckland: Viking, 1994) Also New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997; New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1999; Auckland: Puffin, 2000.
The Blue Lawn by William Taylor. (Auckland: HarperCollins, 1994) Simultaneously published in the USA; also Los Angeles: Alyson Books, 1999.
Take It Easy by David Hill. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1995)
The Waterfall by Jack Lasenby (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1995)
Dead Man’s Head (Dunedin: McIndoe, 1994); reprinted Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1997,
The Battle of Pook Island (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1996). won the NZ Post Junior Fiction Award, 1997.
Crossroads by Janice Marriott. (Auckland: Reed, 1995) Also Norwood, SA: Omnibus Books, 1995.
Mechanical Harry by Bob Kerr. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1996)
Mechanical Harry and the Flying Bicycle (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1999).
The Bantam and the Soldier by Jennifer Beck. Illustrated by Robyn Belton. (Auckland: Scholastic New Zealand, 1996)
Sanctuary by Kate de Goldi. (Auckland: Penguin, 1996) Also Ringwood, Vic., Puffin, 1996.
The Shearwater Bell by Margaret Beames. (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1997)
Dare, Truth or Promise by Paula Boock. (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1997) Also London: Livewire, 1998; Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999.
Alphabet Apartments by Lesley Moyes. (Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1997)
Fat, Four-Eyed and Useless by David Hill. (Auckland: Scholastic NZ, 1997)
Because We Were the Travellers by Jack Lasenby. (Dunedin: Longacre, 1997) Also South Melbourne: Hyland House, 1997.
I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale. (Dunedin: Longacre Press, 1998)
A Summery Saturday Morning by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Selina Young. (Auckland: Penguin, 1998) Also New York: Viking, 1998; London: Hamilton, 1998.
The Tiggie Tompson Show by Tessa Duder. (Auckland: Puffin, 1999)
Tiggie Tompson: All At Sea (Auckland: Puffin, 2001)
The House That Jack Built by Gavin Bishop. (Auckland: Scholastic New Zealand, 1999)
The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999) Also London: Simon & Schuster, 2000; Leicester: Spectrum, 2000.
Becker, Bonny. A Visitor for Bear. Illus. by Kady MacDonald Denton. Candlewick. (9780763628079).
The simple backdrop of bear’s forest home sets the stage for a visit from the persistent and irritating mouse who insists the two will become friends.
Bee, Wlliam. Beware of the Frog. Illus. by the author. Candlewick. (9780763639204).
Living alone in the forest, Old Mrs. Collywobbles needs protection from the Greedy Goblin, the Smelly Troll, and the Giant Hungry Ogre. Her pet frog jumps out of folklore to come to her rescue and give Mrs. Collywobbles more than she anticipated.
Campbell, Sarah C. Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator. Photos by Sarah C. and Richard P. Campbell. Boyds Mills Press. (9781590785546).
Magnified photographs and informative text provide a nonfiction look at the carnivorous wolfsnail trapping and devouring its victim. This science book will amaze and attract readers. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Davis, Eleanor. Stinky. Illus. by the author. RAW Junior/TOON Books. (9780979923845).
Stinky, the swamp monster, is at first determined to rid his beloved “muddy, slimy, smelly swamp” of Nick, only to realize that this dreaded “kid” is not the appallingly clean intruder he supposes him to be. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Dorros, Arthur. Papá and Me. Illus. by Rudy Gutierrez. Rayo, an imprint of HarperCollins. (9780060581565).
Lively artwork tells the story of a father and son who spend a special day together in the city—singing, cooking, going to the park and the beach, riding the bus, and telling stories, culminated by a visit with Papá’s parents. (2009 Belpré Illustrator Honor Book)
Fleming, Denise. Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp. Illus. by the author. Henry Holt. (9780805078923).
After a week at Cowboy Camp for Dogs, Buster’s homesickness evaporates as he joyfully joins the controlled canine chaos of camp activities. Fleming’s richly colored multimedia art details the camp’s layout and the animals’ constant motion.
Frazee, Marla. A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Illus. by the author. Harcourt. (9780152060206).
With lively, detailed, subtly retro cartoons, Frazee gently pokes fun at adult expectations and captures the unbounded joy of two friends experiencing a parent-free summer adventure. (2009 Caldecott Honor Book)
George, Jean Craighead. Goose and Duck. Illus. by Priscilla Lamont. HarperCollins/Laura Geringer. (9780061170768).
Goose imprints on the boy who finds his egg, Duck imprints on goose, and both follow the boy around until fall when they figure out who they are and join their fellows flying south.
Graham, Bob. How to Heal a Broken Wing. Illus. by the author. Candlewick. (9780763639037).
On a busy city street, young Will stops for an injured pigeon. Soft watercolor panels depict the family’s care of the bird and its subsequent release into the sky over the city.
Grant, Judyann Ackerman. Chicken Said, “Cluck!” Illus. by Sue Truesdell. HarperCollins.(9780060287238).
Earl and Pearl shoo Chicken away as they work on their pumpkin patch, but as the story comes full circle, it’s Chicken who does the shooing and saves the day. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Harris, Robie H. Maybe a Bear Ate It! Illus by Michael Emberley. Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic. (9780439929615).
When a favorite book goes missing, our frantic narrator conducts a frenzied search, imagining the worst. Cartoony art illustrates the emotions of losing and finding a cherished object.
Henkes, Kevin. Old Bear. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. (9780061552052).
During his annual hibernation, Old Bear dreams of the seasons of his youth. Seasonal changes and Old Bear’s sense of wonder are gently evoked in Henkes’ ink and watercolor pictures.
Hills, Tad. What's Up, Duck? A Book of Opposites. Illus. by the author. Random House/Schwartz & Wade. (9780375847387).
Adapting Duck and Goose for the board book crowd, Hills whimsically presents concepts such as loud and quiet, far and near, and heavy and light in clear, child-appealing watercolors.
Hole, Stian. Garmann’s Summer. Illus. by the author. Tr. by Don Bartlett. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. (9780802853394)
Humorous and poetic text, combined with surreal and multi-layered artwork, creates a truly unique and complex look at the universality of fear and uncertainty in this tale of a six-year-old’s last summer before starting school. (2009 Batchelder Honor Book)
Kohara, Kazuno. Ghosts in the House! Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook. (9781596434271).
Faced with a houseful of ghosts, a little girl and her cat come up with a creative solution for repurposing them. Orange and black linocuts, collaged with rice paper “ghosts,” complete this appealing package for very young children.
McDonald, Megan. The Hinky Pink. Illus. by Brian Floca. Atheneum/Richard Jackson.(9780689875885).
Until the young seamstress Anabel finds the perfect bed for the Hobbledy-gob Hinky-Pink, she will get no sleep and the Princess’s dress will never be ready in time for the ball.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. One Boy. Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter.(9781596432741).
Seeger’s eye-catching picture book leads readers to discover words within words through a distinctive die-cut design and clean, bold illustrations. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)
Willems, Mo. Are You Ready to Play Outside? Illus. by the author. Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group. (9781423113478).
Easily approachable text and expressive drawings tell the story of Piggie and Gerald who experience the ups and downs of a rainy day. (2009 Geisel Award Book)
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Illus. by Nathan Hale. Bloomsbury.(9781599900704).
In a vibrantly illustrated graphic novel set in a make-believe frontier land, an untraditional Rapunzel escapes the tower, uses her long braids as weapons, and takes revenge on the wicked Mother Gothel.
Law, Ingrid. Savvy. Dial/Walden Media. (9780803733060).
This rich first-person narrative draws readers into a wild bus ride, winding through the countryside on a journey of self-discovery for Mibs Beaumont and her companions. (2009 Newbery Honor Book)
One Woolly Wombat by Rod Trinca Kerry Argent (Illustrator) 1985
Tucking Mommy in by Morag Jeanette Loh Donna Rawlins (Illustrator)1988
The Tram to Bondi Beach by Elizabeth Hathorn Julie Vivas (Author)1989
Mr. Archimedes' Bath by Pamela Allen 1980
The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek by Jenny Wagner, 1980
Possum Magic (Voyager Books) by Mem Fox Julie Vivas (Illustrator) 1991
More information on Australia
Settlement of Australia
Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of years. Humans arrived in Australia 40,000 to 50,000 years ago. For most of this time, the Indigenous Australians lived as nomads and as hunter-gatherers with a strong dependence on the land and their agriculture for survival. Indigenous people were displaced from their ways of life, were forced to submit to European rule, and were later encouraged to assimilate into Western culture. There is no clear or accepted origin of the indigenous people of Australia. Aboriginal people of Australia were not "people of an unchanging stone age" as they have been so often portrayed by European colonists, but inventive and creative individuals living within cultures that over the millennia had become finely attuned to the rhythms and changes of the droughts and flooding rains that characterize the Australian environment. Aborigines were limited to the range of foods occurring naturally in their area, but they knew exactly when, where and how to find everything edible.
WE ARE GOING TO AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!!! ☺by Erica Venegas
Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of years. Humans arrived in Australia 40,000 to 50,000 years ago. For most of this time, the Indigenous Australians lived as nomads and as hunter-gatherers with a strong dependence on the land and their agriculture for survival. Indigenous people were displaced from their ways of life, were forced to submit to European rule, and were later encouraged to assimilate into Western culture. There is no clear or accepted origin of the indigenous people of Australia. Aboriginal people of Australia were not "people of an unchanging stone age" as they have been so often portrayed by European colonists, but inventive and creative individuals living within cultures that over the millennia had become finely attuned to the rhythms and changes of the droughts and flooding rains that characterize the Australian environment. Aborigines were limited to the range of foods occurring naturally in their area, but they knew exactly when, where and how to find everything edible.
WE ARE GOING TO AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!!! ☺by Erica Venegas
Helpful Information
This is one of several pieces of information prepared for this Blog by participant, Erica Venegas, as part of her assignments in another course.
History
Aborigines are Australia's indigenous people which make up about 2% of the population. Australian Aborigines migrated from somewhere in Asia at least 30,000 years ago. The name "aborigine" derives from the Latin, meaning "original inhabitants." There are approx. 400,000 aborigines living in Australia. Aborigines lived as Hunter-gatherers. They hunted and foraged for food from the land. Their skin and hair are both dark. There are about 500 recorded tribes. Aboriginal tribes didn't usually stay in one place for long, moving to watering places and setting up camp there. Aborigines lived in family groups and clans. Each clan has a place on their land where their spirits return when they die. They have to protect these places so they won't upset their ancestral beings.
Culture
The Aborigine culture consist of practices and ceremonies, belief systems, music, art, Astronomy, and traditional recreation. A Bora is an initiation ceremony in which young boys are changed into men. They receive one gift. A Corroboree it is a ceremonial meeting for Australian Aboriginal people. Fire-stick farming, identified by Australian archeologist Rhys Jones in 1969, is the practice of regularly and systematically burning patches of vegetation to facilitate hunting, to reduce the frequency of major bush-fires, and to change the composition of plant and animal species in an area. "Burning-off", as it is often called, reduces the fuel-load for a potential major bush fire, while fertilizing the ground and increasing the number of young plants, thus providing additional food for kangaroos and other fauna who are hunted for meat. It is regarded as good husbandry and "Looking after the Land" by Indigenous people. A Smoking ceremony is a cleansing ritual performed on special occasions. Tjurunga or churinga are objects of religious significance by Central Australian Aboriginal Arrernte (Aranda, Arundta) groups. Walkabout refers to a commonly held but unverified belief that Australian Aborigines would undergo a rite of passage journey during adolescence by living in the wilderness for six months.
Present Circumstances
Many of the Aborigine culture has been altered or even taken away upon the arrival of European settlers. The forced introduction of European culture and values to Aboriginal societies, the dispossession of Aboriginal lands, and the imposition of alien modes of governance began a cycle of social, physical and spiritual destruction. You can see the effects of this today. Some effects include poverty, poor health, and substance abuse. Underlying these problems is a loss of identity and a learned helplessness from having their values oppressed and their rights ignored. Hope is starting to emerge from the Aborigine culture. Aboriginal people are struggling to improve their lives while re-discovering their traditional values after years of oppression.
Resources
wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australians
dictionary.reference.com/browse/aboriginal
www.aboriginalaustralia.com/
History
Aborigines are Australia's indigenous people which make up about 2% of the population. Australian Aborigines migrated from somewhere in Asia at least 30,000 years ago. The name "aborigine" derives from the Latin, meaning "original inhabitants." There are approx. 400,000 aborigines living in Australia. Aborigines lived as Hunter-gatherers. They hunted and foraged for food from the land. Their skin and hair are both dark. There are about 500 recorded tribes. Aboriginal tribes didn't usually stay in one place for long, moving to watering places and setting up camp there. Aborigines lived in family groups and clans. Each clan has a place on their land where their spirits return when they die. They have to protect these places so they won't upset their ancestral beings.
Culture
The Aborigine culture consist of practices and ceremonies, belief systems, music, art, Astronomy, and traditional recreation. A Bora is an initiation ceremony in which young boys are changed into men. They receive one gift. A Corroboree it is a ceremonial meeting for Australian Aboriginal people. Fire-stick farming, identified by Australian archeologist Rhys Jones in 1969, is the practice of regularly and systematically burning patches of vegetation to facilitate hunting, to reduce the frequency of major bush-fires, and to change the composition of plant and animal species in an area. "Burning-off", as it is often called, reduces the fuel-load for a potential major bush fire, while fertilizing the ground and increasing the number of young plants, thus providing additional food for kangaroos and other fauna who are hunted for meat. It is regarded as good husbandry and "Looking after the Land" by Indigenous people. A Smoking ceremony is a cleansing ritual performed on special occasions. Tjurunga or churinga are objects of religious significance by Central Australian Aboriginal Arrernte (Aranda, Arundta) groups. Walkabout refers to a commonly held but unverified belief that Australian Aborigines would undergo a rite of passage journey during adolescence by living in the wilderness for six months.
Present Circumstances
Many of the Aborigine culture has been altered or even taken away upon the arrival of European settlers. The forced introduction of European culture and values to Aboriginal societies, the dispossession of Aboriginal lands, and the imposition of alien modes of governance began a cycle of social, physical and spiritual destruction. You can see the effects of this today. Some effects include poverty, poor health, and substance abuse. Underlying these problems is a loss of identity and a learned helplessness from having their values oppressed and their rights ignored. Hope is starting to emerge from the Aborigine culture. Aboriginal people are struggling to improve their lives while re-discovering their traditional values after years of oppression.
Resources
wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australians
dictionary.reference.com/browse/aboriginal
www.aboriginalaustralia.com/
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