Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia by Anita Heiss | Goodreads

Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia by Anita Heiss | Goodreads





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Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia

by
Anita Heiss (Goodreads Author) (Editor),
Evelyn Araluen (Contributor),
Bebe Backhouse (Contributor),
Alicia Bates (Contributor),
Don Bemrose (Contributor),
Tony Birch (Contributor),
Norleen Brinkworth (Contributor),
Katie Bryan (Contributor), more…
4.34 · Rating details · 1,711 ratings · 233 reviews
What is it like to grow up Aboriginal in Australia?

This anthology, compiled by award-winning author Anita Heiss, showcases many diverse voices, experiences and stories in order to answer that question. Accounts from well-known authors and high-profile identities sit alongside those from newly discovered writers of all ages. All of the contributors speak from the heart sometimes calling for empathy, oftentimes challenging stereotypes, always demanding respect. (less)


Paperback, 311 pages
Published April 16th 2018 by Black Inc.


Other Editions (9)




Fiona Marsden I think up primary students could get a lot out of it.

· 1,711 ratings · 233 reviews



May 29, 2018Jennifer (JC-S) rated it it was amazing
Shelves: australian-womens-writers-challenge
‘What is it like? What does it mean to grow up Aboriginal in Australia?’

I picked up this anthology, wondering how many different experiences it would contain. I wondered, too, whether there would be a generational difference, whether the experiences of younger people might be more positive. The answer to my first question is that this anthology contains more than 50 contributions, and each one is different. The answer to my second question is, sadly, no. Some young people may have experienced less discrimination and disadvantage, but others have not. Reading through these accounts, I’m made aware of some of the less obvious forms discrimination takes. It’s a difficult and at times confronting read.

Anita Heiss writes:

‘There is no single or simple way to define what it means to grow up Aboriginal in Australia, but this anthology is an attempt to showcase as many of the diverse voices, experiences and stories together as possible.’

Each contribution, each account of growing up Aboriginal in Australia is unique. The writers are of different ages, have different writing styles and approaches to addressing the question. I found Don Bemrose’s ‘Dear Australia’ essay thought-provoking, and was inspired by Evelyn Araluen’s statement: ‘We are the dream of our ancestors.’ I agree with Adam Goodes: ‘I believe in having a dream and setting goals to achieve it.’ And then, in Ambelin Kwaymullina’s contribution, I read: ‘People ask me sometimes if I experienced any racism when I was a kid. Questions like that always make me wonder where the other person is living.’ Clearly, there is (still) more than one Australia.
I am saddened to learn that one contributor, Alice Eather (born in 1988) took her own life in June 2017. Alice wrote: ‘there’s too much negativity said and written about Aboriginal people in communities.’ Sadly, Alice was right. What can we do to change this?

There are some many different accounts. Some contributors grew up with their families, others did not. Some grew up with immediate families, but away from their Country and away from extended family networks. Some grew up in cities. Some grew up knowing which mob they belonged to and speaking their language, others did not. It’s obvious that there is no singular experience of growing up Aboriginal. Yet it’s clear from these accounts that elements of Australian society have a preconceived idea of what Aboriginal people should be. And if an Aboriginal person does not fit into that stereotype, then it is the person who is questioned, not the stereotype. One of those stereotypes relates to judgements made on skin colour as the only determinant of whether a person is an Aboriginal.

There are so many different lives, many different identities in this anthology. Contributors include children, parents, musicians, sports stars, teachers and writers.
I found this anthology both heartbreaking and inspiring. I think that all Australians should read it.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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May 02, 2018Michael Livingston rated it really liked it
This is such a necessary project - wonderful short insights into the lives of a diverse group of Aboriginal people. It's not a book you really sink into, but it's perfect for dipping into and reading a couple of sections at a time. It's bound to be a success, and will hopefully find its way into school curriculums and the like before long. (less)
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Feb 12, 2018Jaclyn Crupi rated it it was amazing
Excellent publishing, brilliant storytelling. The range and diversity of experiences on offer in this anthology is breathtaking. There are some common themes of course but each contributor offers something powerful and important. I’d love to attend an event where contributors read their stories.
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Aug 03, 2020Jonathan O'Neill rated it really liked it
There are a large and diverse collection of perspectives on growing up aboriginal in Australia within these pages. Fifty, to be precise, ranging from school kids to sports stars to successful authors and damn near every possible representation in between. Each entry has something unique to offer in shedding any ignorance or systemically manufactured stereotypes that we as White Australians may have of our indigenous counterparts. Though all of the contributors have unique stories and ways in which they have dealt with hardship throughout their lives, there are a number of themes that tie the majority of them together and give this anthology a disorganised yet defined narrative.

The most prominent of these themes is a disconnect from their aboriginal heritage and a lifelong struggle to understand their identity and, unbelievably, be expected to defend it. 

These are both direct effects of a 232-year history of colonialism and attempted genocide under the guise of legitimate government policies, most notably, assimilation. Since colonisation, there has been a concerted effort by White Australia to write the first owners of this land as well as their language and culture out of the history books. Our school curriculums would suggest that Australia’s history began in 1788 with the arrival of the first fleet. Our national anthem professes that we are “Young and Free” but Deborah Cheetham wisely notes that we are far from young. We are home to the world’s oldest living civilisation (believed to go back as far as 60,000 years) and many of those individuals would feel less than free. The effects of insidious government policies have rippled through the generations and upon completing this book, it’s never been clearer to me that the policy of assimilation has been devastatingly effective.

Experiences shared in this collection include but are not limited to racism (predominantly from White Australians but also from darker indigenous), police brutality, unfair incarceration, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual abuse, homelessness, child abduction (I don’t care if it was “lawful” or not) and insidious methods of genocide.

Somehow, despite all of this and despite much being lost, Australian Aboriginal Culture lives on thanks to the commitment of community elders who pass on their traditions, their language, their knowledge, to the younger generations. These individual’s stories consistently show a strong natural connection to the land and a yearning to re-connect with the language, culture and spirituality of their ancestors.

The following is an excerpt from a poem titled ‘Yúya Karrabúra’ by Alice Eather who was a bilingual school teacher, activist, poet and leader. Sadly, she took her own life in June, 2017. I added a different excerpt in an earlier update but this was, for me, the most moving entry in the collection so I would like to share again. Alice’s poem confronts the reader with many harsh truths but ultimately is about identity and hope for the future.

Now I welcome you to sit beside my fire
I’m allowing you to digest my confusion

I will not point my finger and blame
Cause when we start blaming each other
We make no room for changing each other

We’ve got to keep this fire burning
With ash on our feet and coal in our hands

Teach Barra-ródjibba

All them young ones how to live side by side
Cause tomorrow when the sun rises
And our fires have gone quiet
They will be the ones to reignite it

이제 난 당신이 내 불 옆에 앉는 것을 환영합니다. 당신이 내 혼란을 소화하도록 허용합니다

나는 손가락질하고 비난하지 않을 것입니다. 우리가 서로를 비난하기 시작할 때 우리는 서로를 바꿀 여지가 없습니다.

우리는 이 불을 계속 타오르게 해야 해 우리 발에는 재를, 우리 손에는 석탄을 가지고 가르쳐라 바라-로디바

젊은이들이 나란히 사는 법 내일 해가 뜨고 우리의 불이 잠잠해지면 그들이 다시 불을 붙일 거야

Yúya Karrabúra (Fire is Burning)
- Alice Eather (less)
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Nov 06, 2018K. rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2018, audience-young-adult, loveozya, own-voices, biographies-and-memoirs, australian, poc-narrator, difficult-topics, deals-with-mental-illness, lgbtqia-narrator
Trigger warnings: racism, racial slurs, discussion of the Stolen Generations, mentions of violence, mentions of suicide, mentions of alcohol abuse, mentions of domestic violence, mentions of child abuse, mentions of rape.

4.5 stars.

These books are so important and I love the fact that they include not only well known authors and well known celebrities, but utterly new voices. I love that they cover a whole range of generations and places in Australia and experiences. Some of the authors grew up with a big Aboriginal community around them, while for others it was seen more as their family's secret shame and it wasn't until they reached adulthood that they learnt of their Aboriginal heritage.

Literally my only complaint here is that a) there are 50 stories here which is many, and b) the stories are in alphabetical order by author and that meant that sometimes you'd get several stories in a row that were quite similar or several in a row from established authors and then several in a row from new voices and the change in the writing could be somewhat jarring. Although I have no suggestions about ways to sort them that would get around this, so just ignore me and my minor gripes! (less)
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Nov 16, 2019M - The long hot spell rated it it was amazing
Shelves: australian, memoir-biography, library
I want to say straight up that this should be mandatory reading for non-indigenous people in Australia. I learned so much from this collection of stories of growing up and life in Australia from Indigenous people all around the country.

There was as much variety in the experiences described as there was similarity. Common threads were having to deal with racism with frightening results such as anger, pain, stolen generations, and attempted murder. Sadly common too was the problem of not being white enough, not being black enough. It was confronting but thought-provoking in a way that makes me so glad I read through to the end. Being a collection of biographies of over fifty people, I spread out the reading over several weeks otherwise it could have been a bit much to take in.

Along with the trials, confusion and heartbreaking injustices, there is plenty of hope. There is encouragement, forgiveness, understanding, happy families, fun, creativity, personal and family strength, successes, nature, and Indigenous pride. So in many respects it was a beautiful read and I’m so thankful that the writers shared such intimate details about themselves and their families.

The book was important as a whole because of the variety in experiences and points of view, but I particularly enjoyed reading about Carol Pettersen, Shannon Foster, Jason Goninan, Adam Goodes, and Miranda Tapsell. Yes, ‘the’ Goodes and Tapsell.

You will get a lot more from this book than just an understanding of how much racist crap some individuals and groups have had to put up with (heads up - it’s a lot) because it’s full of fascinating people stories too.

Here are a few quotes from the collection (though unfortunatly I only marked them in the first few chapters):

“I didn’t want to walk around with it written on my forehead. I wanted people to know. But I didn’t want to do the telling. But neither my face nor my skin did that for me.” (Alice Anderson)

“I know identity is nothing to do with skin colour and it goes much, much deeper than that.” (Susie Anderson)

“We’ve never been alone, and we have each other. Not everyone gets everything, and we are so lucky for so much. I’m learning my place, my responsibilities. (Evelyn Araluen)

“I love that I’ve been lucky enough to travel to every Australian city and work with some of the best, most forward-thinking individuals, and coach many to extraordinary feats. I love the friendships that have been culturally safe and supported me to reach my childhood goals and taught me that our differences make us stronger not weaker.” (Don Bemrose)

“P.S. I truly love every square inch of Australia. I look forward to when we realise that this country is our giver of life and will survive long after we have passed on. Maybe, then, we will each choose a life similar to that of our ancestors: one of leaving soft footprints and a light touch on this landscape, and with a kindness for each other.” (Don Bemrose)

“They had given up the best years of their lives to fight Nazi’s and they hadn’t reckoned on coming home and marrying into families that espoused similar views.” (Katie Bryan) (less)
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Apr 12, 2018Linda rated it really liked it
Ought to be on every syllabus in Australia.
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May 16, 2018Kelly (Diva Booknerd) rated it really liked it
Shelves: black-inc, indigenous
Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous Australians share a tumultuous history of colonisation, genocide and displacement from their land. European settlement by Great Britain has resulted in intergenerational trauma, associated violence and the trauma of the removal of Indigenous children from communities. Although Indigenous communities continue to experience displacement and injustice, the Indigenous identity is also celebrated. Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia reiterates that there is no singular Indigenous experience and shares the voices of our traditional land owners with compassion, consideration and celebration.

Ambelin Kwaymullina
Ambelin tells the narrative of growing up of the Palyku community of the Pilbara region of Western Australia among the purple hills, red earth and blue sky. A breathtaking and unforgiving landscape. Ambelin describes the prejudice of vintage Australia as unrelenting and although Australia is an evolving landscape of diversity, we must recognise privilege, reiterating the continuing barricades placed upon Indigenous Australians and the optimism of future generations to challenge society and the bias created and carried by colonialism.

Tara June Winch
Tara is a prolific Wiradjuri Indigenous Australian author, raised in saltwater country, her narrative of feeling displaced and realising her journey within her community as an individual. Using the Corroboree as a metaphor of Indigenous Australia, the sense of identity is often misplaced within the wider, white community. Being from the world and of the world. Her optimism for her own daughter prevalent and she shares the experience of three generations of Indigenous women. Inspirational reading.

Vale Alice Eather
Alice Eather was a beautiful spirit, a prominent Arnhem Land Indigenous community leader and activist. Plagued by anxiety and depression, a life taken too soon. Her contribution of Yúya Karrabúrra is exquisite. Her forefathers convicts on board the second fleet, her mother a Wúrnal woman and Alice, a child of the between finding her identity.

Now I welcome you to sit by my fire
I'm allowing you to digest my confusion
I will not point my finger and blame
Cause when we start blaming each other
We make no room for changing each other
Anita Heiss
Doctor Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales, an accomplished and esteemed author of Indigenous literature. Throughout the introduction, Anita shares her experience of Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, the consideration of each submission and experiencing moments of interconnection and reflection. Igniting, uniting and inspiring reading.

I have been involved in early childhood Indigenous education through Indigenous advancement and children's leagues in Victoria, with an emphasis on the celebration of heritage alongside Victoria's most accomplished Indigenous educators. I'm Caucasian Australian of Irish heritage and through recognition my own privilege, it's imperative for non Indigenous readers to be reminded that support and compassion cannot replicate the experiences of Indigenous Australians. Compassion is not a substitute for the trauma and prejudice Indigenous communities continue to endure. We must condemn and challenge microaggressions and uplift Indigenous voices.

With contributions by Tony Birch, Deborah Cheetham, Adam Goodes, Terri Janke, Patrick Johnson, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Jack Latimore, Celeste Liddle, Amy McQuire, Kerry Reed Gilbert, Miranda Tapsell, Jared Thomas, Aileen Walsh, Alexis West, Tara June Winch, and many more, Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia is ground breaking, inspirational and essential reading. (less)
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Jul 07, 2018Alison rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: race, australia, non-fiction
It's weird giving this a star rating, because it is quite simply a book every Australian should read. I assumed going in it would be a collection of a dozen or so literary memoirs, but instead Heiss has put together 50 memoirs, written by a wide variety of people with a variety of approaches, skills, and, of course, motivations for writing. The selections are arranged alphabetically, with no intro, emphasising the voices of the writers, and hence, the diversity and directness of the material.
I quickly realised that this wasn't going to work best as a all-in-one read, and slowed down, reading one entry at night, and one each morning. They are mostly very short, so this is easily doable, and stopped the issue of different voices starting to meld together.
There is an expected variety of experiences - with a large mix of ages meaning coverage of different eras, a lot of geographic balance, and also the diversity of experience between those whose skin and features immediately identify their Aboriginality, and those where it does not: one insight the book gives is the ways that racism shapes these experiences differently at times.
As you would expect, some of the stories resonate more than others. My main criticism was that the bios were listed at the end of the book and varied in format a great deal, making it harder for me to follow up on writers I wanted to read more from (I did discover Tara Jane Winch, whose book I devoured in a single sitting yesterday and is one of the best things I've read this year). It is also a book that relies on the reader pacing themselves: the lack of structure works, I think, but only if the reader is patient enough to pause. (less)
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Jan 17, 2018Joel D rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, finished-2018
This is a powerful and eye-opening book and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to hear more perspectives on growing up Aboriginal in Australia. The book contains lots of short pieces, many about two or three pages, from a huge range of people - some who are public figures and recognisable, others who might be relatively unknown, or younger. It's the breadth of perspectives, but also the mix of shared and unique experiences, that makes this so worthwhile.

The main weakness of the anthology is that the pieces are simply listed in alphabetical order. I feel that the book would be stronger if they were ordered more deliberately, or say, thematically, but to some extent this choice also allows each story to speak for itself.

And one caveat for non-Aboriginal readers: be wary of presuming that this book is a substitute for experience, or means that you 'know' what it's like to grow up Aboriginal in Australia. Be grateful for what they book can teach you, but also recognise its, and your own, limitations. (less)
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Jul 06, 2018Gill rated it it was amazing
An exceptional collection.

With over 50 contributions in a range of writing styles, Growing Up Aboriginal shows the great depth of variety in Indigenous experiences across geography and generations.as well as an interesting range of writing styles.
I don't consider myself able to 'review' books that are people's experiences so I will just say this collection is both heartbreaking and hopeful. I am grateful for the contributors' generosity in sharing their stories and I hope that many people read this. (less)
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Jun 14, 2018Tilda rated it really liked it
Shelves: bookclub
Incredibly important read for all Australians. It's worth reading only a few at a time to avoid diluting their individual impact, as there are strong common themes that run throughout. Key things that stood out to me was how damaging colourism is, how little mainstream Australia knows about our First Peoples and ugh how awful school (especially history) is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I'm grateful to the contributors who shared their stories. (less)
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Dec 20, 2018Nancy rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2018

Finished: 20.12.2018
Genre: non-fiction
Rating: B+
#TBR
Conclusion:

All these stories are important.
People are being very honest and telling us
what makes them be who they are.
I took something from all these selections
...but most of all I loved Marlee Silva.
Her father used a great analogy to explain to his young daughter
what it means to be a product of two cultures.
Her father poured two cups of black coffee
...adds creamer to one of them.
"..no matter how much milk you add: they'll never not be coffee."
Marlee uses this image as a shield to this day.
This book was an eye-opening education about
growing up Aboriginal in Australia.
#MustRead

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Jun 14, 2020Ellen McMahon rated it it was amazing
Shelves: anthology, made-me-cry, non-fiction, made-me-mad, read-in-2020

An absolutely remarkable collection. I bought the book and also the audiobook edition. The writing is powerful and at times incredibly poignant. but it's just as often funny, heartwarming and completely endearing. The audiobook was wonderful, I would highly recommend this edition as hearing these stories read aloud adds a depth that can't be underestimated.
Each voice and experience is unique, yet there is an unspoken magic, a common joy, a shared pain, that seamlessly connects them all. It's a treasure that each contributor has been so open and so generous in sharing their innermost thoughts and experiences. I feel that every Australian should read (or listen to) this book. (less)
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Jul 21, 2018Lisa rated it really liked it
Shelves: anthology, c21st, indigenous-australian
There is much to learn from this anthology, but if there’s one thing that stands out it’s the diversity of Aboriginal experience. The 50 contributors include voices from everywhere, and editor Anita Heiss pays tribute to the land first of all:
The stories cover country from Nukunu to Noogar, Wiradjuri to Western Errernte, Ku Ku Yalinji to Kunibídji, Gunditjamara to Gumbaynggirr and many places in between.
Experiences span coastal and desert regions, cities and remote communities, and all of them speak to the heart. (p.1)
These life stories comes from
… all around the country, including from boarding schools and even inside prison; and from schoolchildren, university students and grandparents. We also have recollections of growing up Aboriginal in Australia by opera singers, actors, journalists, academics and activists. In many ways this anthology will also serve to demonstrate how we contribute to, and participate in, many varied aspects of society every day. (p.2)
There are voices that I know because I’ve read their writing:
Tony Birch, an award-winning novelist and short story writer;
Terri Janke (who operates an Indigenous owned law firm but also wrote the first Indigenous novel I ever read, Butterfly Song;
Ambelin Kwaymullina (whose novel The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf I reviewed for #IndigLitWeek);
Celeste Liddle (whose Rantings of an Aboriginal Feminist I read online);
Jared Thomas who writes the kind of YA novels that adults like to read too;
Tara June Winch, an award-winning novelist and short story and of course
editor and author, Anita Heiss herself.
There are also famous names from other spheres of influence: Deborah Cheetham; Adam Goodes; and Miranda Tapsell – but when I turn to the back of the book I discover that all the contributors are doing awe-inspiring things with their lives, even 13-year-old Taryn Little, who knows that her ancestors would be proud of her, that her grandmother would have loved all her hard work and effort, that she is a strong young woman and that she makes her family proud.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/07/21/g... (less)
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Jan 06, 2019Paige rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: non-fiction, own-voices
I listened to this on audio book, and it was great! I liked the variety of different voices reading the essays and the diversity of the experiences presented in the collection. Some of the experiences left me extremely raw. I'm grateful for the proliferation of diverse works by own voices authors because it gives me the chance to understand others experiences. (less)
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Jun 30, 2020Karen Liang rated it liked it
Shelves: non-fiction
Someone wrote that reading this felt a bit like eating vegetables in a sense and I couldn't agree more. This anthology compiled from an array of contributors provides a quick dip into the experiences and memories of what it was and is like as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian. The recurring theme of identity and connection to culture really resonated with me, especially as a second generation Chinese-Australian, but I cannot even begin to imagine the kind of identity crises many experienced in the face of blatant racism and in the aftermath of the stolen generations. It's terrifying and despairing stuff. A select few pieces were particularly resounding, however many were less engaging and I struggled getting through these bits. I would have preferred if the memoirs were fewer and longer, rather than just scratching the surface of quite a complex subject. Nevertheless, definitely interesting and important content everyone should read about. (less)
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Feb 11, 2020Andrew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: australia, audiobook
Stories and memoirs of the First Peoples, told by them. A great anthropology from Australia.