This detailed picture book history describes what happened in the Maralinga Tjarutja lands of South Australia before the bombs and after. The traditional beliefs of the An̲angu people are explored and the story of how their culture was gradually encroached upon by white invasion – by missionaries, government policy, the expansion of the railways, and forcible removal from their lands – is told. The role played by historical figures such as anthropologist Daisy Bates, missionary Harrie Green and Miss Annie Locke of the United Aborigines’ Mission is also detailed. The colonialist re-naming of parts of this country were further aspects of this history.
Then came the naming of Maralinga and the British testing of nuclear bombs from 1956 to 1963 which led to painful deaths and disfigurement, birth defects and lifelong illness for many An̲angu people who were removed from their traditional lands and re-settled at Yalata. A long fight for reparation resulted in recognition of contaminated land but no compensation for what the An̲angu endured from radiation.
Nevertheless, Yalata and Oak Valley residents have proudly developed functioning communities through the work of many people, such as educator and Aboriginal elder Stanley Minning. This award-winning title is based on the oral history testimonies of many An̲angu people skilfully curated by acclaimed writer Christobel Mattingley and meaningfully illustrated in workshops conducted by the community.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
