What do you think?
Rate this book
Under the Wintamarra Tree
Doris Pilkington Garimara was born on traditional birthing ground under the wintamarra tree. Her life in the Mardu camp was disrupted when as a three-year-old she was taken by the authorities to live within the confines of Moore River Native Settlement. Her remarkable story follows on from the courageous journey of her mother Molly Craig, made legendary in the recently released film, 'Rabbit-Proof Fence'.
211 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2002
3 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
About the author
Doris Pilkington
5 books46 followersJuly 1 birth date is approximate.
Doris Pilkington is also known as Nugi Garimara and Doris Pilkington Garimara.
Doris Pilkington is also known as Nugi Garimara and Doris Pilkington Garimara.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Read
June 27, 2014‘When the sun was high and the heat uncomfortable, the Mardudjara women returned to camp, their wirnis [dishes] filled with wamula [bush tomatoes].’
‘Under the Wintamarra Tree’ is the story of Doris Pilkington, the daughter of Molly whose heroic trek was the subject of the book ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’, made into a film by Phillip Noyce in 2002. Like ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’, it illustrates how young lives can be damaged, even with the best of (misguided) intentions.
‘These adults who conditioned and indoctrinated the Aboriginal children in their care were confident that the children would lose all memories of their actual families and thus their Aboriginal heritage.’
Doris Pilkington was born at Balfour Downs Station, near the north Western Australian settlement of Jigalong in 1937. Her mother Molly named her Nugi Garimara, but Molly’s employer Mary Dunnet insisted on calling her Doris. Doris’s birth was unregistered, and her birthday was recorded as being 1 July 1937 by the Department of Native Affairs. When Doris was aged three and a half, she was taken from her mother to be raised at the Moore River mission. The authorities believed that Doris and her sister Anna were three quarters white and therefore needed to be separated from the ‘desert natives’ and given an education.
‘However, we must secure Anna. She is too white to stay with Molly.’
Doris Pilkington wrote this autobiographical book in the third person as it relates to the earlier part of her life, switching to the first person as her account becomes more contemporary. It’s almost as though Doris is, together with the reader, observing a different person in a life long past. It imposes a detachment on the events and people which, for me at least, serves to mute the impact. Perhaps this was one way of reducing the pain of recounting her life before she met up with her parents again after twenty years apart.
‘The hot easterly winds carried the sound of a mother’s cry to tell everyone that her daughter who was taken away as a child had returned as a woman and a mother.’
I found it unbearably sad to read Doris’s very personal account of separation from her parents. And, while ‘Under the Wintamarra Tree’ is too disjointed a narrative to hold the reader’s attention in the same way as ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’, I will read (and re-read) it as a reminder of the consequences of depriving children of their language and culture, of their sense of belonging.
Doris Pilkington (Nugi Garimara) died in Perth, Western Australia, on the 10th of April 2014. She was aged 76.
‘The wintamarra tree is a permanent reminder of the beginning of my life. The journey of healing and the healing process is similar to the wintamarra tree. It’s always been there waiting for me to come and reconnect to my birthplace.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
‘Under the Wintamarra Tree’ is the story of Doris Pilkington, the daughter of Molly whose heroic trek was the subject of the book ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’, made into a film by Phillip Noyce in 2002. Like ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’, it illustrates how young lives can be damaged, even with the best of (misguided) intentions.
‘These adults who conditioned and indoctrinated the Aboriginal children in their care were confident that the children would lose all memories of their actual families and thus their Aboriginal heritage.’
Doris Pilkington was born at Balfour Downs Station, near the north Western Australian settlement of Jigalong in 1937. Her mother Molly named her Nugi Garimara, but Molly’s employer Mary Dunnet insisted on calling her Doris. Doris’s birth was unregistered, and her birthday was recorded as being 1 July 1937 by the Department of Native Affairs. When Doris was aged three and a half, she was taken from her mother to be raised at the Moore River mission. The authorities believed that Doris and her sister Anna were three quarters white and therefore needed to be separated from the ‘desert natives’ and given an education.
‘However, we must secure Anna. She is too white to stay with Molly.’
Doris Pilkington wrote this autobiographical book in the third person as it relates to the earlier part of her life, switching to the first person as her account becomes more contemporary. It’s almost as though Doris is, together with the reader, observing a different person in a life long past. It imposes a detachment on the events and people which, for me at least, serves to mute the impact. Perhaps this was one way of reducing the pain of recounting her life before she met up with her parents again after twenty years apart.
‘The hot easterly winds carried the sound of a mother’s cry to tell everyone that her daughter who was taken away as a child had returned as a woman and a mother.’
I found it unbearably sad to read Doris’s very personal account of separation from her parents. And, while ‘Under the Wintamarra Tree’ is too disjointed a narrative to hold the reader’s attention in the same way as ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’, I will read (and re-read) it as a reminder of the consequences of depriving children of their language and culture, of their sense of belonging.
Doris Pilkington (Nugi Garimara) died in Perth, Western Australia, on the 10th of April 2014. She was aged 76.
‘The wintamarra tree is a permanent reminder of the beginning of my life. The journey of healing and the healing process is similar to the wintamarra tree. It’s always been there waiting for me to come and reconnect to my birthplace.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
July 16, 2015
Reading about the terrible treatment of the children in the institution was outrageous and infuriating. I was inspired by the way the author persevered through these times. I hope there is a third book about this as I still have questions and want to know more about what happened next.
March 9, 2018
Deeply personal account of the horrific injustices meted out upon indigenous Australian children. It's unusual for a memoir in that it's written in the third person, though that doesn't diminish the reader's empathy with the child in the book.
There were some areas which weren't well edited - or perhaps it was a stylistic choice I didn't pick up on? - with conflicting info. For example, at one point she describes how two groups of girls at her mission school were in conflict, but once they got matching school uniforms, all conflict was forgotten at once. In the very next paragraph, she says it took many more months for the two groups of girls to get along. These minor contradictions don't affect the overall story, they're just a little confusing for a second when you run across them.
There were some areas which weren't well edited - or perhaps it was a stylistic choice I didn't pick up on? - with conflicting info. For example, at one point she describes how two groups of girls at her mission school were in conflict, but once they got matching school uniforms, all conflict was forgotten at once. In the very next paragraph, she says it took many more months for the two groups of girls to get along. These minor contradictions don't affect the overall story, they're just a little confusing for a second when you run across them.
August 25, 2017
Nugi/Doris tells the story of her life in this short book. She reveals her experience of being taken away from her mother, family, land and culture. She also talks about reconnecting with that all and her personal growth from child to woman. I think I would have liked a bit more insight into some of her struggles and thoughts but I also understand that these might be too personal to share with strangers.
April 30, 2019
I read Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence many years ago, and was thrilled to find out it had a sequel. This fictionalized autobiography follows the life of Doris, daughter of Rabbit Proof Molly. She began life in an aboriginal camp, but the family was soon broken apart by the racist policies of the government. Briefly, because Doris and her sister were seen as more than half white, they were taken away from their aboriginal parents to be raised as virtual orphans by the state. As time went on, Doris forgot about her real family, got the education to become a nurse's assistant, married, and had six children. Eventually she went back to reunite with her birth family.
The story itself is impressive, and deserves to be heard. Unfortunately, the writing here is pretty bad -- bad enough to get in the way of the story. For example, while scenes from before Doris's birth and when she was tiny are vividly described, a lot of the latter part of the book is brief and dry, sounding like a summary of events more than a living story.
There are also quite a lot of discontinuities and errors that should have edited for consistency and clarity. For instance, when her Aunt Daisy is introduced, the author presents her as Molly's companion in her escape nine years ago. But on the next page, Daisy is described as currently being eight years old. The book contains many, many head-scratchers of this kind.
The story itself is impressive, and deserves to be heard. Unfortunately, the writing here is pretty bad -- bad enough to get in the way of the story. For example, while scenes from before Doris's birth and when she was tiny are vividly described, a lot of the latter part of the book is brief and dry, sounding like a summary of events more than a living story.
There are also quite a lot of discontinuities and errors that should have edited for consistency and clarity. For instance, when her Aunt Daisy is introduced, the author presents her as Molly's companion in her escape nine years ago. But on the next page, Daisy is described as currently being eight years old. The book contains many, many head-scratchers of this kind.
July 24, 2013
Loved this sequel to Rabbit Proof Fence which tells Doris' story - how Australia treated their indigenous peoples is horrific - that we followed the exact same path is equally repugnant and will sadden you greatly as you read this powerful testimony to the brutalities of colonization, racism and dehumanization
October 28, 2022
3.5 stars
Follow The Rabbit Proof Fence is the story of Doris's mother and her escape from the mission in the 1930s - this book tells Doris's own story as a child of the Stolen Generation in the 1940s and 50s.
A terrible chapter in Australian history and one that we should learn as much about as possible, as the after effects will continue to be felt for many generations.
Follow The Rabbit Proof Fence is the story of Doris's mother and her escape from the mission in the 1930s - this book tells Doris's own story as a child of the Stolen Generation in the 1940s and 50s.
A terrible chapter in Australian history and one that we should learn as much about as possible, as the after effects will continue to be felt for many generations.
September 28, 2024
Important history and heartbreaking testimony, somewhat undermined by the confusing timelines and writing style. You get a sense that the author tried their best, but it missed out a good editor to whip it into shape and make this autobiography what it could be.
October 5, 2023
An emotional expose of race relations in Australia told without rancour or blame.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews