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The Spirit Prevails
The Spirit Prevails is an Odyssey of a women who was born of parents from two ancient races. Ireland and Yunkuntjatjara. The era was a time when being colored and aborigine was unpopular
237 pages, Paperback
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 6, 2013
A biography
Clara talks about the effect of coalmining had on the Nepabunna people and their dreamtime: “Leigh Creek and Copley (South Australia) areas are very significant sites for the Flinders Ranges people. The dreaming is that Leigh Creek was once a huge forest and it caught alight. The people of that time said, ‘Oh well. It’s a good place to cook our dampers.’ However, some dampers must have been forgotten or left in the ashes to fossilise. Centuries later when mining began, Walter Coulthard said to the young people, ‘When they start mining they should come across the forgotten dampers – and they did – stone dampers.”
Many other such stories can be found in the book The Spirit Prevails.
Clara talks about the effect of coalmining had on the Nepabunna people and their dreamtime: “Leigh Creek and Copley (South Australia) areas are very significant sites for the Flinders Ranges people. The dreaming is that Leigh Creek was once a huge forest and it caught alight. The people of that time said, ‘Oh well. It’s a good place to cook our dampers.’ However, some dampers must have been forgotten or left in the ashes to fossilise. Centuries later when mining began, Walter Coulthard said to the young people, ‘When they start mining they should come across the forgotten dampers – and they did – stone dampers.”
Many other such stories can be found in the book The Spirit Prevails.
June 17, 2018
Can I write a review of a book I published and written by my Nana, Gwenneth Leane?
Yeah. Sure I can, when I feel this strongly about the subject, I think it's okay.
The Spirit Prevail's is the type of novel I wish had been around when I was doing Aboriginal Studies at school - instead I was just doing boring sheet work, and getting told off for not being PC enough.
I wish we'd had a book like this: personally dictated by an Aboriginal but transcribed by a White Australian*, therefore making me, a White Australian, able to grasp the incredible and profound world that opens up within the pages of the book. It is eye opening. I highly recommend this book. It is a really fascinating journey, learning life of an incredible woman who stood up to great oppression and fought for her people.
I am honoured that I got to meet her, and I just love hearing stories from my grandparents and parents about their times travelling with her.
*I really don't like using the term "White Australian" - I'd much rather say European Australian, or just break it down even further, but, in terms of understanding this book and the cultural significance of 'white Australian culture' at the time this book is set, it is the most fitting term, even if it has been co-opted in our most recent generation.
Yeah. Sure I can, when I feel this strongly about the subject, I think it's okay.
The Spirit Prevail's is the type of novel I wish had been around when I was doing Aboriginal Studies at school - instead I was just doing boring sheet work, and getting told off for not being PC enough.
I wish we'd had a book like this: personally dictated by an Aboriginal but transcribed by a White Australian*, therefore making me, a White Australian, able to grasp the incredible and profound world that opens up within the pages of the book. It is eye opening. I highly recommend this book. It is a really fascinating journey, learning life of an incredible woman who stood up to great oppression and fought for her people.
I am honoured that I got to meet her, and I just love hearing stories from my grandparents and parents about their times travelling with her.
*I really don't like using the term "White Australian" - I'd much rather say European Australian, or just break it down even further, but, in terms of understanding this book and the cultural significance of 'white Australian culture' at the time this book is set, it is the most fitting term, even if it has been co-opted in our most recent generation.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews