Talking Sideways: Stories and Conversations from Finniss Springs

by Reg Dodd, Malcolm McKinnon

Reg Dodd grew up at Finniss Springs, on striking desert country bordering South Australia’s Lake Eyre. For the Arabunna and for many other Aboriginal people, Finniss Springs has been a homeland and a refuge. It has also been a cattle station, an Aboriginal mission, a battlefield, a place of learning, and a living museum. With his long-time friend and filmmaker Malcolm McKinnon, Dodd reflects on his upbringing in a cross-cultural environment that defied social conventions of the time. They also write candidly about the tensions surrounding power, authority, and Indigenous knowledge that have defined the recent decades of this resource-rich area. Talking Sideways is part history, part memoir, and part cultural road-map. Together, Dodd and McKinnon reveal the unique history of this extraordinary place and share their concerns and their hopes for its future.

Genres: Australia

304 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2019

Reviews

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taken from the book. "Reg Dodd grew up at Finniss Springs, on striking desert country bordering South Australia’s Lake Eyre. For the Arabunna and for many other Aboriginal people, Finniss Springs has been a homeland and a refuge. It has also been a cattle station, an Aboriginal mission, a battlefield, a place of learning, and a living museum. With his long-time friend and filmmaker Malcolm McKinnon, Dodd reflects on his upbringing in a cross-cultural environment that defied social conventions of the time. They also write candidly about the tensions surrounding power, authority, and Indigenous knowledge that have defined the recent decades of this resource-rich area. Talking Sideways is part history, part memoir, and part cultural road-map. Together, Dodd and McKinnon reveal the unique history of this extraordinary place and share their concerns and their hopes for its future."

The book is part history and memoir. Reg Dodd talks about him and his family growing up in and around Finniss Springs. He does not hold back on showing greed, abuse of power, loss, holding on to oral history and dealing with changes.

In the back of the book is a timeline. It starts with 1836 when Australia was colonized, and the "Aboriginal Natives" rights were blatantly disregarded. It ends with 2017 when. " Finniss Springs is identified by Australian government as one of two sites for priority assessment for the National Heritage List, with a proposed determination in 2020."

[Landon K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are any Marree people looking for a book talking about the local history?

Talking Sideways is a great book for young and old adults written by Reg Dodd and Malcolm McKinnon. Reg talks about is life growing up at Finniss Springs Station, work life and other events happening around Marree and up the Oodnadatta Track.

A reason why I like this book is because Reg Dodd is one of the authors and he explains clearly about some of the horrific events happening in Marree.

One suggestion that might make the book better is to add more Arabunna/Arabana language at the back of the book. For example one words that could be added to the list of words through the book was Pirdalinha which means killing place.

So if you're convinced by this book review get searching on the internet to purchase this amazing book.