Dingo the Story of Our Mob

by Sally Dingo

The story of one of Australia's most loved film and television personalities. The Dingo family history follows the formula of any self-respecting soap opera. It's full of life, death, laughter, violence, struggle, children, poverty, alcohol, and surprisingly after all that, success. It is the stuff of overblown fiction. It is also a history shared with every other Aboriginal family, a history still unknown to many Australians. Dingo makes that incredible story truly accessible to non-Aboriginal Australians. Told through the eyes of Ernie Dingo's wife, Sally, it comes alive. It is also Sally's story. Emerging from her white middle-class existence in a sleepy Tasmanian town, Sally marries a charismatic actor and the turbulent Dingo tribe. She finds much to love and much to cry about. With the unique perspective of a white woman adopted by an Aboriginal family who is able to write about her experiences with great skill and warmth, Dingo is a story to be treasured. 'I think I have learnt more about Aboriginal society than in anything else I've heard or read for a long time.' The Sydney Morning Herald 'A book that bites deep into our consciousness'. The Sydney Morning Herald

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Australia, History

314 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2012

Reviews

[Elizabeth Carboon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learnt alot from reading this book. Rare insight into Aboriginal culture. Story spans 3 generations of an Aboriginal family's life and struggles to live in a culture that is not their own. They even had to apply for citizenship to live in their own country......

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

bought lifeline book fair, brisbane June 25

really interesting insight in to life over multiple generations in 1930s-90s Australia. realised after reading this I’d seen Ernie on 7news Adelaide the week I landed so that was fun

[Marie-elise Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was house-sitting when I found this book and started reading. I was reading a small paperback version with tiny print. I found the reading (not the story) hard going. When my friend returned I explained the difficulty and she went to another bookshelf and presented me with another larger paperback version. Hooray!! I was soon totally engulfed in the writing of Sally Dingo. Squirming with discomfort at the treatment of the Yamatji people, appalled at the arrogance and ignorance of the whitefella, moved to tears by family tragedies and finally somewhat appeased by those white people who connected with the Dingo family and other aboriginal families, who saw them as people and treated them accordingly. Phew!
An amazing insight into 'women's business' and 'men's business', how they deflect their discomfort in answering to the white man's way, also of the pride in their work on the stations. What an amazing race of people, all 40,000 years plus of them. Well done Sally Dingo.

[Adele H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Ernie and his family for allowing Sally into your lives and enabling her to share your story. Sally you engaged me from the beginning and provided an insight into cultural diversity and tragedy.

[Genesis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely story of tye Dingo Mob in Australia.

I picked this book up in a charity book shop in Australia when I was with my friend preparing for our long trip North from Port Lincoln SA to Darwin NT.

I never got to start it until I was back in the UK, but it is a super informative book about how some aboriginal families were brought up, what they have to/have had to deal with living in an increasingly westernised country... even though it is their country. The way they are positive and make light of situations is a lovely way to be.

Enjoyed the read.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[D. Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extraordinary personal view of the cross-culture relationship of a great Australian personality full of humour and joy whilst being so very true to life.

[Black Swan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin H - 6.72

[Kathryn Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into Indigenous Australians

[Bec Caratti capewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Interesting point of view into indigenous Australia.