Welcome to My Country

The Yolngu people of Bawaka – a beautiful, remote beach in the East Arnhem Land region – are said to be the most culturally intact Indigenous group in Australia. This book, a collaboration by six Indigenous women and three non-Indigenous academics, is a very thoughtful introduction to their lives and history.

The narrative offers the sort of warm personality that textbooks often lack as we get to know Laklak Burarrwanga and her family – how they live off the land, their unique dependency on it, and the continual fight for their culture. The book meanders between lifestyle, Dreamtime stories and Laklak’s own story, which I chose to read in one go, returning to the lifestyle and Dreamtime stories afterwards.

With colour photos, artwork and a Yolngu word list, this is an interesting mix for 12+ readers, or adults like me with little knowledge of life in an Indigenous community.

Emily Gale