The Welcome to Country Handbook: a guide to Indigenous Australia – Professor Marcia Langton

Hardie Grant

June 2023

ISBN: 9781741178227

Publisher: Hardie Grant Explore

RRP: $32.99

Professor Langton’s Welcome to Country, now in its 2nd edition, was hailed as a major comprehensive work on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia: culture, customs, history, etiquette, performance and more.

Now we have this fantastic companion volume which draws on the information provided in the earlier work, and drills deeper into many of the topics covered, plus more. The chapters cover: precolonial and post-colonial history, language,kinship, knowldge, art, performance, storytelling, native title, the Stolen Generations, making a rightful place for First Australians, and looking to the future for Indigenous Australia.

Just as the earlier book has become a staple , this too will be an essential resource for anyone seeking to develop and deepen their understanding of First Nations people. It is eminently readable, though at first glance the text is quite dense, as it is written in easily accessible terms and terminology – with a very useful glossary.

It is the type of ‘enquire within for all things’ almanac, that one can dip in and out of, cherry picking the topics of most interest. It is amply illustrated, in the main by black & white photographs, but with a few coloured plates as well. I was particularly pleased to find a photo of local man Michael Connelly (Munda-gutta Kulliwari), of Dreamtime Kullilla Arts here in Redcliffe, and also a snap of the Pamagirri Dreamtime Walk in Kuranda, a place I took The Kid to not long after we lost her mum, with the same man demonstrating boomerang throwing as helped her.

I would especially urge you to read this in order to clearly understand the proposed referendum on The Voice to Parliament. It clearly outlines the basis, the framework and the intended outcome of this legislation.

In particular, it goes without saying, this is a must-have for any school library collection both as a teacher reference and a resource for senior students.

No shilly-shallying, you need this and should get it as soon as possible. You will find answers to almost every question raised on First Nations peoples and culture.

Highly recommended for all readers from teen upwards.