Footprints Across Our Land

Description

This work is a collection of life experiences recounted by senior Aboriginal women from Wirrimanu, Malarn and Yaka Yaka communities of the Balgo area in the East Kimberley. It provides an insight into the lives, culture and history of the people of the desert, as seen through the eyes of the women, and expressed in their own words. The stories are graphically enhanced by the storytellers' colourful illustrations with explanatory keys. Much of the material, including the artwork, was gathered on trips away from the community to a nominated site, allowing the women to visit their country, to hunt and gather food and collect wood for their families. The text aims to provide a link between past, present and future. It is the outcome of a Manungka Manungka Balgo Women's Association's project, which supports the performance and maintenance of traditional cultural activities, and provides a medium through which they have access and input on contemporary issues.