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Why Warriors lie down and die Book Reviews Why Warriors Lie Down and DieReviewed by Pastor John Pfitzner, The Lutheran, 5 March 2001, Vol 35 No: 2, p.26 Many non-Indigenous Australians are sick of hearing about the problems faced by indigenous Australians. Aboriginal people, they feel, are given a fair go; why aren’t they doing better? Governments seem to spend a lot of money on special programs to overcome Aboriginal disadvantage, but the problems seem to get worse. Non-Aboriginal people get frustrated and ask: ‘What’s wrong with these people? They sometimes feel despairing and helpless about the seemingly insoluble problems in Aboriginal communities. Why Warriors Lie Down and Die provides answers to these questions. It is a must-read for anyone, Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, with a concern for Aboriginal people and the problems they face. In a clear and convincing way, it takes readers beyond symptoms and superficial explanations and shows the real reasons why Aboriginal people are suffering more ill-health and are dying younger than ever before. According to the book’s author, the root cause of Aboriginal disadvantage and ill-health is loss of control. Aboriginal people and their policies, language, world view and culture. Where people’s history, language, culture and skills are not taken seriously, they no longer feel they have a purpose or are in control of their lives, and they lapse into hopelessness and depression. Helplessness, dependency and destructive social behaviour are often the result. The book’s strength is that it gives a view of the situation from the Aboriginal perspective. It helps readers see through Aboriginal eyes what it’s like to live in a world controlled by a dominant culture very different from one’s own. The message that comes through strongly is that the problems faced by Indigenous Australians are not the result of some failure or defect on their part, but are the direct result of actions and policies on the part of members of the dominant culture. As the author was told by an Aboriginal man, ‘Balanda (non-Indigenous people) do not understand each other. The Balanda are confused about how Yolngu society works and Yolngu are confused about Balanda society. They are missing each other all the time (Rev Dr Djiniyini Gondarra). The book is not just a theoretical treatment of the topic. The author constantly illustrates what he is saying with accounts of his own experiences with Aboriginal people, both as a learner and a teacher. This gives the message of the book particular power and vividness. The personal stories of Aboriginal people and the accounts of interactions between Yolngu and Balanda are engrossing and often moving. The author spent eleven years living and working in Arnhem Land and learning language and culture from the people. The book deals particularly with the situation in Arnhem Land, but its message applies to Indigenous populations in other parts of Australia, especially where the traditional languages and culture of the people are still strong. The book shows what needs to be done so that Indigenous Australians can again take control of their lives. Key strategies include taking people’s language seriously, giving proper training to non-Aboriginal people who work with Indigenous people, and replacing existing programs with programs that truly empower the people. I cannot recommend this book too highly. It is full of insights that will change your understanding of Aboriginal people and the problems they face. It is deeply disturbing in its depiction of how as a nation we have failed Indigenous Australians and contributed to their suffering. But it is also encouraging in showing how things can be done differently, so that Yolngu can become djambatj mala – great warriors – once more.
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$29.95 AUD |
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