Graham Jenkin

One of the better studies on the history of Aboriginal Australia's interactions with white Australia, "Conquest of the Ngarrindjeri" delves into the unique culture of the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal people of the Lower Murray River and the Coorong of South Australia.

While other Aboriginal nations have lost much of their culture after hundreds of years of contact with European Australia, the Ngarrindjeri have remained defiant and while this book obviously covers the conquest of the Ngarrindjeri, it shows that the Ngarrindjeri have not given up and assimilated into mainstream society (and in the years since this book was written, the Ngarrindjeri have continued to thrive).

David Unaipon, the Ngarrindjeri man called "The black Da Vinci" is mentioned here, along with his father James, the first Aboriginal deacon, and Pullum, the last of the traditional Rupelle's (president) of the Ngarrindjeri Tendi (parliament). Was the Tendi the first parliament in the world? I guess we'll never know but so much of the Ngarrindjeri culture intrigues and this book, though dated, is a great start for those researching Aboriginal Australia.… (mais)