The book will be launched by Yami Lester, survivor of Maralinga nuclear testing, at the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in Adelaide on Thursday 16 April. Former ABC Classic FM presenter, Charles Southwood, will also speak at this event. Please RSVP by 3^rd April to publicity@allenandunwin.com

Original artwork from Yalata and Oak Valley Communities will be exhibited at the Tandanya Gallery from April 3 – May 10 2009.

Maralinga – the Anangu Story is an illustrated history of Maralinga created through extensive research and community consultation, in the style of the Papunya School Book of Country and History. With support from the Piling Trust and the Australia Council, Yalata and Oak Valley community elders were able to join together with Christobel Mattingley as storytellers, translators and artists to tell the story of what they experienced at Maralinga, before the bomb and after.

The result is a ground-breaking work that explores from a uniquely indigenous perspective the many changes the Maralinga lands have seen. Ooldea Soak, Malu kapi was for thousands of years a place for people to gather, as traditional Anangu life revolved around water sources. In only a few short years after white settlement, this previously permanent waterhole was forever dried up. Mission life and welfare dependency followed, until the following statement and others like it justified the Maralinga bomb tests in the 1950s:

‘Maralinga and Emu are well isolated from any population centre and are of no known significance either for agricultural or mineral development. It is unlikely that the area will become populated in the foreseeable future.’

This is a work of great cultural and historical significance, telling the story of earliest beginnings, white invasion/settlement, mission life and the nuclear tests that had such devastating consequences.

About the Authors –

From Mima Smart, Yalata and Oak Valley Community Chairperson:

‘Last year Alice Cox, Margaret May, Pansy Woods, Mabel Queama, Marjorie Sandimar, Yvonne Edwards, Mima Smart, Janet May worked as storytellers or translators with Christobel Mattingley to tell the story of what happened at Maralinga. Our story is a very important story that needs to be heard by children and adults across our country.’

Christobel Mattingley is the award-winning author of over 40 books, including for Allen & Unwin, Battle Order 204 and Chelonia Green, Champion of Turtles.

Copies of Maralinga - the Anangu Story will be available to purchase from the Tandanya Retail Shop for $35.00