Wurnan: Sharing on Ngarinyin Country (Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation, Magabala)

Wurnan: Sharing on Ngarinyin Country, created by the Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation, is a powerful cultural record that documents the people, artists, stories, traditions and artefacts of Ngarinyin Country in the Kimberley. Wurnan is the traditional Ngarinyin system of sharing and a guiding philosophy for caring for community, culture and Country. The book moves between personal stories from Elders who remember life before displacement and younger Ngarinyin people who continue cultural practices today. Each account feels vital, contributing to this important living record. The book explores Ngarinyin language and Wilinggin lore. It recounts the history of removal – when Ngarinyin people were forced from their homelands onto missions, cattle stations and settlements far from Country – and the resilience that followed. Several artists from the region, including Charlie Numbulmoore, are featured through their stories, artworks and knowledge. Expert understanding of land is woven throughout: readers learn about traditional plants and trees; the making of spears, woomeras, boomerangs and digging sticks; the use of whole animals in cultural practices; and the rhythms of seasons, wildlife and Country in the Kimberley. Majestic photography enriches the storytelling, offering a striking visual record. Wurnan: Sharing on Ngarinyin Country is a work of rare depth that will be invaluable to readers interested in First Nations knowledge systems, the Kimberley and in understanding, remembering and continuing to learn from Country and its people.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Becca Whitehead is a features and content writer based in Naarm-Melbourne. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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