AustLit

'This book is a welcome addition to the limited field of publications about Torres Strait Islanders and their history. Its greatest contribution originates from the chronicle of the Islanders' light for autonomy, control over their environment and recently, recognition as a distinct indigenous population within Australia. Publication of the manuscript was timed to coincide with the landmark Australian High Court decision (1992)in favour of the Murray Islander land claim recognising customary title, under common law, to their home island in Eastern Torres Strait. As a sociologist with many years experience in historical analysis on the region and notable contributions to the ongoing critique of protectionist policies in Queensland, the author shows a commendable dedication in her ardent documentation of the Torres Strait saga.' (Introduction)
 

'Stars of Tagai: The Torres Strait Islanders contains an excellent coverage of Torres Strait Island responses and initiatives to various moments and phases of the colonial process, yet it is also a particularly difficult book which in its initial stages resists the reader. It is uneven in its construction and analysis, and this may be partly what Sharp is referring to when she speaks of the 'written project' as being 'asymmetrical' (p 15). Because Parts II—IV easily stand alone from Part I, a reader who wants ready access to the beautifully grounded Torres Strait Island narratives can skip Part I without losing access to Torres Strait Island people's own senses of themselves. The inclusion of large extracts of uninterrupted Torres Strait Island narratives, especially in Part III, is the highlight of the book. It is here that selected Torres Strait Island speakers eloquently elaborate their world views, and this works well (Chapters 4 to 6). Her linking of 'two circles of understanding' (hers and that of the 'stars'—creative Torres Strait individuals) is achieved only when she sufficiently situates her discussion in 'thick description' (Geertz 1973). At other times, the text (particularly in Part I) reads like a private flight of fancy, unconvincing and often unreadable.' (Introduction)