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y separately published work icon Is That You, Ruthie? single work   autobiography  
Issue Details: First known date: 1999... 1999 Is That You, Ruthie?
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'It that you...? Matron's voice would ring out across the dormitory. In that pause sixty little girls would stop in their tracks, waiting to hear who was in trouble. All too often the name called out would be that of the high spirited dormitory girl Ruthie. In the depression years Queensland's notorious Cherbourg Aboriginal Mission became home to four-year old Ruth until her late teens when she was sent out to serve as a domestic on a station homestead.' (Source: University of Queensland Press website)

Exhibitions

7740091
17190951
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Adaptations

Is That You, Ruthie? Leah Purcell , 2023 single work drama

'Based on the books Is That You, Ruthie? – first published by the University of Queensland Press in 1999 – and Buthalangi: A Maranoa Woman written by Dr Ruth Hegarty.

'Is That You, Ruthie? is a poignant exploration of a mother and daughter’s enduring connection; a deeply moving play that delves into the complex aftermath of a government removal policy that separated a mother (Ruby) and daughter (Ruthie) from 1930 to 1957, leaving scars that could never fully heal.

'The adaptation of Dr Ruth Hegarty’s David Unaipon award-winning novel Is That You, Ruthie? for the stage by Leah Purcell shares a personal and profound chapter of Australia’s truth-telling history. We witness a relationship forever altered by the dormitory system’s cruel legacy. Though they tried to rebuild what was lost, the bond between mother and daughter would never be the same.

'Ruthie’s story – of separation from her mother – is not unique. What she endured, affected many young First Nations girls and boys across Australia.

'Is That You, Ruthie? is a raw and heartfelt portrayal of two souls navigating the depths of their shared history. It's a story of resilience, courage, and the enduring human spirit. We delve into the complexities of family ties, and discover whether the estranged love of a mother and daughter can bridge the gaps that time and tragedy have carved.

'An unforgettable and timely journey through the pages of Australia’s past.'

Source: Production blurb.

Notes

  • Dedication: To my mother, Ruby.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

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Other Formats

  • Also sound recording.
  • Also e-book.
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Related Works

Just a Little While (from Is That You, Ruthie?) Ruth Hegarty , 1999 extract autobiography (Is That You, Ruthie?)
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Studies , no. 62 1999; (p. 106-110)
y separately published work icon Bittersweet Journey Ruth Hegarty , St Lucia : University of Queensland Press , 2003 Z1050885 2003 single work autobiography (taught in 1 units)

'The first step on Ruth's journey is towards freedom. After twenty-two years under government control as an inmate of Cherbourg Aboriginal Mission, she marries and enters an inviting yet uncertain world in the nearby settlement with her husband Joe. The settlement — with its origins as a camp for displaced Aboriginal families, its system of food rations and shortage of housing and jobs — is a difficult start for the young couple. Humour, a supportive circle of family and friends and Ruth's own resourcefulness prevail, and eventually the Hegartys achieve the basics of a house for their growing family.

The invasive powers of the Native Affairs Department continue to affect their lives even when, years later, they move to the city. Ruth's determination and irrepressible sense of fairness ... characterise a life vigorously committed to social justice and community causes.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

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Works about this Work

[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Jean Yates , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: Books from Our Backyard : Must-Read Books from Queensland 2006; (p. 89)
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Shannon Faulkhead , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: Reviews in Australian Studies , March vol. 1 no. 1 2006;
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
Recasting Indigenous Lives along the Lines of Western Desire : Editing, Autobiography, and the Colonizing Project Alison Ravenscroft , 2004 single work
— Appears in: a/b: Auto/Biography Studies , Summer/Winter vol. 19 no. 1/2 2004; (p. 189-202)
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Shannon Faulkhead , 2004 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Studies , Winter vol. 19 no. 2 2004; (p. 231-232)
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Shannon Faulkhead , 2003 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Studies , Winter vol. 18 no. 2 2003; (p. 226)
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Shannon Faulkhead , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: Reviews in Australian Studies , March vol. 1 no. 1 2006;
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Shannon Faulkhead , 2003 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Studies , Winter vol. 18 no. 2 2003; (p. 226)
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
Reviews Christine Watson , 1999 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , December vol. 27 no. 2 1999; (p. 55)
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Shannon Faulkhead , 2004 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Studies , Winter vol. 19 no. 2 2004; (p. 231-232)
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
[Review] Is That You, Ruthie? Jean Yates , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: Books from Our Backyard : Must-Read Books from Queensland 2006; (p. 89)
— Review of Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty , 1999 single work autobiography
Outrage Without Anger Rosemary Sorensen , 1998 single work biography
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 5 September 1998; (p. 7)
Editing Ruthie : The Work in Theory and in Practice Margaret McDonell , Gillian Whitlock , 2000 single work criticism
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Studies , no. 64 2000; (p. 135-141)
'Believe Me' : Acts of Witnessing in Aboriginal Women's Autobiographical Narratives Christine Watson , 2000 single work criticism
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Studies , no. 64 2000; (p. 142-152)
From 'Dormitory Girl' to Award-Winning Author 1998 single work column
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 23 September no. 185 1998; (p. 19)

'The award named in honour of first Aboriginal author David Unaipon has this year gone to a Gungarri woman of Queensland who wrote about her life growing up as a 'dormitory girl' at the Barambah Aboriginal Settlement, near Brisbane...'
Recasting Indigenous Lives along the Lines of Western Desire : Editing, Autobiography, and the Colonizing Project Alison Ravenscroft , 2004 single work
— Appears in: a/b: Auto/Biography Studies , Summer/Winter vol. 19 no. 1/2 2004; (p. 189-202)
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Awards

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Last amended 8 Mar 2024 14:24:02
Subjects:
  • Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement, Cherbourg, Murgon - Wondai area, Kingaroy - Murgon - Kilkivan - Woolooga area, Central West Queensland, Queensland,
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