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y separately published work icon The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems anthology   poetry   criticism   biography  
Issue Details: First known date: 1990... 1990 The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'This anthology of Aboriginal song poems is the first collection of its kind, bringing together examples of an ancient and continuing tradition...These songs appear in a diversity of styles. The selections herein are from four distinct aboriginal language groups of North Queensland, Central Australia, Arnhemland aand the Simpson Desert. Each song appears in its original language with the translation opposite. The cultural context is provided by brief introductions and detailed commentaries through out the anthology.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

Contents

* Contents derived from the St Lucia, Indooroopilly - St Lucia area, Brisbane - North West, Brisbane, Queensland,:University of Queensland Press , 1990 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Some Dyirbal Songs, R. M. W. Dixon , single work criticism (p. 3)
The Red Gowni"The red gown we see is like a butterfly", Jimmy Murray , single work poetry (p. 6-7)
Thunderi"A mighty noise rises up, roars as it rushes by", Jimmy Murray , single work poetry (p. 8-9)
Baby Cockatoosi"Waiting hopefully in the end of a hollow log", Pompey Clumppoint , single work poetry (p. 10-11)
Shifting Campi"Dragging leaves for its nest", Tom Murray , single work poetry (p. 14-15)
Goondi Hilli"As daylight was coming up", George Watson , single work poetry (p. 16-17)
Staggering Mani"The two of them look back at me", Paddy Biran , single work poetry (p. 18-19)
Cutting a Track to Cardwelli"The track is cleared", Tom Murray , single work poetry (p. 20-21)
She Will Not Go with Mei"No, she will not go with me", Jimmy Murray , single work poetry (p. 22-23)
King Tide Recedingi"The tide is down there now", Spider Henry , single work poetry (p. 24-25)
Dry Throati"My throat is dry", Jimmy Murray , single work poetry (p. 26-29)
The Brave Husbandi"Grasping her arms with his strong hands", Jimmy Murray , single work poetry (p. 28-29)
A Camp Tainted by Deathi"This place belonging to all of you", Jimmy Murray , single work poetry (p. 30-31)
The Dwarfi"No wonder that I am", George Watson , single work poetry (p. 34-35)
Sugar Traini"Going downhill from Mundoo", George Watson , single work poetry (p. 36-37)
A Cravingi"Look around in the blue gum tree", George Watson , single work poetry (p. 38-39)
Song to Make Her Growi"In the Burran style", Tom Murray , single work poetry (p. 40-41)
Into the Wavesi"Into the waves", George Watson , single work poetry (p. 42-43)
His True Feelingsi"Catching hold of the bridle", George Watson , single work poetry (p. 44-45)
Central Australian Men's Love Song (Yilpinji), Stephen A. Wild , single work criticism (p. 49-50)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Notes:
This poetry collection is sequenced dual text. On facing pages, one page is an Indigenous Australian language and the other page is the English translation.

Works about this Work

[Review Essay] The Honey-ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems Tamsin Donaldson , 1992 single work essay
— Appears in: Australian Aboriginal Studies , no. 1 1992; (p. 84-87)

'Dark, viscous honey, hot stuff— so go some of the words sung in Anbarra country in Arnhem Land to celebrate sugar bag, as translated into English by Margaret Clunies Ross (P 81).

'The Central Australian song focussed on in the book's title also has honey as a theme. Verse 60 in Stephen Wild's organisation of the song words runs, in his translation: He asked for honey Not enough honey (p 67) Stephen Wild introduces this verse with the comment, The sexual symbolism of honey has its parallel also in Western thought' (p 66). Indeed—and, it might prove safe to add, wherever there is honey. Imagery is part of the celebration of the power of language in song the world over. Since it is love that makes the world go round, as English speakers are used to putting it, and since singing offers people a slippery grip on the process, many of the same sexually symbolic associations crop up in song again and again, here, there and everywhere.' (Introduction)

Ghost Writers Lee Cataldi , 1991 single work review
— Appears in: Northern Perspective , Dry Season vol. 14 no. l 1991; (p. 107-108)

— Review of The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography
Paying a Bit Off the Black Debt Barry Hill , 1991 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 22 June 1991; (p. 8)

— Review of Words of Our Country : Stories, Place Names and Vocabulary in Yidiny, the Aboriginal Language of the Cairns - Yarrabah Region 1991 anthology prose autobiography ; The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography ; Australian Aboriginal Words in English : Their Origin and Meaning 1990 single work non-fiction
The Word on Wagga Wagga Writers Writers Robert Hefner , 1990 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 7 October 1990; (p. 20)
Untitled Helen Horton , 1990 single work review
— Appears in: Imago , September vol. 2 no. 2 1990; (p. 83-84)

— Review of The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography
Sheltering Behind Images of Love and Life Reba Gostand , 1990 single work review
— Appears in: Social Alternatives , October vol. 9 no. 3 1990; (p. 66-67)

— Review of A Body of Water : A Year's Notebook Beverley Farmer , 1990 selected work autobiography short story poetry diary ; The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography ; Taking Shelter Jessica Anderson , 1989 single work novel ; Paperbark : A Collection of Black Australian Writings 1990 anthology poetry drama short story criticism prose autobiography biography
Rich Storehouse of Songs from this Continent's `Senior Culture' David Headon , 1990 single work review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 22 December 1990; (p. 20)

— Review of The Kadaitcha Sung Sam Watson , 1990 single work novel ; The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography
Paying a Bit Off the Black Debt Barry Hill , 1991 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 22 June 1991; (p. 8)

— Review of Words of Our Country : Stories, Place Names and Vocabulary in Yidiny, the Aboriginal Language of the Cairns - Yarrabah Region 1991 anthology prose autobiography ; The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography ; Australian Aboriginal Words in English : Their Origin and Meaning 1990 single work non-fiction
The Poetic Sound of Australia's Quiet Revolutionary Voices Billy Marshall-Stoneking , 1990 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian Magazine , 16-17 June 1990; (p. 4)

— Review of Paperbark : A Collection of Black Australian Writings 1990 anthology poetry drama short story criticism prose autobiography biography ; The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography
Untitled Sue Hosking , 1990 single work review
— Appears in: The CRNLE Reviews Journal , no. 2 1990; (p. 35-39)

— Review of Paperbark : A Collection of Black Australian Writings 1990 anthology poetry drama short story criticism prose autobiography biography ; The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems 1990 anthology poetry criticism biography
After Poetry (6) : A Quarterly Account of Recent Poetry Graham Rowlands , 1990 single work criticism
— Appears in: Overland , Spring no. 120 1990; (p. 36-40)
The Word on Wagga Wagga Writers Writers Robert Hefner , 1990 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 7 October 1990; (p. 20)
[Review Essay] The Honey-ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems Tamsin Donaldson , 1992 single work essay
— Appears in: Australian Aboriginal Studies , no. 1 1992; (p. 84-87)

'Dark, viscous honey, hot stuff— so go some of the words sung in Anbarra country in Arnhem Land to celebrate sugar bag, as translated into English by Margaret Clunies Ross (P 81).

'The Central Australian song focussed on in the book's title also has honey as a theme. Verse 60 in Stephen Wild's organisation of the song words runs, in his translation: He asked for honey Not enough honey (p 67) Stephen Wild introduces this verse with the comment, The sexual symbolism of honey has its parallel also in Western thought' (p 66). Indeed—and, it might prove safe to add, wherever there is honey. Imagery is part of the celebration of the power of language in song the world over. Since it is love that makes the world go round, as English speakers are used to putting it, and since singing offers people a slippery grip on the process, many of the same sexually symbolic associations crop up in song again and again, here, there and everywhere.' (Introduction)

Last amended 6 Jan 2011 18:11:20
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