Children of the Desert

“Children of the Desert is an apt description of the children of the Pitjantjatjara people, for this tribe still live their nomadic lives in the heart of Australia, their only contact with the white man or the white man’s civilisation being the missionaries, the welfare officers and the passing anthropologist. Through this book Phyl and Noel Wallace share with us their discoveries about these aborigines and, more especially, their children. While the parents under the influence of their dreamtime continue the age-old pursuits of food-gathering and building wiltjas, of corroboree and walkabout, many of the children now go to school where the music of the corroboree may have a very unfortunate influence over the white man’s mathematics! In drawing classes, however, the tow worlds meet and the pictures created by the children from lives where the aeroplanes jostles the evil spirit, mamu, and the ideograms of the cave paintings mingle with closely observed portraits of trucks, are most fascinating works of art.” (From the front flap of dust jacket).

Publisher: Thomas Nelson and Sons,
Date Published: 1968 (Reprint)
Book Condition: Very good large format hardcover with minor rubbing to board edges. Minor surface and closed edge tears to dust jacket. Some minor tan marks to front and back end pages. Otherwise, an unmarked copy internally.