Author(s): Jane Harrison

Fiction

David Unaipon had a commitment to sharing his stories with non-Aboriginal people. What can we make of this? Did he mean they have the freedom to adopt Aboriginal myths and stories without qualm, without recourse, without responsibility? Or did he merely hope that they would be valued as part of our countrys cultural expression? How, if ever, can Aboriginal themes be 'used' in a way that is acceptable to Aboriginal people? How can non-Aboriginals interpret their work? Neither Homer nor Shakespeare are around to defend their work, but Aboriginal people are alive and outspoken about how they are depicted on the page, stage and on the screen. Muruwari playwright Jane Harrison tackles this intractable issue and finds a way forward.