What Katie Did

📖 The Scoop

KatKatie Langloh Parker (1856-1940) living in outback Australia in the 19th century was one of the first to notate the language and legends of an indigenous people: the Noonghaburrah/Euahlayi (Yuwaalaraay and other spellings). She spent twenty years on Bangate Station between Walgett and Goodooga in North West New South Wales with her husband Langloh Parker. Her work and publications have been controversial, some arguing the publication in 1896 of the legends in Australian Legendary Tales led to the breaking of sacred law and the annihilation of the Noongahburrahs who lived and worked on Bangate Station. Others more recently believe she is one of the keys to the survival and public knowledge of their culture. And despite being a Victorian colonist she recognised she and Langloh were living on Euahlayi land which had been taken by the earlier settlers 'none too bloodlessly'. After the Federation drought forced them off Bangate and Langloh's subsequent death she married a second time and settled in Adelaide. There she continued writing, established something of a salon and was close to the painter, Hans Heysen and his family. The illustrators of her works include his daughter, Nora, Tommy McRae and Elizabeth Durack. She continued her interest in indigenous culture particularly the Euahlayi and bequeathed a large amount of artifacts via A. P. Elkin to the University of Sydney. As well she became very active in charities and was one of the founders of the Queen Adelaide Club and the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship. In the 21st century many of the descendants of Bangate Station still live around the area, in Walgett, Goodooga and Lightening Ridge. They know of her and value her legacy. What Katie Did is the first publication to canvass their views and the first since Marcie Muir's, My Bush Book, forty years ago, to document the life of Katie Langloh Parker.

Genre: Biography & Autobiography / General (fancy, right?)