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Nancy Sheppard Nancy Sheppard i(A19817 works by) (a.k.a. Nancy Lee Sheppard; Nancy Lee Nicholson; Nancy Nicholson)
Born: Established: 1933 Sydney, New South Wales, ;
Gender: Female
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BiographyHistory

Nancy Sheppard grew up in country New South Wales and gained a Teacher's Certificate at Armidale Teachers' College in 1952. In 1955 she was appointed sole qualified teacher at Ernabella in the Pitjantjatjara Lands, Central Australia. During the next nine years she studied the language and experienced the culture and friendship of the Pitjantjatjara people. Sheppard took over four hundred photos of them.

Since 1967 Nancy has lived in Adelaide, continuing her study and teaching of the Pitjantjatjara language and working as interpreter and translator. She taught in a course offered at the University of Adelaide 1968-75 - the first of its kind in Australia - and from 1976-80 at the Underdale CAE. She retains a deep interest in the Pitjantjatjara language and a commitment to its continuing use and status as a second language in South Australia. As well as the book listed here, she has also (as Nancy Nicholson) produced a Pitjantjatjara Primer (illus W M Hilliard, Christian Pacific Literature Society, c 1960). She describes herself as an avid storyteller. Nancy also has a Diploma in Sociology from the University of NSW.

Most Referenced Works

Affiliation Notes

  • Born elsewhere; moved to SA

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Alitjinya Ngura Tjukurtjarangka Alitji in the Dreamtime Adelaide : University of Adelaide. Dept. of Adult Education , 1975 Z830420 1975 single work children's fiction children's fantasy humour

In this retelling of the Alice in Wonderland story set in Aboriginal Australia, the White Rabbit becomes the Kangaroo 'not, it should be emphasized, because there is no Pitjantjatjara word for 'rabbit', but simply because an Aboriginal Alice would naturally have seen a kangaroo in her dream.' (viii). Similarly the Red Queen is the Witch Spirit and the Caterpillar becomes a Witchety Grub while the Queen's Croquet Party becomes the Corroboree of the Witch Spirit. ('Introduction to Alitji' in Nancy Sheppard Alitjinya Ngura Tjukurtjarangka=Alitji in the Dreamtime (1975): viii).

1993 winner CBCA Book of the Year Awards Crichton Award for Debut Illustrator Won by Donna Leslie for the illustrations to the 1992 edition.
Last amended 17 Jan 2008 14:27:30
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