AustLit

Sheahan-Bright explores '...the growth in publishing by Indigenous writers and publishers, and of writing on Indigenous cultural themes, and some of the issues which confront publishers when dealing with Indigenous writers and illustrators' (8). The article begins with some background, and points out that despite a cultural and artistic heritage that dates back thousands of years, Indigenous writing and publishing has not been widely recognised in mainstream Australian until most recently and Sheahan-Bright says "This is despite their having been engaged in colonial conflict and later subject to the...assimilation policies which discouraged involvement with European notions of literacy" (8). She discusses the origins of the Indigenous publishing houses Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP), Institute of Aboriginal Development (IAD Press), Magabala Books, Keeaira Press, Black Ink Press, Indij Readers and briefly refers to the above mentioned texts in the section entitled 'what's being published'. This leads into a summary of the five main issues in relation to Indigenous publishing and the 'need for authenticity in writing about Indigenous peoples and culture' (11). Sheahan-Bright lists these issues as 'respect for country and Indigenous control of material', relevance of copyright issues, lack of understanding from non-Indigenous Australians, the need to consider 'protocol, specific authority, appropriation' and finally, to develop an awareness of the social factors that contribute to the socially and economically disadvantaged position of the majority of Indigenous Australians. She argues that 'knowledge of Indigenous culture is a genuine part of Australian culture ...and the publishing output should reflect that' (12). However, she concludes that while 'there has been growth in publishing Indigenous voices in English', in general, 'there are many miles still to be travelled and many seeds still to be sown' (12)