Ruby Langford Ginibi was one of the most important figures in Aboriginal and Australian cultural and
literary history. She died on 1 October 2011. Through her landmark writings, she was pivotal in
presenting to Australian culture an Aboriginal perspective on Australian history, culture and tradition.
Her published writings, including the now canonical text Don’t Take Your Love to Town, effectively
contributed to the establishment of a new genre of writing, termed ‘life writing,’ that intermixed
personal and public narrative, community and national history, and that innovatively deployed
Aboriginal oral tradition within a print medium to give voice to Aboriginals in this country. Ideally,
Aunty Ruby should be receiving a state funeral in recognition of her outstanding contribution to
Australian identity and culture.
Her published writings were instrumental in laying the foundation for future Aboriginal writers,
including Dr Anita Heiss, who has publicly acknowledged the debt that she and other young Aboriginal
writers owe to Aunty Ruby’s trailblazing achievements.
Aunty Ruby’s writings have been taught across a wide range of university courses and disciplines,
including cultural studies, literature, sociology, Indigenous studies, anthropology, sociology and
Australian studies. As an acclaimed author, historian and lecturer on Aboriginal history, politics and
culture, Aunty Ruby was passionately committed to achieving social justice for her people through the
medium of education. Her contribution in the field of education was recognised through an Honorary
Doctorate of Letters (Honos Causia), awarded by La Trobe University, Victoria, in 1998. In addition,
Aunty Ruby’s enormous contribution to Australian and Aboriginal culture has been validated by the
range of national and state awards she received in the course of her career, including: the Australian
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Human Rights Award for Literature; the inaugural
History Fellowship from the NSW Ministry of Arts; the Australia Council for the Arts Writers’
Emeritus Award; and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Special Award.
If any one would like to contribute to Auntie Ruby’s funeral expenses please let us know, as there is a
$17,000 shortfall in the cost of her burial. We are also lobbying state authorities for this on behalf of
the family. Suvendrini Perera has guaranteed the cost of the funeral and any help would be much
appreciated. Please send any donations to Suvendrini at the address below.
Professor Suvendrini Perera
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts Curtin University Perth, WA 6102
S.Perera@curtin.edu.au
Associate Professor Joseph Pugliese
Macquarie University
Sydney, NSW
Joseph.Pugliese@mq.edu.au
The Institute is currently on the lookout for students or graduates from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to participate in an exciting new series of projects. Original and creative thinkers are strongly encouraged to join. If you would like to get involved, please contact the Institute and come along to our next meeting.
On the evening of Friday 7th November the Institute fare-welled its inaugural Patrons, Justice Michael Kirby and Professor Lowitja O'Donoghue at a buffet dinner. It was a memorable night: important things were said; swansongs were sung and there was much camaraderie.
Lowitja O'Donoghue and Michael Kirby at their farewell function
Lowitja spoke of her elation over Barack Obama's recent election and reflected on the challenges she herself faced having one black and one white parent and the expectations this created for her. Lowitja spoke of the importance of the stories people tell, which shape how they perceive themselves and the worlds they inhabit, and the challenge which these stories can pose to dominant conceptions and ideals.
Michael spoke about the power of ideas that, over time, can work fundamental change. He spoke of the use of international human rights law developed in the UN system and how this has been put into effect in cases in Bangalore, India and within the Mabo judgement in Australia.
Lowitja gave the audience pause for thought with a rendition of 'Whiter than Snow' a song she had been taught at Colebrook Home, the institution she was placed in after being removed from her mother at the age of two. Michael responded by saying that within his life although he was not taught to be 'whiter than snow', he was encouraged to be 'straighter than straight.'
They both spoke of the idea to be co-runners in the 2009 Australian Idol series. “Now, that
really would offer a great representation of difference, identity and culture, wouldn’t it?”
Phillip Darby thanked the patrons for how much they have contributed to the life of the Institute, particularly how they encouraged us to reach out to a broader constituency and to apply postcolonial theory to the problems at hand. “We hope”, he said, “that as you go out into the sunset together – to use Michael’s phrase – you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have left the Institute better placed than before to make, at least, a modest difference.”
The Institute is delighted to welcome Robyn Archer, AO, and Justice Anthony North as its new patrons.
The inaugural patrons of the Institute, Justice Michael Kirby and Professor Lowitja O'Donoghue, were farewelled by members at a dinner on Friday 7th November 2008. It was a memorable night: important things were said; swansongs were sung; there was much camaraderie.
Read more about the event and the biographies of our new patrons in the IPCS February 2009 Newsletter.
