or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime Free Trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn More
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers [Paperback]

K. Langloh Parker (Author), Johanna Lambert (Editor)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

List Price: $14.95
Price: $10.91 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.04 (27%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Only 4 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).
Want it delivered Friday, February 3? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Paperback $10.91  
Audio, Cassette --  

Book Description

July 1, 1993
Extending deep into the caverns of humanity's oldest memories, beyond 60,000 years of history and into the Dreamtime, this collection of Australian Aboriginal myths has been passed down through the generations by tribal storytellers. The myths were compiled at the turn of the century by K. Langloh Parker, one of the first Europeans to realize their significance and spiritual sophistication. Saved from drowning by Aboriginal friends when she was just a child, Parker subsequently gained unique access to Aboriginal women and to stories that had previously eluded anthropologists.

In the stories, women tell of their own initiations and ceremonies, the origins and destiny of humanity, and the behavioral codes for society. Included are stories of child-rearing practices, young love in adversity, the dangers of invoking the spiritual powers, the importance of social sharing, the role of women in male conflicts, the dark feminine, and the transformational power of language. Wise Women of the Dreamtime allows us to participate in the world's oldest stories and to begin a new dream of harmony between human society and nature.


Frequently Bought Together

Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers + Mutant Message Down Under, Tenth Anniversary Edition + Mutant Message from Forever : A Novel of Aboriginal Wisdom
Price For All Three: $32.17

Show availability and shipping details

Buy the selected items together
  • In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Mutant Message Down Under, Tenth Anniversary Edition $10.07

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Mutant Message from Forever : A Novel of Aboriginal Wisdom $11.19

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details



Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Australian writer Lambert has done a masterful job of editing the traditional Aboriginal myths and stories collected by Katie Langloh Parker (1856-1940). Parker, whose life was saved by an Aboriginal girl as a child, spent most of her life on an outback ranch and befriended several Aboriginal women. From them she gathered tales that she translated into English and later published. Parker was meticulous in her effort to convey the true essence and meaning of each story. The 14 stories Lambert has chosen from Parker's collection concern ancestral powers, animal powers, magic, and healing. They provide an interesting perspective on major life themes as perceived by traditional Aboriginal women. Lambert has included her own insightful commentaries for each myth. This well-written anthology should be of value to academic libraries with collections on Australian Aboriginal culture, women's studies, and world mythology.
- Elizabeth Salt, Otterbein Coll. Lib., Westerville, Ohio
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"This well-written anthology provides an interesting perspective on major life themes . . . as perceived by traditional Aboriginal women."
(Library Journal )

"Parker's prose, although a century old, communicates well to today's reader. Although Parker herself wrote that the sophisticated, dynamic textures of actual storytelling performances were untranslatable, her use of Aboriginal names and lexicon helps create an affinity with the original stores.

"Lambert's uniformly thoughtful commentaries present select aspects of the Aboriginal worldview and culture, intertwined with ethnographic detail. Lambert also frequently relates Aboriginal themes to issues relevant to contemporary life, often those of immediate concern to women.

"Wise Women of the Dreamtime is a well presented book:The text, supporting material, artwork (the reproductions of Dorothy Djuukulul's bark paintings are marvelous), and even the printing and paper stock all work together to create a powerful and compelling volume."
(Shaman's Drum?? )

"Australian writer Lambert has done a masterful job of editing the traditional Aboriginal myths and stories collected by Katie Langloh Parker (1856-1940). Parker, whose life was saved by an Aboriginal girl as a child, spent most of her life on an outback ranch and befriended several Aboriginal women. From them she gathered tales that she translated into English and later published. Parker was meticulous in her effort to convey the true essence and meaning of each story. The 14 stories Lambert has chosen from Parker's collection concern ancestral powers, animal powers, magic, and healing. They provide an interesting perspective on major life themes as perceived by traditional Aboriginal women. Lambert has included her own insightful commentaries for each myth. This well-written anthology should be of value to academic libraries with collections on Australian Aboriginal culture, women's studies, and world mythology."
(Library Journal (Friday , October 01, 1993) Elizabeth Salt, Otterbein Coll. Lib., Westerville, Ohio )

"Truly universalist, these tales are an intriguing introduction into one of the first traceable world views, one revering the feminine."
(Gynocratic Visions )

Product Details

  • Paperback: 160 pages
  • Publisher: Inner Traditions Internatonal (July 1, 1993)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0892814772
  • ISBN-13: 978-0892814770
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

122 of 123 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Aboriginal Stories, August 2, 2003
By 
Heidi M. Hawkins "heidimo" (Bellingham, WA: City of Subdued Excitement) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers (Paperback)
I bought this book with the hope of finding something more authentic than some of the more popular books on Australian Aboriginal culture I'd read. Though these stories have been collected, translated and compiled by Anglo Australians, my impression is that the authenticity of these stories has been retained. I do believe my authenticity-meter is pretty accurate. However, I have no authority on the subject, and would love to see a review here from someone who does. In absence of such, I hope my review is helpful to others.

Each story is followed by Johanna Lambert's commentary. Lambert draws parallels between concepts in these stories, and myths of other cultures. She also explains the contextual beliefs of Aboriginal people in a way that I found helpful and seems respectful to me. At times the psychoanalytical perspective seems a bit forced when applied to these stories and Aboriginal culture in general. I wonder if psychoanalysis is universal enough to be applicable to something so ancient and whole in and of itself. For the most part, though, I found the analysis helpful, and if you don't, you can just read the stories and skip the analysis which follows.

If your exposure to Aboriginal culture from the women's perspective is limited to Lynn Andrews or Marlo Morgan, I highly recommend you read this book. Also a great book for anthropologists and students of shamanism or global spirituality. Or, if you enjoyed "Rabbit-Proof Fence," if you just like to hear about different perspectives than your own or want to understand the various people of the world, this book is for you. Recommended.

~heidimo

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars interesting reading, July 13, 2009
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers (Paperback)
This book was interesting but not what I expected. Guess I was hoping for more personal accounts than retold mythology.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Wise Women of the Dreamtime, February 5, 2009
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers (Paperback)
A very good introduction to Australian Aboriginal stories - the book provides the traditional story and then explains its function as a tool for teaching young people.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews


Only search this product's reviews




Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums



So You'd Like to...



Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject