Indigenous stories and non-Indigenous writers: some reflections on respect and process - guest post by Ambelin Kwaymullina

Indigenous stories and non-Indigenous writers: some reflections on respect and process

I sat down to write this post a while ago; during the course of writing it, author JK Rowling released a story that inappropriately incorporates aspects of the cultures of the Indigenous peoples of North America. I have spent much of the last couple of days listening to Indigenous peoples from across the sea give voice to their distress. So before I begin speaking of process and respect in an Australian context, it seemed only right that I acknowledge those voices, and encourage everyone to read their words.

This is the second of two posts; the first examined myths caused by misdiagnosing a lack of diversity in literature as a diversity problem rather than as a privilege problem. The purpose of this second post is to reflect on a few of the issues surrounding non-Indigenous writers and Indigenous stories in Australia. In the 1980s, Indigenous publisher Magabala Books was established in part because of the retelling of Indigenous narratives by non-Indigenous writers in circumstances where there was no free, prior and informed consent from – or any sharing of copyright or benefits with – the Indigenous knowledge-holders. While it has become less ‘business as usual’ in Australia to see books published in this way, it still happens. I’m sometimes asked what I think about it. My view is that non-Indigenous writers should not be telling cultural narratives unless it is done in equitable partnership with the relevant Indigenous knowledge-holders. And for a partnership to be equitable, I think it requires that royalties and copyright be shared. An example of such a collaboration is the one between non-Indigenous historian Howard Pederson and Bunuba man Banjo Woorunmurra for the book Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance (copyright and royalties are shared between Howard Pederson and the Bunuba people). Further, there are some stories where copyright should remain entirely with the Indigenous person or people. Whether this is the case is something for the relevant Indigenous person or community to determine – but that decision has to be made free from pressure; prior to a project commencing: and on an informed basis. For example, the copyright in Woman from No Where – the biography of the late Hazel McKeller – is held by Hazel (and now her heir). Non-Indigenous academic Kerry McCallum, who worked with Hazel on the book, has her contribution credited on the cover. The process for writing this book is discussed in More than Words – Writing, Indigenous culture and copyright in Australia (a paper written by Murri lawyer Terri Janke).

Another topic I’ve been asked about is the use of Indigenous advisors or beta readers. To begin with, I think the Indigenous person should be paid at a rate that acknowledges the value of their time and expertise. The expectations (on both sides) and boundaries of the relationship also need to be clearly established from the beginning of the process. In the United States, there have been instances where the advice of expert readers was ignored or used selectively. And there is a larger consideration here, which is this: when does an Indigenous advisor or beta reader become a co-author? When do they become such an influence on the story that their contribution should be acknowledged through a share in the copyright and royalties? This is especially the case where the Indigenous input relates to culture, because the incorporation of Indigenous culture into books by non-Indigenous writers is fraught with cultural appropriation issues. The massive imbalance of power between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples precludes any notion of cultural exchange (which requires equality), and the vulnerable position of Indigenous peoples is exacerbated by the lack of protection for Indigenous knowledge and cultural expressions under Western intellectual property laws.

I’ve sometimes been told by writers that their inappropriate use of Indigenous material is justified on the basis that it is part of the Western literary tradition to ‘borrow’ stories or cultural elements from elsewhere, to which I reply: But you’re not writing about your culture or traditions. You’re writing about mine – and my culture has rules about when and how stories can be told, and who can tell them. And if non-Indigenous authors are writing about us because they care about Indigenous culture (as many tell me they do), then I think they should respect it enough to know when it is not their place to speak, and what it is not their place to speak about. This is especially so given that Indigenous peoples are among the most marginalised peoples on earth; that our cultures have been subject to sustained efforts to destroy them; that we continue to experience discrimination; and that our living traditions are our lifeblood. Appropriation of Indigenous cultures and stories causes real harm to real people – and we have already been harmed enough.  

We live in the age of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which affirms the rights of Indigenous peoples to our cultures, heritage and languages (Articles 11, 12 and 13). Extensive past problems with the misuse of (and lack of protection for) Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property has resulted in the production of numerous protocols and guidelines, including the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies ethical research guidelines and ethical publishing guidelines, and the Australia Council for the Arts Protocols for producing Indigenous writing.

And yet.

And yet I have talked to non-Indigenous authors who have read all those guidelines and still believe that their use of Indigenous material is acceptable provided they acknowledge the relevant people, with issues of benefits-sharing and ownership being ignored. 

And yet I have talked to publishers who believe that consent to the use of cultural material is purely the responsibility of the non-Indigenous writer, and that the publisher has no obligation to ensure that consent was given on a free, prior and (especially) informed basis.

And yet I am often asked by writers why they can’t do something when they’ve seen another non-Indigenous author do it – and the book they are referring me to is ten, twenty, thirty or forty years old. The world has changed, and what was done in an era where understandings were more limited is not a guide to what should be done now.

We still seem to have a long way to go.

Ambelin Kwaymullina is an Aboriginal writer, illustrator and academic who comes from the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. She works at the Law School at the University of Western Australia and is the author of a number of picture books as well as the YA speculative fiction series, The Tribe.  

Guest post: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner discuss Science Fiction/Science Fantasy

We recently heard a great phrase: more fi than sci. It was used to describe a book that was set in the future. The story explored an idea sparked by a new piece of technology, imagining the ways it might develop in the future. Of course, reality might have gone differently, but the book was definitely imagining a future that could happen due to that technology.

Without a plot completely grounded in scientific theory or ideas, and certainly featuring a healthy dose of imagination, was it science fiction, or science fantasy?

Did you know that invisibility cloaks are nearly a reality? Oh yes, Harry Potter shows us the way! This article has a list of amazing inventions and discoveries that are bringing us closer every day to things we never dreamed we’d do. That’s one of the tricky things about science fiction: technology moves faster all the time, and sometimes so fast that it can outstrip your premise while you’re still revising your novel!

Arthur C. Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey and one of the fathers of modern science fiction, said that ‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic’.

That’s where we reach the intersection of science and imagination. If we can’t predict where science might go, then we can start with a kernel—and do our research to ensure we don’t break any laws of science—and then imagine how that science might develop. If invisibility cloaks are on the way, what else can we imagine?

In These Broken Stars, we played with a lot of science around space and intergalactic travel (but we can’t tell you more without spoiling some twists), and once we’d done our research, we imagined!

Science fiction or science fantasy? In the end, we say what works best for storytellers is combining science with imagination, and you can call that anything you like.

These Broke Stars is now available at all good bookstores, and my review is now up!

'10 Tips for a Healthy Interspecies Relationship' by Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini

 

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I’m so pleased that my two favorite aliens, Kitty Katt-Martini and her husband Jeff Martini, were able to take time out from their world-saving to come over to Alpha Rader and speak to me. I’m especially grateful to them (and their creator, Gini Koch) because I know their sixth book ‘Alien vs. Alien’ is released on December 4th and they’re no doubt gearing up for a very busy festive season! 

So without further ado – I give you ….

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10 Tips for a Healthy Interspecies Relationship
By Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini

Hi, I’m Katherine “Kitty” Katt-Martini, and I narrate the true-life adventures of what it’s like to live and work with the most gorgeous, talented, and out of this world folks around. Heavy emphasis on “out of this world”. Because they’re originally from another world -- Alpha Four of the Alpha Centauri system.

Along the way I, and many others, have fallen in love with a special someone who’s got a lot of special under the hood, so to speak. And, for some reason, everyone’s looking to me for advice about how to ensure that their beloved remains their beloved forever and ever. (No, I’m not sure why, either, but I roll with it.)

So, to help everyone out, let’s get the advice flowing! To be fair, I’ve asked my main squeeze, Jeff Martini, to help me out.

Jeff: Main squeeze? I’m your husband.

Kitty: Right you are! So, what’s your first tip?

Jeff: Never refer to your spouse as your ‘main squeeze’. Because it indicates there are subsidiary and secondary squeezes.

Kitty: Only to the overly jealous, like you.

Jeff: Thanks for proving my point.

Kitty: Okay, we’ll go with, “Be sensitive to your special someone’s needs, particularly if your special someone is a really strong empath with serious jealousy issues.”

Jeff: I’ll take it. I’d add that sometimes a person needs their own space, and you should be understanding about it.

Kitty: When have I, or you, for that matter, needed our own space?

Jeff: You did way back when.

Kitty: Okay, we’re contracted with Alpha Reader here for ten tips, so I’ll take it. That’s Tip Two, folks, space! Accept that your mate will be considered the hottest thing on two legs by everyone, everywhere, and try not to worry about fading into the woodwork when standing next to them.

Jeff: Right, because we A-Cs don’t care about looks.

Kitty: Well the gals, or Dazzlers, as I call them, sure don’t. Brains and brain capacity, that’s their thing. To a scary degree.

Jeff: A-C men prefer a brainy girl to a pretty one. I just happened to score the sexiest and smartest girl in the galaxy.

Kitty: Tip Four would be to lay on the compliments, because that kind of stuff never gets old.

Jeff: Hey, it’s true. I like how you slid Tip Three in while no one was looking, baby.

Kitty: Thanks, I thought it was pretty slick, myself. So, next up would be to dump any prejudices you might want to cart along, because A-Cs have no sexual orientation or skin color hang-ups. Or age hang-ups. And most of the religious issues are being handled -- convert, don’t convert, everyone’s okay with it now.

Jeff: Most everyone. Not all. But I do agree that in many things, we’re far more liberal and relaxed than humans. But not everything.

Kitty: True enough, which brings me to our next tip -- get used to seeing your male spouse in a black Armani suit, white shirt, and black tie for the rest of your life. And if your spouse is female, she’ll be in the white Oxford button-down and a black slim skirt forever. A-Cs love their formality and their Armani, not necessarily in that order.

Jeff: I like the suit. I’m comfortable in the suit.

Kitty: I know. Believe me, I know. So, Tip Seven is to remember that even if your alien mate was born on Earth, like my man was, they were probably schooled within the A-C community, so there are still areas where they act very alien, and also don’t get human reactions or terminology.

Jeff: Same goes for humans not understanding us.

Kitty: I suppose. Tip Eight is that almost no A-C can lie believably to any human. There are a few who can, but they have their own special clubhouse. The rest of them? Cannot lie to save their or anyone else’s lives. They get around this problem by not telling you the whole story. But pay attention and you’ll soon easily spot your mate’s tells. After that, go to town.

Jeff: I don’t have tells.

Kitty: OMG, Jeff, you have more tells than anyone else on Earth.

Jeff: Thanks for that. Okay, two more tips, let’s make them count. I’ve got the tips your dad gave me when we were getting married. The main one being a happy wife is a happy life.

Kitty: My dad’s the greatest, isn’t he? Okay, last tip, Tip Ten -- be willing to risk your life for your alien mate, because they’ll be willing to risk theirs for you. And remember that, due to their double-hearts and increased stamina, they are sexual gods and goddesses, making all that life and limb risking beyond totally worth it.

Jeff: I went for the sweet, caring last tip, and you went for life risking and sex. What does that say about us?

Kitty: Whoops, time’s up! That’s all the tips for today, folks! We now return you to our regularly scheduled Alpha Reader!

Get ready to read Jeff and Kitty Martini in their new book 'Alien vs Alien' out on December 4!