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We must become gatekeepers : editing indigenous writing

Version 2 2024-06-13, 07:59
Version 1 2014-10-28, 08:49
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-13, 07:59 authored by R Freeman
With the proliferation of Indigenous texts currently published by specialist and mainstream publishers, non-Indigenous editors increasingly find themselves negotiating the uncomfortable territories of race, politics and power for which current training (in an Australian context) leaves them poorly prepared. Indigenous writer Anita Heiss advocates the employment of Indigenous editors as an 'ideal' solution, though few are currently working in the Australian industry. Margaret McDonell, an experienced non-Indigenous editor of Indigenous texts, suggests non-Indigenous editors need to 'undertake a journey of learning' during which 'assumptions, biases, tastes and preconceptions' are examined. Yet this presents a difficult task within a postcolonial society, when, as identified by Clare Bradford, even the classification of texts into genres such as fiction and the short story represents an entirely Eurocentric construct, 'not readily correspond[ing] with Aboriginal schemata'. The Australian Society of Authors' discussion paper 'Writing about Indigenous Australia: Some Issues to Consider and Protocols to Follow' provides practical guidelines that may be adapted for editorial use. This article canvasses these and other ideas with a focus on establishing an ethical and appropriately sensitive cross-cultural approach to editing Indigenous writing.

History

Journal

New writing : the international journal for the practice and theory of creative writing

Volume

6

Pagination

133-149

Location

London, England

ISSN

1479-0726

eISSN

1943-3107

Indigenous content

This research output may contain the names and images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased. We apologise for any distress that may occur.

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2009, Taylor & Francis

Issue

2

Publisher

Routledge