Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers
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, OhioCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.