Tal-am

the long version

The story ofr Tal-am commences in the Dreaming with the imaginary figure of Tal-am travelling from the beginning of time to the present, moving across the land, narrating incidents and events which affected Aboriginal life. Tal-am is the dreaming - one man's Dreaming. It is a call for help in its simplest form. It is a call for the recognition of Aboriginal culture with all of its beauty and richness. The poetry is plainly written and easy to read, with one simple message, one simple theme; that is the importance of giving to people cultural recognition and understanding. Without that a person is left with a life without purpose, discipline and respect, to drift hopelessly isolated within a community with little hope for the future. Tal-am is the author's understanding of Aboriginality and the Dreaming. This understanding is formed from a white, academically trained perspective, and presented in the hope of widening both understanding and debate within the community.