Co-narration of a Koko-Bera story: Giants in Cape York Peninsula

Paul Black

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Abstract

    In a recent paper Michael Walsh (in press) took the importance of co-construction to be one of ten ways in which traditional Aboriginal narratives differed from Anglo narratives. As an example of co-construction the present paper presents a story from the Koko-Bera language (western Cape York Peninsula, Australia) that differs from other known Australian Aboriginal examples in the way it was jointly delivered by two narrators, a matter I refer to as co-narration. This text is also interesting in that it purports to be a historical account of how a paternal uncle of the narrators married into a family of giants who lived offshore in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and there is in fact some supporting historical evidence of at least one man of exceptional stature living along that coast at about that time.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationIndigenous language and social identity
    Subtitle of host publicationPapers in honour of Michael Walsh
    Place of PublicationCanberra, ACT, Australia
    PublisherPacific Linguistics / ANU
    Chapter22
    Pages261-274
    Number of pages14
    ISBN (Print)9780858836181
    Publication statusPublished - 2010

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