Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World

AUSTRALIANA ABORIGINAL

“A paradigm-shifting book from Aboriginal scholar Tyson Yunkaporta, who brings a crucial Indigenous perspective to history, education, money, power, and sustainability-and offers a new template for living”–
What happens when global systems are viewed from an Indigenous perspective? How does it affect the way we see history, money, power and learning? Could it change the world?

This remarkable book is about everything from echidnas to evolution, cosmology to cooking, sex and science and spirits to Schrodinger’s cat.

Tyson Yunkaporta looks at global systems from an Indigenous perspective. He asks how contemporary life diverges from the pattern of creation. How does this affect us? How can we do things differently?

Sand Talk provides a template for living. It’s about how lines and symbols and shapes can help us make sense of the world. It’s about how we learn and how we remember. It’s about talking to everybody and listening carefully. It’s about finding different ways to look at things.

Most of all it’s about Indigenous thinking, and how it can save the world.

This remarkable book is about everything from echidnas to evolution, cosmology to cooking, sex and science and spirits to Schrödinger’s cat. Tyson Yunkaporta looks at global systems from an Indigenous perspective. He asks how contemporary life diverges from the pattern of creation. How does this affect us? How can we do things differently? Sand Talk provides a template for living. It’s about how lines and symbols and shapes can help us make sense of the world. It’s about how we learn and how we remember. It’s about talking to everybody and listening carefully. It’s about finding different ways to look at things. Most of all it’s about Indigenous thinking, and how it can save the world. ‘It was certainty that drove a bulldozer through the oldest and deepest philosophic statement on earth at Burrup Peninsula. Sand Talk offers no certainties and Tyson Yunkaporta is not a bulldozer driver. This is a book of cultural and philosophic intrigue. Read it.’ Bruce Pascoe, author of Dark Emu ‘Radical ideas, bursting with reason.’ Tara June Winch ‘After two hundred years, Indigenous thinkers are claiming the right to interpret Aboriginal Australia. It is a revolutionary change: here, in this compelling book, are its first fruits.’ Nicolas Rothwell.
“A book of cultural and philosophic intrigue. Read it.” Bruce Pascoe (Dark Emu)

About the Author

Tyson Yunkaporta is an academic, an arts critic, and a researcher who belongs to the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. He carves traditional tools and weapons and also works as a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne.

pp. 279 #0821/140823/030324
Aboriginal Australians — Attitudes. | Aboriginal Australians — Public opinion. | Indigenous peoples — Australia — Philosophy. | Indigenous peoples — Australia. | Anthropology. | Indigenous peoples. | Social & cultural anthropology. | Sociology & anthropology. | Social Science – Anthropology – General. | Social issues & processes. | Social Science / Indigenous Studies. | Australian