Eliza and Chief Boni work with Aboriginal poet Wallati
North West - 1839

Eliza wins the confidence of Aboriginal Elders, especially Chief Boni (Potembo, Ford p78), and records some verse of the Aboriginal poet Wallati (or Wullati, English spelling “Wollaje”)into English. Collaborative projects between Chief Boni, Wallati, Eliza and others are published or set to music by Isaac Nathan and become valuable works for preserving Indigenous vocabularies and culture. One early poem “The Eagle Chief” records a chant associated with Malivan, the totemic Eagle Hawk venerated by Aboriginal people as an ancestor. Native Poetry comprises three short “nung ngnun” (songs) composed by renowned poet, Wullati.

PLEASE NOTE

All the video recordings on this website were made at least a decade ago. Some are fifteen years old.

What the speakers say on camera was based on their own knowledge and researches at the time each video was made. Since then a great deal of information has come to hand which may make some of the information first recorded now outdated. Therefore please regard this website as a period piece presenting knowledge held and believed at the time of recording.

Eliza and Chief Boni work with Aboriginal poet Wallati North West - 1839

Eliza and Chief Boni work with Aboriginal poet Wallati
North West - 1839