About Ambelin Kwaymullina author of Living on Stolen Land

Ambelin Kwaymullina is a First Nations writer and illustrator who comes from the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Ambelin tells stories across a range of forms, including poetry, short stories, essays, young adult novels, and picture books (but please note that this website is only for her works of creative fiction). Ambelin is a previous winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and the Aurealis Award. Read more

Reviews of Living on Stolen Land

Living on Stolen Land: Deconstructing the settler mythscape - Sydney Review of Books
"Living on Stolen Land is many things. Its slim form may suggest a light read. But this little book is anything but. Ambelin Kwaymullina has stated that Living On Stolen Land is her reflection on what it means to be born on and to live on the stolen land of Ancestors."
Review of ‘Living on Stolen Land’ by Ambelin Kwaymullina - by Nadia Rhook
"From its vivid cover, Ambelin Kwaymullina’s anti-colonial handbook, Living on Stolen Land, renders in bold brushstrokes the culture of oppression that plagues settler systems, culture and subjectivities. It addresses readers open to considering that colonialism need not be permanently with us, but is maintaining its power through the repetition of particular modes of thought and action."
Review: Living On Stolen Land - by Pelican Magazine
"All my life, I had grown up with the knowledge that my ancestors were early settlers in Australia and contributed to the displacement and unjust treatment of Indigenous Australian peoples. This fact bothered me, but never made me so uncomfortable as to take action or do anything about it; these were my ancestors, so surely it was not my responsibility to feel their guilt, to fight for Indigenous freedoms on their behalf?"

References to media on this page: Ambelin Kwaymullina. (2023) [Photograph]. University of Western Australia. https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/ambelin-kwaymullina

Other resources

Magala books - teacher notes on Living on Stolen Land
"Through her writing, Ambelin Kwaymullina
invites readers to deeply engage in the many and varied First Nations’ cultures, including the interconnectivity with Country that is pivotal to the longevity and sustainability of Indigenous ways. As such, Ambelin’s perspective produces a text that is truly absorbing and provocative."

Video

(n.d.) [Video file]. Glee Books. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDceCazXDjI&t=845s&ab_channel=GleebooksAuthorTalks

Yr 11 Literature: Dropbear and Living on Stolen Land

About Ambelin Kwaymullina author of Living on Stolen Land

Reviews of Living on Stolen Land

Other resources

Video

(n.d.) [Video file]. Glee Books. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDceCazXDjI&t=845s&ab_channel=GleebooksAuthorTalks