| ISBN |
9781925302233 |
| Author |
Neidjie, Bill, 1913-2002 (author) |
| Title |
Clever man : the life of Paddy Compass Namadbara / as told by Big Bill Neidjie, Bluey Ilkgirr, Jacob Nayinggul, Jim Wauchope, Johnny Williams Snr, Ron Cooper, Thomas Yuludjiri and others ; compiled by Ian White. |
| Portion of title |
Life of Paddy Compass Namadbara. |
| Life of Paddy Compass Namatbara. |
| Publisher and/or associated date/s |
Canberra, ACT : Aboriginal Studies Press, 2020. |
| ©2020. |
| Description |
xix, 108 pages, 15 pages of plates : illustrations (chiefly colour), 1 colour map, portraits (chiefly colour) ; 24 cm. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 100-108) |
| Contents |
The tellers of the story - the main accounts -- Making of a Cleverman - Acquiring the power - the sugarbag event; speaking with the yumbarrbarr -- the power of Marrikidjbu - Healing - Balanda accounts, Sorcery -- Manifestations of power - Water divining, Clever knowledge -- Kumula and the wider community - Making leaders for the community -- Passing on the power - Namadbara's 'power objects' -- His death - and after - Namadbara's post-death influence -- Namadbara's legacy -- Paddy Compass Namadbara: a putative timeline. |
| Summary |
“Clever Man: The Life of Paddy Compass Namadbara offers a unique perspective on the life and making of the Aboriginal Western Arnhem clever man or marrkidjbu. Born at the end of the 19th Century when the Western world had scarcely touched Arnhem Land, Paddy Compass Namadbara acted as a healer for his countryman and became a powerful and revered leader. Using his clever abilities and wisdom to nurture his community, he enabled the community to deal with the cultural and social changes of the encroaching Western world. He achieved the reputation of traditional marrkidjbu described as a ‘proper number one champion!’ Based on stories told by the people he helped, some profoundly and in extraordinary ways, this unique biography looks at his life through the eyes of his Western Arnhem countrymen who witnessed his extraordinary abilities.”--Back cover. |
| Subjects |
Namatbara, Paddy Compass, -- 1890-1973 |
| Healers, Aboriginal Australian |
| Elders (Indigenous leaders) |
| Artists, Aboriginal Australian -- Northern Territory -- Arnhem Land -- Biography |
| Health - Treatments - Traditional - Clever People |
| Social organisation - Elders |
| Art - Artists - Men |
| Aboriginal Australians -- Medicine |
| Aboriginal Australians -- Social life and customs |
| Aboriginal Australians -- Northern Territory -- Arnhem Land -- Biography |
| Arnhem Land (N.T.) -- Social life and customs |
| Other Authors &/or Associated Persons |
Ilkgirr, Bluey (author) |
| Nayinggul, Jacob, 1940-2012 (author) |
| Wauchope, Jim (author) |
| Williams, Johnny, Snr (author) |
| Cooper, Ron (author) |
| Yuludjiri, Thomas (author) |
| White, Ian (compiler) |
| Call number |
2020.358 |
