Tammy Damulkurra  
“a landmark in Australian literature”  Maurice Rioli, MLA

****Now with Audio files****

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​A Classic Australian Story. 


An Indigenous Literacy Foundation selected book 2015.

This is the classic Australian and Aboriginal story written by a teacher and his
remote area students in 1994. Derek Pugh and The Sunshine Girls published
Tammy Damulkurra with Aboriginal Studies Press in 1995. The first edition
rapidly sold out but a demand still exists from schools and libraries across
Australia. This book was written by and for teenagers and remains a “landmark
in Australian literature” for Indigenous students and all Australians.

Fifteen year old Tammy Damulkurra lives in Maningrida - a remote
Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land. Tammy has friends and likes the
disco and thinks at last she has her first boyfriend but he jilts her and
Tammy gets into a fight with her arch enemy, Sharon. Tammy's parents
send her to the outstations for several weeks to cool off and she quickly
gets used to the bush and fishing and hunting with relatives. When she
returns to Maningrida her love life is a mess and it's not until she leaves
again for school that she realises that it's all going to be okay.
Originally released in 1995 this second edition celebrates two decades of
literacy education in remote communities in Australia.


Tammy Damulkurra  is a negotiated text novel written with the ‘Sunshine Girls of Maningrida’. Now in its second edition, it was selected to be on The Indigenous Literacy Foundation Reading List in 2016. email: [email protected]
Out NOW in shops or click to purchase on line or phone The Bookshop Darwin on 08 8941 3489.

“a story that will strike chords with many teenagers,” with a “naive quality and adolescent voice (which) makes it instantly accessible” B Richardson

Tammy Damulkurra is now an English language novel studied in Kiribati, in the year 9 curriculum!



For a Workshop in your school based on Tammy Damulkurra contact
​
www.derekpugh.com.au, [email protected].
​
Workshop: Negotiated Texts in the Classroom with Derek Pugh

This workshop introduces classes to the idea that they can collaborate on a writing project and create an extended text based on their combined life experiences. Modelled on the acclaimed novella Tammy Damulkurra, the workshop works through the process of creating a story and developing fictional characters based on the truth of daily life in the students’ community.
 
To complete the project a significant time investment from the students’ and their teacher is required.
After the workshop the class teacher will be able to continue a writing project with his/her students and will be able to program according to requirements of the Australian Curriculum. Similar projects have taken up to six weeks of the English literacy program.
 
Australian Curriculum goals covered by a program will include, but not be limited to:
 
Responding to Literature
  • Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others and justifying a point of view (ACELT1620)
  • Compare the ways that language and images are used to create character, and to influence emotions and opinions in different types of texts (ACELT1621)
 
Examining Literature
  • Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and settings are combined in narratives, and discuss the purposes and appeal of different approaches (ACELT1622)
 
Creating Literature
  • Create literary texts that adapt stylistic features encountered in other texts, for example, narrative viewpoint, structure of stanzas, contrast and juxtaposition (ACELT1625)
  • Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects, monologue, layout, navigation and colour (ACELT1805)
 
Creating texts
  • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
  • Edit for meaning by removing repetition, refining ideas, reordering sentences and adding or substituting words for impact (ACELY1726)
  • Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to confidently create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts (ACELY1728)

  • Cross-curriculum priorities - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History and Culture:
  • … that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are able to see themselves, their identities and their cultures reflected in the curriculum of each of the learning areas, can fully participate in the curriculum and can build their self-esteem.