About

Bentley James
Anthropologist/Linguist/Educator

https://www.yolngusignlanguage.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/SaveYSL/

Centre for Australian Studies Universität zu Köln.

APE Association of Philanthropic Ethnograpy.
ALAA Applied Linguistics Association of Australia.
Mobile: 0402704354
flammula

16 thoughts on “About

  1. vacillika konestabo says:

    Hi, we are interested in buying a copy of the atlas. Is it for sale, where can we find it and how much is it please?

    Hope to hear from you, happy days. Cilla

    • Thank you for your thoughtful correspondence and kind words. I am sure if I had been able to pass them on to Baymarrwangga she would have smiled too. Her instructions were that the Atlas is a resource of ancestral knowledge not for sale. We cannot sell the Atlas, but we can encourage donations to assist in furthering the project of passing on this rare knowledge asset to the next generations. As always donors giving more than a thousand dollars will receive an Atlas as a gift, the few remaining others are for the children Big Boss created them for. To the many sincere people that generously promised their help the opportunity is here. The distribution of the Atlas to schoolchildren around the N.T continues. The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA) as always is helping out and your donation to the NAILSMA tax deductible gift account will help us share this valuable resource to schools.

  2. I just watched the documentary about ‘Big Boss’ and Yan Nhanu people – it was one of the most moving documentaries I have seen. I wish the whole world could learn these lessons.

  3. Robyn McLean says:

    We have just watched your documentary on Big Boss. What an absolutely amazing lady and how lucky you were to have known her. Is there a possibility of buying the dictionary/atlas? We believe that all Australians need to learn more about aboriginal culture and this would be a start.
    Thank you

    • Thank you for your thoughtful correspondence and kind words. I am sure if I had been able to pass them on to Baymarrwangga she would have smiled too. Her instructions were that the Atlas is a resource of ancestral knowledge not for sale. We cannot sell the Atlas, but we can encourage donations to assist in furthering the project of passing on this rare knowledge asset to the next generations. As always donors giving more than a thousand dollars will receive an Atlas as a gift, the few remaining others are for the children Big Boss created them for. To the many sincere people that generously promised their help the opportunity is here. The distribution of the Atlas to schoolchildren around the N.T continues. The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA) as always is helping out and your donation to the NAILSMA tax deductible gift account will help us share this valuable resource to schools.

  4. I just watched a program on TV about Big Boss, Great Doco.
    I believe that you have done more for indigenous culture and their people than any one else in Australia.
    You are to be congratulated on your effort in helping these people get their true stories out and passing those stories, language, way of life on to future generations.

  5. Terence Jeyaretnam says:

    Good to meet you today Bentley! Terence.

  6. It was four years ago today 4.09.2014, that wrote vale big boss. It’s heart warming to walk around on her country early in the morning and listen to the wind. Thankyou

  7. apft.edu.in says:

    First of all I would like to say fantastic blog! I had a quick question which I’d
    like to ask if you don’t mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your mind prior to writing.

    I have had a hard time clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out.
    I truly do take pleasure in writing however it just seems
    like the first 10 to 15 minutes are usually wasted just trying
    to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints?
    Appreciate it!

  8. Gary says:

    We have just watched the doco on big boss what an amazing story thank you for sharing those 20 years they will stay with me forever.

  9. Therese Puruntatameri says:

    Hi,just want to say that I watched the documentary of ‘Big Boss’ and her people known as the Yan Nhanu people and felt that she was quite an inspirational lady. It was quite moving and I thank you for assisting her in hopes for her people ,the culture that you assisted a great lady to maintain the important things of ‘Culture’ .Such a great lady and I bow down to her and she quite reminds me of my old man,my father who was a man of status in my community and a culture man . My father was of old school I might add . When he died he took most of the culture but am proud to say he installed most of it in me and my siblings on the Tiwi Islands . My sisters and myself are doing all we can to teach and pas on all of our Tiwi knowledge to our younger generations. Indigenous language has a scope but unfortunately some people don’t think so . I continue to teach everything that I know from my father as a teacher . Anyway I thank you for assisting such a great lady, may god bless her . She was such an inspiration ,am glad I watched the documentary because I’ve learnt a lot from watching it.

  10. Standing on the sand dunes at Bulgupuluguŋa on Murruŋga watching the sunlight play in the makuyuk grass i had a feeling that big boss was close and was celebrating the sun set with us. 29 Aug 2020 Murruŋga, largest of the outer Crocodile Islands

  11. Sophie says:

    Dr. James,
    I have just watched ‘BIG BOSS The Last Leader of the Crocodile Islands’. I am so inspired and moved by this. I am a Bach of Env Science & Bach of Science- Biology student and my goal is to Heal Country and restore Connection to Country. My purpose is to protect and conserve Country for Traditional Owners and hand back their land to them.
    I can’t tell you how much your work means to me and inspires me. Thank you for what you have created in collaboration with Laurie Baymarrwana. This work is priceless and is so incredibly significant. What you have done paves such a bright future- for this generation and the next.
    Sophie

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