Bama Country launch celebrates NAIDOC week

This morning Cairns Historian, Dr Timothy Bottoms will launch his latest book, Bama Country.

Cairns Regional Mayor Val Schier will launch the book this morning at the Council reception room, to coincide with NAIDOC week (National Aboriginal & Islanders Day Observance Committee).

"Bama Country looks at the unique way of life of the Indigenous rainforest people of Far North Queensland," Dr Bottoms says.

"Who were the people that lived in Tropical North Queensland before the arrival of Europeans? How did they live in the rainforest, and what sort of culture did they develop? These are the areas that I explore in Bama Country," Bottoms says.

The book gives an accessible and fascinating introduction to the way of life of the Bama, the Indigenous Australian rainforest people of Tropical North Queensland, prior to the advent of European settlement from 1864.

In the region that became the Wet Tropics in 1988, from Cardwell in the south to Cooktown in the north, the original lifestyles of the Dyirbal, Yidinyi, Djabugay and Kuku Yalanji-speaking people is presented together with an insight into their remarkable use of their tropical rainforest and coastal environment.

Dr Bottoms has been researching and writing on Indigenous rainforest people, as well as Far North Queensland history, for over twenty years.

His previous work Djabugay Country, received high prasie from around Australia.

Dr Bottoms is hoping to publish his extensive History of Cairns work later this year. The publication, had a less than receptive hearing under the former Cairns City Council.

The official opening of Cairns NAIDOC Week will be held this morning in City Place at 10am, followed by Bama Country book launch at 11:30am at Council, Spence Street.

On Friday, there will be a march leaving at 9:30am from the Council's office in Spence Street, to Fogarty Park on the Esplanade with activities commence at 10am. There will be a variety of stalls and entertainment during the day. The Tanks Art Centre are organising a full week's programme: - July 8th - 12th: Emerging musicians Workshops ~ 3:30 - 6:30pm, Tank 5 FREE Saturday 12th: - NAIDOC exhibition, Acknowledgment ceremony, 3pm - NAIDOC Market Day, midday to 7pm. FREE - NAIDOC Concert. 6:30pm - 10pm Tank 5. $20/$15

- email E Prince at Council or phone 4032 6600 You can also register an event here.

You can read an interesting and colourful history of NAIDOC week here.