Letters from aboriginal women of Victoria, 1867-1926

Abstract

This edited collection of women’s correspondence, Letters From Aboriginal Women of Victoria, 1867-1926, constitutes an important historical record of the experiences of Aboriginal women during a crucial period of social change. In particular the letters are valuable for the insight they offer into the impact on Aboriginal communities of government legislation and mission policies and the women’s assertion of their entitlement to freedom and agency. Written by 81 different women, the letters cover such issues as children, family, religion, land, housing and material assistance.