Ruby Langford Ginibi
Encyclopedia
Ruby Langford Ginibi was an acclaimed Bundjalung
author, historian and lecturer on Aboriginal history, culture and politics.
honorific.
She also claimed her full name was Ruby Wagtail Big Noise Anderson Rangi Ando Heifer Andy Langford.
, Coraki on New South Wales
's northern coast, Langford was raised at Bonalbo and attended high school in Casino
. At 15, she moved to Sydney
where she qualified as a clothing machinist. She had nine children by various relationships, but only legally married once, to Peter Langford, whose surname she took as her own. Three of Langford's children predeceased her. Her best-known book was the autobiographical Don't Take Your Love to Town, published in 1988, which won the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Human Rights Award for Literature.
She received an inaugural History Fellowship from the NSW Ministry for the Arts in 1994, an inaugural honorary fellowship from the National Museum of Australia
, Canberra
, in 1995, and an inaugural doctorate of letters (Honors Causia) from La Trobe University
, Victoria
in 1998.
In 2005 she was awarded the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
Special Award. Her works are studied in Australian high schools and universities. In 2006, she won the Australia Council for the Arts Writers' Emeritus Award. She received the award with its prize of up to $50,000 at a ceremony during the Sydney Writers' Festival. The award recognises the achievements of writers over the age of 65. In 2008, Ginibi was a Don't DIS my ABILITY
ambassador. She wrote non-fiction books, essays, poems and short stories.
Bundjalung people
The Bundjalung people are those Australian Aborigines who are the original custodians of northern coastal areas of New South Wales , 554 km northeast of Sydney: an area that includes the Bundjalung National Park and Mount Warning Bundjalung people...
author, historian and lecturer on Aboriginal history, culture and politics.
Names
According to Langford's memoir, Don't Take Your Love to Town, her parents married in September 1934, eight months after her birth, and she was originally named Ruby Maude Anderson. Langford was her husband's surname, and Ginibi is a BundjalungBundjalung people
The Bundjalung people are those Australian Aborigines who are the original custodians of northern coastal areas of New South Wales , 554 km northeast of Sydney: an area that includes the Bundjalung National Park and Mount Warning Bundjalung people...
honorific.
She also claimed her full name was Ruby Wagtail Big Noise Anderson Rangi Ando Heifer Andy Langford.
Life and career
Born at the Box Ridge MissionMission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....
, Coraki on New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
's northern coast, Langford was raised at Bonalbo and attended high school in Casino
Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
. At 15, she moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
where she qualified as a clothing machinist. She had nine children by various relationships, but only legally married once, to Peter Langford, whose surname she took as her own. Three of Langford's children predeceased her. Her best-known book was the autobiographical Don't Take Your Love to Town, published in 1988, which won the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Commission is a national human rights institution, a statutory body funded by, but operating independently of, the Australian Government. It has the responsibility for investigating alleged infringements under Australia’s anti-discrimination legislation...
Human Rights Award for Literature.
She received an inaugural History Fellowship from the NSW Ministry for the Arts in 1994, an inaugural honorary fellowship from the National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, in 1995, and an inaugural doctorate of letters (Honors Causia) from La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in 1998.
In 2005 she was awarded the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards were established in 1979 by the New South Wales Premier Neville Wran. Commenting on its purpose, Wran said: "We want the arts to take, and be seen to take, their proper place in our social priorities...
Special Award. Her works are studied in Australian high schools and universities. In 2006, she won the Australia Council for the Arts Writers' Emeritus Award. She received the award with its prize of up to $50,000 at a ceremony during the Sydney Writers' Festival. The award recognises the achievements of writers over the age of 65. In 2008, Ginibi was a Don't DIS my ABILITY
Don't DIS my ABILITY
Don’t DIS my ABILITY is an educational campaign in New South Wales , Australia. The project is supported by the 's , to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities....
ambassador. She wrote non-fiction books, essays, poems and short stories.
Death
Langford had been suffering kidney problems and high blood pressure before her death in a Fairfield, Sydney hospital, aged 77, on 1 October 2011.External links
- Approaches to Don't Take Your Love to Town, Australian Women's Studies Resources
- "Remembering Ruby: Don't Take Your Love to Town again", MC Review, accessed 15 July 2007.
- Sydney Writer's Festival News Issue #1 (2005)