Claire G. Coleman

I cannot remember where I first came across reference to this book, but it was in the last 6 months or so and likely was referenced in something else I was reading. But whatever it was, the impression I had was that this would be an objective assessment of misunderstandings (conscious or not) of the impact of Western civilisation of what is now known as Australia and in particular on the Indigenous and Torres Islander peoples.

Instead, the book is a very personal assessment of those impacts on the author and people around her. Which is not to suggest that such is not a valid viewpoint. Just not what I was expecting. I must have overlooked (or read narrowly) the sub-title "A personal exploration of the impact of colonisation" until I picked up a copy of the book at the local library.

Coleman's early years in Western Australia, which featured until comparatively recently a legislated regime whereby a government official was the guardian of all Indigenous and half cast children. As such the guardian could remove such children to 'schools', without consultation with the child's parents or wider family, with such schools being in most cases far distant, with little to no chance of ever being returned. The 'lost generation'.

Coleman's father, concerned that his children would be similarly affected, denied his ancestry and told his children and others that they were of Fijian ancestry. So it was not for years later that Coleman learnt of her real ancestry, at which time her father also moved to be able to be proud of his family's real ancestry.

It is this hiding of ancestry which is the emblematic 'lie' of the book's title. This is not an indictment of Coleman or her family. It is tragic beyond belief that her father thought he needed to live that deception (at least for a period). And it is welcomed that they were able to unwind that before her father passed on and they had an opportunity to rejoice in their actual ancestry.

And I suspect this has since driven Coleman's powerful voice since then, including in this book.

I think there are a few examples of where Coleman protests too much me thinks. One is on pages 142-143 where this is stated:

"Let's start with some amusing, slightly silly but unambiguously fake news:

Singing too-ra-li, oo-ra-li, addity
Singing too-ra-li, oo-ra-li, ay
Singing too-ra-li, oo-ra-li, addity
And we're bound for Botany Bay.
- 'Botany Bay', circa 1780s"

This song spoke of convicts being sent to Botany Bay, to the colonies. [......] The colony was not at Botany Bay, it was on Sydney Cove, in Port Jackson. Governor Phillip had decided, when starting the colony, that Botany Bay was a terrible place for it.

Versions of this song...referring to Botany Bay, [was] used as advertising and propaganda to promote, to the British people, the establishment of the colony in Sydney Cove and transportation of convicts. The importance of this kind of propaganda should not be underestimated and while the difference between Botany bay Bay and Sydney harbour is not particularly important it's also interesting that the fake news of the folk song 'Botany Bay' has continued into modern times, modern enough that I [Coleman] remember singing it in school.""

Well, the First Fleet was ordered to aim at Botany Bay as its target, as that was what explored (admittedly minimally by Cook and Banks) and recommended by Banks to the powers that be as the place for a colony. Cook sailed past Port Jackson /Sydney Cove without ever realising he was going past one of the World's best harbours, so neither he nor Banks consciously chose Botany Bay over Sydney Cove.

So, yes that they were 'bound for Botany Bay' (as per the song) even though they soon thereafter chose another more hospitable place.

Coleman suggests the song is circa 1780s. Cook come through in 1770. His (and those of Banks) reports to Admiralty and others would have followed in the coming years of the 70s presumably. Phillips sailed for the new colony in 1787.

Is it not conceivable that the song was devised in the intervening years, as the prospect of a colony grew, with the identification of Botany Bay (as per Banks' recommendation) being included in the lyrics?

And if so, when news go back to England, after the arrival of the (obviously incorrectly named) First Fleet (how many years after ...2-3 ?) would people really go out of their way to change the lyrics from 'Botany Bay' to ' Sydney Cove"?

I don't really know...I don't have evidence one way or the other. But does Coleman? None is cited. And, in one sense, I am not really interested in whether either of us or someone is 'right' as to this particular question, but merely note that we (including I) all need to be open continue to listen , read and rethink, and reassess our thoughts and conclusions.

A somewhat laboured discussion by me, apologies to Coleman.

As I said, Coleman is a powerful writer and I enjoyed the read.

I would would encourage all to open their minds and give this book a go, as I intend doing so with one of her earlier books, a novel called Terra Nullius

Until then

Big Ship

4 July 2023… (mere)

I found this a very interesting and satisfying allegorical tale - about “terra nullius.” While the story line at first appears obvious, for me that became more about appearance than reality as the author avoided going to the obvious places.

What does it mean to settle a place where the local population is regarded as so inferior to the settler, that the locals are seen as animals rather than as people? How do they - settlers and locals - live their lives?

This becomes a tale of freedom and oppression. As a political allegory its character depth is barely more than two-dimensional. So it is an easy (yet uncomfortable) and thought-provoking read.… (mere)

When we first begin reading this book, we may think we are reading a tale of early 20th century Australia where natives are subdued and controlled by "settlers." Their children are taken from them and brought to orphanages to be trained as servants for the settlers, with tragic consequences.
But no, this is science fiction, not historical fiction, and it is science fiction being used to comment on European colonization of other parts of the world in centuries past. Its twist is what brought so much hype to this book, and I was really looking forward to reading it. Although the premise was clever, when all is said and done, the execution is not special. In fact, at times, it devolves into simply a "chase" novel, with an evil settler/tracker chasing an escaped native servant and constantly being outwitted (or maybe the author was trying to evoke the Ned Kelly legend.) Episodes of near-capture and narrow escape became repetitive and went on much too long.
I don't NOT recommend the book, but I do think it is overhyped.

2 1/2 stars… (mere)