In a small town in the south west an attempt, at times tentative, is being made at reconciliation. Although some of the locals dispute the history, for the Wirlomin people, the area was the site of a massacre of their ancestors that has made it taboo for generations. Now some have returned, invited to the opening of a Peace Park. Among them are brothers Gerald and Gerard, both struggling with a history of drink, drugs and crime. Joining them is a young teenage girl Tilly, just discovering her heritage. Tilly has experienced great trauma but shows even greater resilience. A local farmer, Dan Horton, tries to honor his wife Janet’s memory by reaching out to the group.
In his last novel, That Deadman Dance, Kim Scott wrote of a brief time in our history when there had seemed to be the possibility of peace and cooperation between the white settlers and the indigenous population. Taboo is set in current time, but also holds up the possibility or possibilities of coexistence and reconciliation. The reality of life today for indigenous people is not shied away from, but at the same time there is a positive, generous feel to this novel. There is also a lovely, gentle humour throughout. Whether it be someone learning their traditional language, singing or dancing, or a farmer trying to explain how he feels about the land and its history, I loved the way Scott writes scenes where people of all types are shy, embarrassed, unsure of themselves and tentative.
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