Book Of The Month: March 2011

So, this year I've been reading books I own rather than going to the library. But, this month I got withdrawal symptoms and paid a visit to my local library. I spent a wonderful hour browsing the shelves and came away with a terrific haul of books.



Among them was this month's Book of the Month: Riding the black cockatoo by John Danalis. It's the story of the author's journey into Indigenous culture and community when he decides he has to return the skull that's been sitting on his parent's mantelpiece for the last forty years to its rightful place. Along the way, he raises questions about the morality of museums keeping in storage the remains of Indigenous Australians for "research", tagged and numbered like so many specimens. He also discovers the warmth of Indigenous Australians, who far from condemning his family for having the skull, welcome and thank them for their actions in returning it to its traditional home.

Riding the black cockatoo is a heart-warming story of one man's reconciliation with his upbringing, his family and his own lack of understanding of Australia's first people. A very satisfying tale and one I would urge everyone to read.