#AWW2016 Review – Mullumbimby by Melissa Lucashenko

“Circles protect you, if you let them, girl. But you gotta let ’em. Gotta not get in their way.”

After a divorce, Jo has enough cash to go halves in 20 acres of land with her brother, land that is located in the valley where her Indigenous ancestors once lived. She sets about rebuilding her life: raising a thirteen year old daughter alone, and working at the local cemetery mowing lawns and trimming shrubs.

“Spend enough time among the silent majority, Jo discovered, and you found yourself worrying less about tomorrow, and more about today. There are so many tomorrows, after all. How could a person keep track of them all?”

She recalls conversations from her Auntie, who tried to teach her the ways of the land and the spirits, and particularly of dadirri, a way of deep listening. But just as things seem to be falling into place for her, who should turn up but a hot, dark-skinned, dreadlocked fellow by the name of Twoboy. The attraction is mutual, and Jo learns that Twoboy has put in a native title claim for the land along the valley where her home is. Though Twoboy grew up in Queensland his great-grandfather  belonged to the Bundjalung nation, the Valley where Jo’s property is located. The trouble is, Twoboy has competition from local Indigenous folk who did grow up in the area (though their ancestors were from other Aboriginal nations), and who are doing everything in their power to block Twoboy’s claims.

This was such a beautiful story about love, and triumph over adversity, and finding help in the most unexpected of places.