Heaven 2023: May Book Group - The White Girl by Tony Birch
Here is the thread for May's book club choice, 'The White Girl', by Tony Birch, an Indigenous Australian author.
'The White Girl' is set in 1960s eastern Australia towards the official end of the Stolen Generations period, when many Aboriginal children, especially those with lighter skin, were taken from their families and culture under official government policies. Aboriginal woman Odette Brown must make difficult choices to protect and keep custody of her white-appearing grand-daughter Sissy when a new, zealous policeman and 'Protector of Aborigines' moves to their small town.
Here is a short overview: https://www.uqp.com.au/books/the-white-girl
Here is a long review with background information, but also a few spoilers https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/review/birch-white-girl/
I will post the discussion questions on the 20th of May. I hope this book isn't too hard to get hold of for those outside Australia.
'The White Girl' is set in 1960s eastern Australia towards the official end of the Stolen Generations period, when many Aboriginal children, especially those with lighter skin, were taken from their families and culture under official government policies. Aboriginal woman Odette Brown must make difficult choices to protect and keep custody of her white-appearing grand-daughter Sissy when a new, zealous policeman and 'Protector of Aborigines' moves to their small town.
Here is a short overview: https://www.uqp.com.au/books/the-white-girl
Here is a long review with background information, but also a few spoilers https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/review/birch-white-girl/
I will post the discussion questions on the 20th of May. I hope this book isn't too hard to get hold of for those outside Australia.
Comments
'The White Girl' and if anyone thinks of more in depth questions please feel free to add them. As a white Australian I cannot ever experience this book as an Aboriginal Australian who has or whose family has experienced similar experiences to Odette and Sissy would and feel like my questions are a bit shallow.
1. At the heart of the novel is the loving relationship between Odette and Sissy. Do you have any favourite examples of their close relationship?
2. Parts of the novel could be uncomfortable reading for white readers. Were there any interactions between the Indigenous and white characters that gave you insight into racism in white majority societies?
3. There is a lot of tension around whether Odette and Sissy will be successful in their plan and at times it seemed impossible they could live free lives. Did you expect them to succeed or to be caught and punished by the authorities?
4. Would you have liked Sissy to know the truth about her parentage and why her mother Lila left? Was Odette right to keep this information from her indefinitely?
5. Why do you think Dr. Singer chose to work in a small Australian town like Gatlin?
6. Were you surprised about how much information the white authorities kept on Aboriginal Australians and that those the files were about could not access that information?
7. How culpable was Bill Shea in not protecting the Aboriginal women and girls in his town? Could he have done more or was he stymied by personal circumstances and the law?
8. Sergeant Lowe reminded me of Javert in Les Miserables. Was he motivated by a sense that the law and current social order should not be disrupted, a thirst for power, a psychopathic streak or other motivations?
9. Was Henry Lamb justified in taking justice into his own hands in regards to the Kane brothers?
10. Lowe never returns to Deane from Sydney. Do you believe Jack Haines killed him? Why did Millie Khan fear that he was still out there somewhere causing others pain and continuing to be a threat?
I loved all the scenes that revolved around the bath, and hair washing. That really epitomised their relationship
2. Parts of the novel could be uncomfortable reading for white readers. Were there any interactions between the Indigenous and white characters that gave you insight into racism in white majority societies?
The assumptions that Indigenous people are a 'problem' that needs to be managed, and that people in power know best.
3. There is a lot of tension around whether Odette and Sissy will be successful in their plan and at times it seemed impossible they could live free lives. Did you expect them to succeed or to be caught and punished by the authorities?
I was really hopeful that things would turn out well, as otherwise it would have been a very downbeat book. It was touch and go in parts. It was interesting that in the big city things had already moved on and Indigenous people were being accepted, so once they got there I started to feel more hopeful
4. Would you have liked Sissy to know the truth about her parentage and why her mother Lila left? Was Odette right to keep this information from her indefinitely?
I wonder if Sissy had sort of guessed. Very few white people in the town were mentioned and Joe and is sons seemed the people they saw most often.
5. Why do you think Dr. Singer chose to work in a small Australian town like Gatlin?
I'm not sure, maybe he wanted a totally new start away from Europe. It was good that he was one of the few kind authority figures.
6. Were you surprised about how much information the white authorities kept on Aboriginal Australians and that those the files were about could not access that information?
Yes, what was the thinking behind it all?
7. How culpable was Bill Shea in not protecting the Aboriginal women and girls in his town? Could he have done more or was he stymied by personal circumstances and the law?
Bill Shea was a sympathetic figure, he didn't really fit in anywhere. He might not have done much protecting, but he wasn't doing much active harm either.
8. Sergeant Lowe reminded me of Javert in Les Miserables. Was he motivated by a sense that the law and current social order should not be disrupted, a thirst for power, a psychopathic streak or other motivations?
Lowe seemed to have totally believed in what he was doing, though he also had a vindictive streak with the way he handled Shea. Yes he is very like Javert.
9. Was Henry Lamb justified in taking justice into his own hands in regards to the Kane brothers?
No I don't think he was. It didn't seem fair that George ended up being murdered too, when his only crime was not being able to stand up to his father and brother.
10. Lowe never returns to Deane from Sydney. Do you believe Jack Haines killed him? Why did Millie Khan fear that he was still out there somewhere causing others pain and continuing to be a threat?
I thought Millie saw him as an evil ghost roaming the land and ready to return in the same way prejudice is always with us. I hope Haines didn't kill him, maybe like Javert he committed suicide.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book. The story was strong and I think it could make a cracking film, but I did rather feel I was being hit over the head with all the possible ways the indigenous peoples of Australia could be harmed by the laws and prejudices of the white population. There was something a bit flat about the writing too that I didn't fully engage with, but then I did read it in a rush.
• The times when Sissy was having a hard time calling Odette, “Auntie”. The fact that Odette loved Sissy enough to apply for a in some ways humiliating exemption.
2. Parts of the novel could be uncomfortable reading for white readers. Were there any interactions between the Indigenous and white characters that gave you insight into racism in white majority societies?
•
Being a Canadian I was reading it through the lenses of our horrendous history with the indigenous populations. It gave me my first insight into the Australian experience. I could sense many parallels. I now want to read some non-fiction on the experience of the Australian indigenous population.
3. There is a lot of tension around whether Odette and Sissy will be successful in their plan and at times it seemed impossible they could live free lives. Did you expect them to succeed or to be caught and punished by the authorities?
• I thought they would succeed. The plot twist of them being rescued at the 11th hour has been used many times. The Sargeant seemed like a bit of a caricature but I am sure their were individuals as self-righteous and evil as he was drawn.
4. Would you have liked Sissy to know the truth about her parentage and why her mother Lila left? Was Odette right to keep this information from her indefinitely?
• I am not sure what was to be gained by telling Sissy her father nor the manner in which she was conceived. She had very little information to share about Lila. As we find out at the end of the boo, Lila was a very damaged individual.
5. Why do you think Dr. Singer chose to work in a small Australian town like Gatlin?
• I assume he wanted to get away from Europe and be in a remote location. He obviously did not want to avail himself of the Law of Return. I think he was looking for peace and am opportunity to be helpful. His letter sponsoring Odette was wonderful.
6. Were you surprised about how much information the white authorities kept on Aboriginal Australians and that those the files were about could not access that information?
• No, I presume at some point this same information was kept by Indian Agents in Canada.
7. How culpable was Bill Shea in not protecting the Aboriginal women and girls in his town? Could he have done more or was he stymied by personal circumstances and the law?
• Bill was a very damaged individual. I doubt him could do more given the state of the law and culture at that time. His act of redemption was writing the pass for Odette which leads indirectly to his suicide.
8. Sergeant Lowe reminded me of Javert in Les Miserables. Was he motivated by a sense that the law and current social order should not be disrupted, a thirst for power, a psychopathic streak or other motivations?
I think he was a psychopath which all bureaucracies harbour and in which psychopaths have an opportunity to thrive.
9. Was Henry Lamb justified in taking justice into his own hands in regards to the Kane brothers?
Yes, although it was a shame that the younger brother died. There was no other manner in which he could achieve justice for Aaron’s behaviour.
10. Lowe never returns to Deane from Sydney. Do you believe Jack Haines killed him? Why did Millie Khan fear that he was still out there somewhere causing others pain and continuing to be a threat?
I think Haines may have killed him. I think Millie was speaking of Deane metaphorically.
1. At the heart of the novel is the loving relationship between Odette and Sissy. Do you have any favourite examples of their close relationship?
My favourite example was when Sissy feared that Odette had gone to the police station because she wanted to give her away. At first I was surprised Sissy would think Odette would do that, but then remembered she had been left by her mother and had heard lots of stories about Aboriginal children being taken away. I loved the way Odette was able to reassure Sissy she would always be there for her, if it was in her power.
2. Parts of the novel could be uncomfortable reading for white readers. Were there any interactions between the Indigenous and white characters that gave you insight into racism in white majority societies?
For me it was the interactions with two of the friendly white women. The woman who sold Odette's cards really helped her out through helping her make her own money and providing a reference later on. However she still insisted on knowing her tribal background to sell the cards and saw work by an Aboriginal artist as a bit of a novelty, even though Odette was painting in a non-Indigenous style. The cards were sold under a fake tribal name, rather than Odette's name, taking away the credit she should have got for them. No white artist would sell their work as the work of a white woman or man.
The woman on the train was also friendly, but saw Odette and the Aboriginal woman who helped raise her as lesser than and needing teaching and uplifting, and still only suitable for caring and cleaning roles. Her comment that living in rural areas could turn white men into brutes was very uncomfortable for me, especially as many of my ancestors grew up in that area and some were violent and/or alcoholic, which was on them not living in rural Australia. It also implied that all Aboriginal men were already uncivilised and that white men became like them if not living in 'civilised society'.
3. There is a lot of tension around whether Odette and Sissy will be successful in their plan and at times it seemed impossible they could live free lives. Did you expect them to succeed or to be caught and punished by the authorities?
I thought Odette and Sissy would succeed, but I was pretty scared that Jack Haines would get in trouble and maybe lose his freedom for talking to them and letting them live at his place. It made me realise even more how impossible and cruel the exemption certificate was.
4. Would you have liked Sissy to know the truth about her parentage and why her mother Lila left? Was Odette right to keep this information from her indefinitely?
I understood why Odette hid the information from Sissy as a child, but thought she perhaps should have let her know as an adult, before she went to meet her mother. These days Sissy could easily find out herself, but she probably suspected she was the child of rape by a white man and that was confirmed by her mother's comments.
6. Why do you think Dr. Singer chose to work in a small Australian town like Gatlin?
I wonder if it was not a choice and it was the only place he could get a job as a new immigrant. Programs today sometimes encourage immigrants like doctors to work in rural areas for a time to gain more permanent visas. This helps fill shortages in rural areas where not many doctors want to live.
6. Were you surprised about how much information the white authorities kept on Aboriginal Australians and that those the files were about could not access that information?
I knew information was kept, but I was surprised by how much information was kept and that Odette was not allowed to access it, despite her education. Sissy was being educated in an integrated school, but still treated differently and would be unable to access this information about herself.
I am not sure what the process is for wards of the state today and whether they have more rights in this area. There are still issue with our foster and residential care systems and unfortunately Aboriginal children end up wards of the state more commonly than other children, even though they are only removed if parents are deemed unable to care for them safely. This is a legacy of the trauma and lack of parenting/care provided to some of their parents and grandparents who were taken by the state from their families for no good reason and brought up in unloving and often abusive institutions.
I'm still feeling a bit tired after being sick, so will answer the remaining questions tomorrow night. I have enjoyed reading the contributions so far and hope those waiting on books can add their thoughts in the future, if life doesn't get in the way.
7. How culpable was Bill Shea in not protecting the Aboriginal women and girls in his town? Could he have done more or was he stymied by personal circumstances and the law?
Bill Shea seemed to do as little work as possible, possibly due to his severe alcoholism. It seemed he did care for his childhood friend Odette and may have done more if the crime against her daughter was reported, though it is unlikely the case would have proceeded to trial when it was an Aboriginal girl's word against a white man. It seemed he did at times intervene in the crimes committed by the Kane family, but was unable to stop Kane senior's abuse of his son as white fathers could usually treat their wives and children however they liked at this time, unless it lead to murder. Corporal punishment against children was acceptable at home, school and in children's homes, making it difficult to get justice for children. I found Bill's ending really sickening to read. He had his faults and should have lost his job long before, but he didn't deserve to end his life that way.
8. Sergeant Lowe reminded me of Javert in Les Miserables. Was he motivated by a sense that the law and current social order should not be disrupted, a thirst for power, a psychopathic streak or other motivations?
Lowe reminded me of Javert in that he unquestionably believed the law in regards to Aboriginal people and did not judge on a case by case basis. However he seemed to have a greater sadistic streak that came out against people who crossed him such as Bill Shea and Odette. He even enjoyed scaring and traumatising children who had done nothing to him, as in when he made the boy who discovered Shea's body look at it again. That incident probably turned the whole town against him and they were probably all glad when he disappeared.
9. Was Henry Lamb justified in taking justice into his own hands in regards to the Kane brothers?
I understood Henry's motivations in killing the Lamb brothers. His dog was like family to him and he held them both responsible for his death. He also wanted to protect girls like Sissy from them. It is unlikely either Shea or Lowe would care about a dog, however it was still not justified to murder the Kanes and again tragic that he ended his life.
10. Lowe never returns to Deane from Sydney. Do you believe Jack Haines killed him? Why did Millie Khan fear that he was still out there somewhere causing others pain and continuing to be a threat?
I would like to think Jack did not kill Lowe, but what happened to him otherwise? I believe Millie Khan meant that Lowe's spirit was still out there in other men/people like him. Even though Lowe was gone, other white people could still make and use harmful policies against Aboriginal people.
My perspective was much the same as @Caissa's:
I've read a fair bit of fiction and non-fiction about the experience of Indigenous people in Canada, and it was interesting to compare the Australian experience. The big picture is the same of course -- European settlers taking over and exploiting both the land and the labour of Indigenous people, behaving paternalistically towards them, denying rights and restricting freedom of movement in the name of "what's best" for the Indigenous people with the actual goal of either elimination or total assimilation.
In Canada a lot of the trauma inflicted upon Indigenous people, even up to recent generations, centres around the residential school system -- boarding schools, run by a combination of church and state agencies, where Indigenous children in many parts of Canada for over 100 years were forced to attend, often against their parents' wishes, allowed limited contact with home, and punished for speaking their own language or practicing traditional religious practices -- and, of course, it hardly needs to be added, often subjected to horrendous emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
While there's some mention The White Girl of children being taken from Aboriginal parents (and this seems to be a particular fear for mixed-race, white-passing children like Sissy), was there anything similar to the widespread residential school system there? A woman of Odette's age in the 1960s if she had been an Indigenous woman in Canada, would most likely have been a residential school survivor, and might well have had to give Sissy up to one of the schools as well.
I don't think Canada ever had anything similar to the "exemption certificate," which seems to have been a tool to enforce assimilation. But I know there were a lot of rules around who did and did not qualify for "Indian status" and what that did or did not allow -- such as Indigenous women losing status if they married white men.
Whether here or in Australia or any settler-colonial state, it's certainly a history of great evil that still has a huge impact in the present day -- the past is definitely not past.
By the 20th century many white people thought that Aboriginal people without white ancestry would die out, as they were unable to live in a modern world. I even found a book in a school a few years ago that repeated this theory, even though it was published in the 1970s (I made sure it was removed)! However they were concerned about children of mixed Aboriginal and European heritage.
Some white people wanted total segregation to prevent the white population becoming of mixed ethnicity. However it had been observed that children with European heritage often were light skinned and appeared 'white' after a three or four generations of fathers of European ethnicity. So many theorised that 'the colour could be bred out'. This led to many mixed-race children being removed, not to residential boarding schools, but to children's homes run by the state or churches. They never pretended to provide the education given to white children in boarding schools. They taught English, Christianity and domestic trades for girls, farm trades for boys. Some children were also fostered by white families, often also to work for the family, but sometimes brought up as equal to their biological siblings. These children were still affected by losing their families and heritage and still facing racist treatment in society if they were recognisably Indigenous. Parents did not usually know where their children were taken and often they were taken to institutions a long way from their communities. It seems Canadian parents could visit the boarding schools and sometimes had their children home for holidays?? In Australia parents could not visit and often didn't know where their children were. Some never saw their children again. Some children and parents were told each other had died so they did not go looking for each other.
Lila was able to stay with Odette as her father was Indigenous. Sissy should probably have been taken away to an institution, but was saved by Bill Shea not bothering to enforce the law and other authorities not checking what was happening in town until Sergeant Lowe turned up. However she was not protected from assault by white men, another reason given for taking Indigenous girls from community and putting them in children's home - it was supposed to protect them from white men.
Each state and territory had its own acts and laws regarding Indigenous people and these changed over time. It is estimated one in three Indigenous children were taken from their families up until the 1970s when the policies completely ended. They were taken for being Indigenous, or mixed-race and many states had laws to prevent challenges in court, given the children did not need to be neglected or abused to be taken - being Aboriginal could be given as a reason to put children in care. Western Australia made all Aboriginal children wards of the state so they could be freely taken from their families at any time, without any legal recourse.
Some families had all their children taken, some only lighter skinned children or children who were taken to hospital for medical treatment (Such as in the movie 'The Sapphires'). Some states and local authorities were more likely to take children than others at various time periods.
I also read that some children did not have their birth dates or birth places recorded, making it extremely difficult for them to find their birth families. Others had files hundreds of pages long and were sometimes given these at eighteen and finally found out their real names, families and birthplaces.
It's really complicated given the patchiness of records and the differing laws across states and times and how strictly these laws were enacted by various authorities.
Here are some links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Generations
A story about how three women protected children from being taken:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-05/jacksons-track-history-legacy-of-three-kurnai-women/102403458
Video about the abuse in a 'domestic training college' (really a children's home as young children lived there as well). It gives an overview as to what life was like in the homes and how children were categorised by skin colour and 'caste'. Also how they never talked about their families or knew the meanings of words for family members in this particular home.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-04/how-these-indigenous-women-survived-sexual-abuse/102438810