L'appel du cacatoès noir

by John Danalis, Nadine Gassie (Translator)

**L’incroyable épopée d’un Australien pour restituer un crâne aborigène à sa tribu : un chemin de connaissances, d’ouverture et de rédemption.**

John Danalis a grandi avec un crâne aborigène dans son salon. C’est seulement à 40 ans qu’il comprend l’horreur de la situation. Emporté par l’élan de sa prise de conscience, John décide de tout mettre en œuvre pour restituer Mary – puisque c’est ainsi que le crâne a été affectueusement renommé – à son peuple. Pour cela, il va devoir déconstruire ses préjugés d’homme blanc sur la culture aborigène et se plonger dans l’histoire ancienne de l’Australie. Commence alors une quête qui va entrainer des rencontres extraordinaires et une profonde révolution dans la manière dont John et sa famille envisagent la vie et leur rapport aux autres.

Genres: Nonfiction, Australia, Memoir, Biography, History, Historical, School

287 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[sommarbinka · Rating 3 out of 5]

ughfhfh wreszcie. ta ksiazka porusza niewatpliwie ważne tematy, ale w bardzo nieporuszający dla mnie sposób. może dlatego, że nie mieszkam w Australii. trochę się nauczylam o Aborygenach, więc spoko, ale wydaje mi się, że ta książka miała większy potencjał. była napisana dosyć lekkim stylem, ale ogl raczej dla mnie nudna.

[The Bookshop Umina]

We very rarely get original non fiction for teens, but this book is certainly an exception.



John Danalis' inspiring tale of reconciliation as he tracks down the rightful owners of the Aboriginal skull that has been on his family's mantlepiece for years is a refreshingly honest account of a white Australian coming to terms with Australian history, Aboriginal people and his own family history. This story is important as it does not come from a beginning of racism: John's family were not racists, they had simply never considered Aboriginal history as something of relevance to them, and didn’t really know any Aboriginal people - a position that is familiar to the majority of white middle-class Australians. It speaks to all those who have paternalistically approved of Reconciliation and Aboriginal programs, but never really got involved or fully understood the cultural issues.



This book is humorous, self deprecating, informative and above all affirming of the future that can be wrought between caring individuals of all communities. “Riding the Black Cockatoo” has a man atoning for the past history of his family but finding forgiveness and friendship that he never imagined.



An honestly told story that beautifully shows the way that reconciliation can work. I think this will be great for schools and I can't wait to start selling it to some of our teen readers.





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[libby · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think the story behind it all was really good, while the writing let it down. I think this book could have been a lot more powerful than what it was, and perhaps would have been better suited to an adult target group than an odd pre-teen writing style with all types of swearing throughout that obviously didn’t suit the level of writing/target age group. It’s really hard to rate a book that tells a really important story and shines the light on the prejudices of white Australians when discussing the First Nations people, but has writing that doesn’t do it justice. I don’t mean offence to Indigenous people when I say I didn’t enjoy this book, I think their stories and struggles are important to tell, I just think there are better works available that succeed even more in telling these stories.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring. Enlightening. Powerful. Entertaining. Recommended.

[Meredith Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just because something is an important story to be told doesn’t make it a good story to read. Usually non-fiction brings with it an innate level of engagement. In this instance, however, it alienated the audience as there was little sense of engagement with the character engendered through the author’s matter of fact writing style. Where description was attempted, it seemed laborious rather than complementary to the narrative. Such a shame given the importance of its themes.

[LunaStella · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so poorly written it is astonishing that it was ever published. It reads like something a Year 9 student would write for an English class - basic vocabulary, total lack of text coherence, simple sentence structures (not one complex sentence in the entire book), and a lack of fluency. It also lacks intelligent insight.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have said, the author seems sincere, but there were times when the tone of this book became hectoring.
And I thought it was rather odd that he made an allusion to 4 million Jews being murdered in the Holocaust - when everyone knows it's 6 million.

[Anthony Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book all Australians should read. And probably all other nationalities, too.

"Riding the Black Cockatoo' is John Dinalis' account of how, during his late 30's, he came to confront a terrible wrong within his family, and of the journey he had to undertake in order to correct it and to take the first tentative steps towards healing. He grew up in a house with an inherited Aboriginal skull sitting on the mantelpiece, and this book is the story of how he came to understand the horrible sifnificance of 'Mary's' presence in their home, and of the process that John and his family went through to see Mary returned to his own land and people. Along the way, John was forced to confront both the bleak reality of white Australian colonialisation, and his own prejudices and preconceptions about race and identity.

This is a book which will (or at least should) horrify you, make you angry, make you miserable, and make you thoughtful. There is a strong element of hope, too, but it's not the sort of hope which fills you with happy thoughts and makes you feel warm inside. Rather, it's the sort of hope that makes you close the book, sit back, and think. It'll stay with you for days - I promise. It's perhaps the most courageous book I've ever read.

At this point, I should offer a bit of a personal disclaimer - I know John and his family personally, and count them as good friends. He and his wife, Stella, have worked as designers on the majority of my books, and he was the illustrator for the first children's book I ever wrote. I first heard the story of 'Riding the Black Cockatoo' a year or so before John wrote it down, over lunch at his place one day, and at the time I remember being both amazed and filled with admiration as to the courage that the Dinalis family (all of them) had showed in their actions here. Even then, though, I didn't realise the full scope and impact of this story upon their lives, and the lives of so many others.

Although it's a personal account of a very personal series of events, 'Riding the Black Cockatoo' is about more than just one man. This is very much a tale for and about an entire country - black and white - and much to John's credit, he has avoided a simple polarised commentary on the issues involved here. He brings out the shades of grey which make progress in the fields of reconcilliation and healing so painful and often difficult. He avoids judgement, and allows you as the reader to draw your own conclusions. And he writes with a simple, open honesty which allows you to feel as though he is there in the room with you, calmly telling his tale.

If you haven't yet read 'Riding the Black Cockatoo', then get your hands on it and do so. It won't be the most enjoyable book you'll read this year, but I promise you it will stay with you for a long time.

[Dionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a book! This is an amazingly insightful autobiography about the author's journey through a country he thought he knew. In Australia, horrific things have been done to the Indigenous people, including removing their bones from the earth and sending them to museums around the world. John Danalis tells of his awakening to Aboriginal culture, and he takes his own journey of reconciliation. I cried through half this book. It has really hit home to me how much the average, white person in this country does not know about the traditional owners, who were murdered by the thousands so we could take their place. If you want to learn something, yet experience emotion and a well written story, take the journey, which is at times mystical, with the author—you won't regret it.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was shelved under young adult literature but I'm not sure why. It's more complicated than most young adults would be interested in--though maybe they are assigned it in Australian schools. The blow by blow narrative of how this man dealt with realizing how horrifying it was that his family had the skull of an Aboriginal man in their house is mesmerizing. The impact on his family and his own life was the most touching thing. As someone from the US, I learned more about how some of these situations are now than I have from dozens of conversations that attempted to teach me cultural awareness. It also goes to show how much impact a class on Indigenous writers can be--even if it is only taken by a bunch of white people.

[Cevrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Study for year 11 english.
Honestly it was just boring. I just wanted to get the book over and done with. Below is the homework that was required to be done, in full PEEL format:
PS> There are a lot of typos, but you know, who cares...

Riding of the black cockatoo explored an excellant thesis on the evident culture of the Indigenous people and their land., however, John Danalsis demonstrated a poor language style and lacked a captivating understanding. There were elements of mundane language, unnecssary plotlines revealing redundant scenes of his life and repetative eyerolling moments. John inrerpreted his journey in an extensive length; discovering the homeland of Mary through the Aborginal customs and skill. He did respect their traditions and the individuals during the process of returning the skull to its original folklore. Although I believe he portrayed an acrid attitude. But he later became aware of his arrogance and discovered the significance of preparing a ritual for their ancestors. I did feel a sense of dramaticy, which enforced an unatural sensation. It almost felt fakel unrealistic, according to his language choices. At times it was difficult to clearly illustrate an image into your head. This helps me to mentally gasp the authors imagination if he can so clearly allow the audience to feel enchanted. To be honest there were enrapting moments, for instance, the whole cereomony trasfered me into a completely live experience which kept me motivated and inspired. To this point, Riding of the Black Cockatoo impacted my knowledge in terms on Indigenous culture but could have expanded the readers' judgement by influencing the information that needed the most attention.

[Bernard Leckning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is a real life story of reconciliation - it's not easy, can be painful and requires effort.

This very personal story of Danalis is touching and honest. But it swamps the conclusion to the point where it starts to feel therapeutic in tone and cathartic in function. It left me with the bitter taste of doubting what was driving Danalis' personal pursuit for reconciliation - was it the burning desire to rid himself of the guilt of his family secret or was it a moral and political response to the shame of it? The end was unnecessary and felt a little self-indulgent - could have done without it.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm in two minds about this book. The subject matter was interesting and very different to anything I have read before. I really enjoyed the opening chapters and the underlying story of returning 'Mary' to Country. The beginning of the book was confronting and I suspected that I would end up recommending it to everyone I know. However, as it progressed I found it a little too preachy and melodramatic. Unfortunately, for me, this detracted from the gritty, earnest nature of the central story. Overall, an interesting, easy read.

[Dimity Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breathtakingly raw and undiluted account of two men's journeys to find home and their true place, one unable to return there without the help of the other. Written with an eloquence and sincerity that gently raises ones compassion and ultimately understanding of our intricate Indigenous culture. At once heart wrenching and uplifting. I'm familiar with John's tales for children but this was a refreshing departure into the life and mind of a gifted writer.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, easy read, interesting story. The second half of the book is different from the first - but I just saw it as John still finding his place in the world, using his new knowledge and understanding. I think he was just being honest about how he thought and there is nothing wrong with that. I think some reviewers have judged him harshly.

[Ystyn Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though at times both the writing style and the actions of the author made me cringe, this is a story worth reading and offers a glimpse of the effort that needs to be made by each and every non-Indigenous Australian to help heal the atrocities of the past.

[Liv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drones on, but I love the awareness that John develops throughout the novel. I understand the depression he gets at the end of the novel when he discovers what happened to the Aboriginals over the last 300 years

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming so soon after reading My Place - Sally Morgan. This was a great supplementary read.
A heartfelt and honest recount of a white man’s quest to return Aboriginal remains to their rightful place.

[Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving and well told story. I particularly liked the sympathetic way the father was presented and the honesty of the author.

[Joanie222 · Rating 2 out of 5]

2&1/2

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

"‘You know, Craig, it’s weird, but it’s almost as if Mary’s chosen us,’ I explained in a rare moment of lucidity. ‘Victor’s away, Gary couldn’t make it, my dad won’t personally hand the remains back; instead it’s you, Jason and me – a younger generation has been asked to step up. And we
can do this, it’ll be fine.’"
Pretty interesting, I learnt a little about Australia, the book was a little cheesy in places but overall pretty interesting...

[Anja Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may not be the most eloquently written book, however the true story was quite different to anything else I have read. I feel better educated about the prejudice and injustice suffered by indigenous Australians, which has widened my perspective on racism. There are lessons here which more people in the world ought to take heed of.

[Megan Secrist · Rating 4 out of 5]

didn’t bring enough books on the honeymoon and picked up the only English book in the hotel lobby and was so pleasantly surprised, really enjoyed it and it got me reflecting on my own native american lineage (honeymoon book #3, and final one 🥲)

[Melpomene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of a journey from heartbreak, confusion and despair to repatriation, reconciliation and country. It is John Danalis’ story of how he came to to embark on a journey of discovery into the heart of indigenous Australia, its people and its history to begin healing not only his own psyche but the collective soul of Australia.

In this compelling and lyrical non-fiction voyage we learn and feel and see the story of our country unfold through John’s innocent boyhood eyes up to his sensitive, yet brave and persistent heart.

How he came to grow up with an Aboriginal skull on the mantelpiece in his family home and the path he travels on to return it to its rightful resting place is an original and heart- warming story that made me reflect and connect with my own story and experience of this country and its native people.

You will go on a roller coaster ride of tender and raw, real and surreal emotions as you attempt to navigate through this new territory. The writing is beautifully pure and mesmerizing; compelling and convincing; delightful and enchanting. It is woven with truth and honesty and humility. Its a deeply personal story, yet it’s accessible and enjoyable. John Danalis is a naturally gifted storyteller, illustratror and educator who needs to be heard. He’s an artist in every sense of the word.

It’s a story that speaks to our souls and makes us see the country and its people through a different lens-the dreamtime and the realtime. It’s a story that must be read and felt and understood by everyone in this country if we are to heal the scars of brutal invasion and occupation and reconcile the pain and hostility of racism and misunderstanding.

[Julee T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book about understanding the process of reconciliation from both sides. Whilst the idea of keeping human remains in the family home is obscene, curios were collected from all over the globe including private collections containing Egyptian and Incan mummies, ethics that are seldom discussed outside of the History classroom. The story puts a very personal face on the repatriation of remains -all remains and artefacts without placing blame or creating anger, which makes it a nice lesson in compassion. At times Donalis perhaps tries a little too hard to buy into the culture of the Wamba Wamba people which is something we are all guilty of; letting enthusiasm run away with our experience. However without making his research into a history lesson, I don't know how else he could have given Mary's perspective. All up it's an enjoyable and compassionate read and offers a nice introduction to and encourages further exploration into indigenous culture, literature and discussion of ethics.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-fiction account of John Danalis' personal quest to repatriate the skull of an Aboriginal Wamba Wamba man from near Swan Hill.
John's father, collector of curios, had received the skull many years before, and it remained on display in the family home, given the nickname 'Mary'. After John joins an Indigenous Writing course at university, he realizes the skull must be returned. His frank and moving story shows the myths and misconceptions toward indigenous culture on the part of non-indigenous Australians, but within the context of everyday forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption.

[Mason Parkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! I thouroughly enjoyed all of it. It was a very interesting book and an interesting view into an extremely different culture. I have read other things about Australia (most notably Bill Bryson's "In a Sunburned Country") and wondered how it could be that so many people were so completely ignored. Reading this helped me learn about Aboriginal Australians but it also helped me to look more deeply at the issues of race and culture in America. Especially at a time when issues like immigration and police brutality against African Americans are such charged and prominent topics.

[sarah t · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is about the return of an aboriginal skull to its rightful burying ground. There were some aspects of this non-fiction book that I liked: the narrator is very earnest and honest (and even his rather extensive use of exclamation points doesn't seem to bother me), the writing style is simple and effective, and there were pictures (but the map was too small). I can't exactly put my finger on what troubles me, but some of it didn't sit totally right with me.

[Gail Burns]

I first heard John Danalis interviewed on Conversations with Richard Fidler on ABC Radio and developed an interest in reading more of John's experience with returning Mary to his burial place. It is a story of awakening, atonement, forgiveness and friendship. 'It is as if a whole window into Indigenous culture has blown open, not just the window, but every door in the house," says John Danalis. It served to reinvigorate my conscience!

[Nate Rawdon · Rating 1 out of 5]

However much I tried, I was completely unable to get into this book. I found the story to be bland and repetitive from the start, and though I understood the story's significance, I felt that it was not suited to being a book. There was also a surprisingly large amount of grammatical errors, and I failed in trying to enjoy the character story-lines. Overall, I found this true story was unable to live up to its hype.