Kayang & me

Kayang & Me is Miles Franklin winner Kim Scott’s third book and it is a treat. This is a history of the author’s extended Noongar family and Scott skilfully weaves the text around the stories of his Aunt (Kayang) Hazel Brown. Brown’s telling the stories of her people and the country she is from is strong and compelling reading. This includes how her great grandfather guided the white coloniser’s surveyor through his country in the 1840’s and the subsequent white settlement of the area. Brown also tells of a revenge killing that was followed by a massacre, as well as life on farms, missions and reserves. Scott’s commentary is illuminating with regard to the growing strength of their relationship and trust. Scott also grounds show more the work in his own experience and his understanding of the dominant paradigms that governed and controlled Aboriginal people in the times under discussion. show less