I am not Aboriginal. I am not Indigenous. I am not First Nations. We never called ourselves this, you did. I am Wik.
‘Aborigine’ comes from the Latin words ‘ab’, meaning ‘from’, and ‘origine’, meaning ‘beginning’ or ‘origin’. When the term was first introduced on our lands it was used to implement a genocide against the Original Peoples. It homogenised us. It helped build upon the myth that we were not in fact human. That we had no ownership to Countries that we had coexisted on for 50,000 years.”
A searing, thought-provoking analysis of Australian society, from Wik singer-songwriter Ziggy Ramo. Part memoir, part historical treatise, Human invites readers to confront the realities of colonisation and their own biases, dispelling the myths that this nation is built on.
Unafraid of uncomfortable truths, Ziggy delivers an extraordinary survey of historic wrongs and present-day tragedies. From the Doctrine of Discovery, the frontier wars, Australia Day to Adam Goodes, Anzac Day and deaths in custody, he lays bare his most candid reflections on systemic racism.
But this book is as personal and intimate as it is politically charged. Drawing on his own experience of what it’s like to grow up black in Australia, and stories from his family history, Ziggy puts a human face on the consequences of intergenerational trauma.
Ultimately, this is a book that seeks to unite rather than divide. By denying the rights of the Original People of this nation, we deny our full humanity.
A powerful call to arms, Human harnesses Ziggy Ramo’s spellbind ability as a storyteller to show the personal as political. Intimate and lyrical, this book will galvanise all who encounter it, and should be essential reading.
