Description
Jono, a city-born Indigenous teenager is trying to figure out who he really is. Life in Brisbane hasn’t exactly made him feel connected to his Country or community. Luckily, he’s got his best friend, Jenny, who has been by his side through their hectic days at St Lucia Private.
After graduating, Jono and Jenny score gigs at the Aboriginal Performing Arts Centre and an incredible opportunity comes knocking — interning with a documentary crew. Their mission? To promote a big government mining project in the wild western Queensland desert. The catch? The details are sketchy, and the land is rumoured to be sacred. But who cares? Jono is stoked just to be part of something meaningful. Plus, he gets to be the lead presenter!
Life takes a turn when they land in Gambari, a tiny rural town far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Suddenly, Jono’s intuition becomes his best guide. He’s haunted by an eerie omen of death, battling suffocating panic attacks, and even experiencing visions of Wudun — a malevolent spirit from the Dreaming. What’s the real story behind the gas mining venture? Are the documentary crew hiding something from Jono? And could Wudun be a messenger from the land, fighting back against the invasion?
Borderland is a heart-pounding horror gothic that follows Jono on an epic quest to find himself in the face of unbelievable challenges. Graham Akhurst, the brilliant mind behind this coming-of-age gem, is a Fulbright scholar from the Kokomini of Northern Queensland. Brace yourself for a fresh, mind-bending tale exploring Indigenous identity, the impact of colonization, and what happens when you take a stand.
Review
Jono and Jenny have been mates forever. They both obtained scholarships to an exclusive private school andare now together at APAC (Aboriginal Performing Arts Centre) in Brisbane.
So when Jenny scores a gig to produce a documentary in the Queensland outback she encourages Jono to tryout for the presenter role. The pay is great, so why not? Jono gets the gig and they are on their way!
But Jono has been having visions and these get worse while he in the outback. He has never known his mob, but could his connection to Country be right here?
The documentary they are making is meant to encourage the local elders to see that mining in their area will have great benefits for everybody, and will not harm the land at all. But Jono’s visions tell him differently...
So when a local elder tells Jono about his family heritage he understands that he must front up to the spirits that are rising in his visions, and then make everyone see the truth about what is happening right in front ofthem.
This is a wonderful story containing themes of First Nations' people, their connection to the land, and the need to protect it. It includes Dreaming stories in a modern setting, making it an ideal read with an important message for those aged 14 and above.
Reviewed by Rob
