Through Silent Country is a journey of discovery and testimony which began when Carolyn Wadley Dowley stumbled upon a small reference to a remarkable escape story. Although at first it seemed faint, she set out to follow the trace of the narrative back to its origins, in the remote area around Laverton, Western Australia - Wongutha Country.
There, the people she met not only confirmed details of the story, but revealed how it was a part of the many stories which are their history. The stories of the Wongutha people, and careful archival research, enabled Carolyn Wadley Dowley to traverse the historical silence and piece together a remarkable story of injustice, survival and triumph. 'On the whim of the government authorities of the day, nineteen Wongutha people were exiled away from their Country and their people, sent a thousand kilometres away from their desert Country. They were seemingly powerless. They were locked up, trucked off, given inmate numbers in a government compound - their fate was sealed. And then they escaped. It was perhaps the largest escape bid in the history of that place of exile. They escaped, and walked home to their Country...'In this revised edition, archived government files, previously 'closed' and unavailable for research access, are now 'open' and form the heart of a brand new chapter, answering many questions about the 1921 forced removal. And the dark dealings of the Chief Protector of Aborigines and his Deputy come into the light, one hundred and one years on ... "Just brilliant" Good Reading Magazine "It's the truth that has to be told" Auntie Sadie Canning "Required reading for anyone interested in Australian history" Antipodes "An extraordinary feat of courage, endurance and defiance" Aboriginal History "A wonderful and important book" Mag Merrilees "A notable achievement" Peter Read "Brilliantly written" Tom Stannage Contains bibliography, index, maps, illustrations.
