By Casey Neill
UPWEY author Lia Hills will travel to the heart of Australia, on a journey to share Aboriginal culture and break down barriers.
With tensions flaring between politicians and Indigenous activists in the nation’s capital in recent weeks, Ms Hills said her novel about one man’s search for answers in a remote Aboriginal community would have a “wider echo”.
She grew up in New Zealand with a strong tie to Maori culture, and found her new home lacking this connection to its past when she moved to Australia at age 15.
Ms Hills hopes her book will help “fill the silence” and bridge the gap between white and Aboriginal Australia.
“They (Indigenous Australians) want people to understand,” she said.
“There’s so much inclusiveness.”
The Crying Place will follow a Sydney man’s journey after he discovers an old friend has committed suicide in St Kilda.
“It’s a very character-driven thing,” Ms Hills said.
“I had this scenario that popped into my head and this character was just speaking to me.”
The lead character is shocked, and visits his friend’s apartment to search for answers. There he finds a photograph of an Aboriginal woman his friend had spent time with in a remote community. He decides to track her down.
“It’s one man’s story, and kind of a manic, wild story,” Ms Hills said.
The novel will explore his time on the road, and the contrast between Aboriginal and western grieving as he informs people of his friend’s death.
“A lot of Aboriginal communities, when they lose someone, go out into ‘sorry camps’,” Ms Hills said.
“Another translation is ‘crying place’. It’s a place to deal with grief.”
To write the story, Ms Hills and her husband will take a month-long trip from St Kilda to a remote Aboriginal community – most likely near Uluru – from mid-April.
“It will be a very spontaneous experience,” she said.
Ms Hills will record audio throughout the trip, tapping into traditional Aboriginal storytelling. She will write part of the novel during her stay in the community, while “living the experience”.
“It will be a really intense month,” she said.
She is researching ahead of the journey, but also trying to remain open-minded so she can learn and discover in the way her character would. She has also been speaking with Wurundjeri elder Bill Nicholson and people who have worked in the region, “to determine whether they think it’s a legitimate story”.
“They’re telling me that it absolutely is,” she said.
Ms Hills last month received a $14,000 State Government grant towards The Crying Place. “I’m really thrilled,” she said.
“The endorsement is fabulous.”
Applications for the next State Government Arts Development program round close on 27 February. Visit www.arts.vic.gov.au for more information.
