Daughter of the River Country: A heartbreaking redemptive memoir by one of Australia's stolen Aboriginal generation

Daughter of the River Country is a powerful memoir about the journey of Dianne, a Stolen Generation member, from a childhood of abuse to becoming an Aboriginal Elder. It explores the devastation caused by the government assimilation programme and the power of love and staying the course.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 05 August 2021
Publisher: Bonnier Books Ltd

Daughter of the River Country is a poignant and powerful memoir that delves into the heart-wrenching experiences of one woman's journey from a childhood marked by trauma and loss to becoming an Aboriginal Elder. Born in rural Australia in the 1940s, Dianne's life was forever altered when she was taken from her parents and placed with a white family. Raised in an era of widespread racism, she believed her Irish adoptive mother was her birth mother, and this belief shaped her entire existence.

However, the harsh reality of her circumstances would soon unfold. When her adoptive mother tragically passed away, Dianne was abandoned by her adoptive father. In a cruel twist of fate, she was then raped, sent to the brutal Parramatta Girls Home, and forced to marry her rapist in order to keep her baby.

Despite enduring years of domestic abuse, Dianne refused to let her spirit be broken. She sought solace in her Aboriginal heritage and eventually discovered that she was a Yorta Yorta woman, a daughter of the river country. This revelation brought her a sense of belonging and purpose, and she embarked on a journey to reconnect with her birth mother.

Through her research, Dianne learned that her great-grandfather was a famous Aboriginal activist who had fought tirelessly for the rights of his people. Inspired by his legacy, Dianne became a powerful leader in her own right, vowing to help others in any way she could.

Daughter of the River Country is a groundbreaking work that explores for the first time the devastation caused to Australia's Aboriginal Stolen Generation. These individuals were forcibly placed with white families as part of a government assimilation programme that aimed to erase their cultural identity and assimilate them into white society. The memoir sheds light on the trauma, loss, and resilience of these individuals, and it serves as a powerful testament to the strength of love and the power of staying the course.

LINDA BURNEY, the first Aboriginal Member of Australia's House of Representatives, has praised Daughter of the River Country as a "compelling memoir about the power of love and staying the course." The book has received widespread acclaim and has been recognized as a significant contribution to the ongoing conversation about the experiences of Australia's Indigenous communities.

In conclusion, Daughter of the River Country is a heartbreaking and redemptive memoir that tells the story of one woman's extraordinary journey from a childhood of trauma and loss to becoming an Aboriginal Elder. Through her resilience and determination, Dianne has overcome immense adversity and has emerged as a powerful voice for her community. The book serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by Australia's Indigenous peoples and the importance of recognizing and honoring their heritage.

Weight: 494g
Dimension: 164 x 240 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781838775797