Review: Paris Savages by Katherine Johnson
In Paris Savages , Australian author Katherine Johnson tells the story of a shameful and little known--but extremely important--part of Australian history. The year is 1882. The Badjala people have been facing many problems since white settlers arrived in their island home K'Gari (a place which contemporary readers may also know as Fraser Island,) including the fact that their population has faced a steady decline due to a number of massacres and also illnesses. Among the white settler population on the island is German scientist Louis Muller and his daughter Hilda. Louis has received an offer--for him to take three of the Badjala people with him and Hilda to Europe--where they will perform as part of a human exhibition for large crowds. Louis welcomes the idea, believing that it will help, rather than harm them. Meanwhile, three of the Badjala people agree--Bonny, Jurano and Dorondera--mostly because headstrong Bonny believes that he will be able to meet with the queen and tel...