Gigorou: It's time to reclaim beauty. First Nations wisdom and womanhood

by Sasha Kutabah Sarago

‘You’re too pretty to be Aboriginal’ is a shocking statement Sasha Kutabah Sarago experienced at a young age. In her 2020 TEDx talk, ‘The (de)colonising of beauty’, Sasha shares how she reclaimed her femininity by redefining beauty. In challenging our modern-day concepts of beauty from a First Nations woman’s perspective, she asks, does beauty liberate you, or is it time to rethink beauty?
 
Gigorou, meaning ‘beautiful’ in Jirrbal – her grandmother’s language – is an extension of this conversation. In this intimately fierce, funny and reflective memoir, Sasha retraces her footsteps as a beauty assistant, model and magazine editor to where beauty began over 60,000 years ago. It is through the voices of her matriarchs, the creation stories of Oolana, The First Rainbow and Majal, and the spirit of Barangaroo, Truganini and Patyegarang that her healing begins and authenticity arrives.
 
In a time when the patriarchy obstructs women from the divine feminine, and sexism, racism and ageism violate our sovereignty, Gigorou invites us to explore the interconnectedness of Aboriginal culture to resolve our relationship with beauty.
 
Gigorou is a coming of age for us all. What lessons can we learn from the oldest living culture in the world? Are you ready to embrace your gigorou?

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Feminism, Memoir, Audiobook

305 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 2023

Reviews

[Deb Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Easy read and mostly entertaining story but for me needed a tighter edit and there was quite a lot of name dropping which fell on deaf ears for me. Also a bit of long winded pontificating at the end that really slid into jargon. Glad to see the canon of fabulous Blak women’s writing grow but just not really for me, not being a fashionista/ make up type! Glad it exists tho!

[SS · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong Blak woman's story. Sasha's early professional life revolved around beauty and fashion. About 1/2 of the book revolves around this topic and Sasha's experiences in this industry and how this industry continues to lack diversity and fails to recognise this part of the community. The remainder of the book is Sasha reflecting on her family and her culture.

One woman's story that needs to be told.

I hope more First Nations people's stories are added to the published word.

Thanks to Sasha for sharing her story.

[Arushi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inconsistency of tone and prose made this a lacklustre read.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3⭐️ an interesting story and perspective. Consumed as an audiobook. Not my favorite nonfic

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loves this book
Left feeling uplifted, educated and inspired

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.
Is really all I can say. So beautifully written by sis Sasha.

What a beautiful, powerful, insightful and relatable read. Being an Aboriginal and South Sea Islander woman, this book with written for us. It made me proud to be a strong Blak woman.

It made me homesick, tear up, laugh, smile and feel proud. Definitely one to read!

[Lesley Jhoty · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more stories like this! Told from our point of view, on what it’s like to navigate and build a career in these spaces that were not set up for us to succeed. Gigorou is a thoughtful, inspiring and hopeful. Sasha’s journey is beautifully intertwined with her rich aboriginal culture, and will leave you wanting to learn more.

[Gabrielle Geddes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful and authentic, Sarago's unapologetic use of First Nation's language creates an 'othering' in Gigorou's white audience, the very alienation she explains she has felt for her whole life before carving out a space for Indigenous women's voices to be heard. Stunning.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most captivating memoirs I’ve ever read!! An incredibly powerful and insightful read. Sarago provides confronting insights into the racism and exclusionary Eurocentric ideologies, pervasive within the Australian fashion industry. Easily one of my favourite books I’ve read this year.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced, hopeful memoir that is richly detailed and contains a strong voice throughout.
It's wholly important that this self-esteem raising book exists, and yet it is also an enjoyable and widsom-imparting read that I think trans-global and First Nations people will find relatable.

[Farrells Bookshop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part biography, part exploration into the representation of indigenous people in the beauty and modelling industry. An interesting read.

Read by Suzie

[Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as audiobook

[Alli_aye · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘If it doesn’t bring you inspiration, income or orgasm, it doesn’t belong in your life’ a helleuva memoir

[Caddyshack Project · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caddyshack three word review:
Wise, funny & fierce

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book that defies genre as far as I can see.
Incredibly fast-paced dialogue that I had to focus on initially in order to understand the message.
The author lives and thrives within a world of high fashion and style and makeup, a world totally outside of my way of living and being and I say full respect and power to her as that is her passion.
Then woven into this life story of yearning to be a great fit in the fashion world is amazing gems of wisdom and teaching centred upon her living, knowing and growing within the Australian Aboriginal/First Nations cultures.
I was enthralled with it all but did have to focus and work a bit harder to gain any understanding of the world of fashion that apparently excites many of my fellow women.
A beautiful and powerful voice from an amazing younger woman that I am grateful to learn a bit more from.

[Allira · Rating 4 out of 5]

One fierce, strong, black woman’s story about art, fashion, culture, family, love, loss, and of rediscovering the strength, power, beauty, and the wisdom within, which has been nurtured, cultivated and handed down over thousands of years.

While I don’t really have a lot of knowledge (or interest, if I’m honest) about the collections, masters or mastheads of fashion, I still enjoyed the behind the scenes peak at the industry and the challenges faced by people of colour. But mostly I enjoyed Sasha’s stories about her family, working with the community in her mum’s beauty spa and the lessons learned along the way.

[Brooke Alice (brookes.bookstagram) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong, indepdent and successful story of Sasha's life. This book focuses both on Sasha's upbringing and her life, and also her professional career with beauty and fashion.

It was important to learn her backstory and how ongoing unrealistic the fashion and beauty industries are to anyone that doesn't fit the stock standard "white, pretty and petite" narrative. It was wonderful to have Sasha explore her own challenging journey of being a First Nations person within this industry and the barriers she has been able to break down.

Thanks Sasha for sharing your story with us.