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Doctor Wooreddy's Prescription For Enduring The Ending Of The World
The young Wooreddy recognised the omen immediately, accidentally stepping on it while bounding along the beach: something slimy, something eerily cold and not from the earth. Since it had come from the sea, it was an evil omen.
Soon after, many people died mysteriously, others disappeared without a trace, and once-friendly families became bitter enemies. The islanders muttered, 'It's the times', but Wooreddy alone knew more: the world was coming to an end.
In Mudrooroo's unforgettable novel, considered by many to be his masterpiece, the author evokes with fullest irony the bewilderment and frailty of the last native Tasmanians, as they come face to face with the clumsy but inexorable power of their white destroyers.
Soon after, many people died mysteriously, others disappeared without a trace, and once-friendly families became bitter enemies. The islanders muttered, 'It's the times', but Wooreddy alone knew more: the world was coming to an end.
In Mudrooroo's unforgettable novel, considered by many to be his masterpiece, the author evokes with fullest irony the bewilderment and frailty of the last native Tasmanians, as they come face to face with the clumsy but inexorable power of their white destroyers.
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
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149 people want to read
About the author
Mudrooroo
30 books10 followersBorn Colin Johnson in 1938, Mudrooroo grew up in institutions without his parents, before becoming a petty criminal and spending time in Fremantle Prison.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, Mudrooroo spent time living in India, the United States, and the UK, during which time he published his early novels, including "Wild Cat Falling", a political novel drawing on his own experiences as a former convict without a sense of purpose.
On returning to Australia in the late 1970s, Mudrooroo began a full-time career as a writer, lecturer, and literary advocate, publishing several volumes examining the loneliness and isolation of Australian life, with a focus on Indigenous Australian existence. By the 1990s, he added speculative fiction and young adult fiction to his repertoire. He was recognised as one of the most well-known Indigenous writers in the country, at a time when Indigenous literature was finally gaining recognition in the country.
In 1996, however, journalists revealed that Mudrooroo had no Indigenous ancestry. His background was English and African-American, and his family did not view themselves as Aboriginal. In the resulting furore, Mudrooroo argued that he had been treated as Aboriginal due to his dark skin, and had in many ways lived an Aboriginal life. The scandal divided observers: some felt that Mudrooroo's contribution to Aboriginal writing, and his identification with Australia's First Peoples, gave him some claims of kinship. Many others felt that he had used stories that were not his, and actively lied, at a time when Aboriginal authenticity and identity were already under attack from white nationalists and cultural conservatives.
Although he published some final volumes through to the year 2000, Mudrooroo's reputation was sullied and he subsequently left Australia for Nepal. His writings have largely vanished from the school curriculum, with the prevailing cultural attitude of the modern era that Indigeneity comes from bloodlines and acceptance by the broader Indigenous community, rather than from self-identification.
In 2011, Mudrooroo returned to Australia with his wife and son, publishing a semi-autobiographical novel "Balga Boy Jackson" in 2017. He died in Brisbane in 2019.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, Mudrooroo spent time living in India, the United States, and the UK, during which time he published his early novels, including "Wild Cat Falling", a political novel drawing on his own experiences as a former convict without a sense of purpose.
On returning to Australia in the late 1970s, Mudrooroo began a full-time career as a writer, lecturer, and literary advocate, publishing several volumes examining the loneliness and isolation of Australian life, with a focus on Indigenous Australian existence. By the 1990s, he added speculative fiction and young adult fiction to his repertoire. He was recognised as one of the most well-known Indigenous writers in the country, at a time when Indigenous literature was finally gaining recognition in the country.
In 1996, however, journalists revealed that Mudrooroo had no Indigenous ancestry. His background was English and African-American, and his family did not view themselves as Aboriginal. In the resulting furore, Mudrooroo argued that he had been treated as Aboriginal due to his dark skin, and had in many ways lived an Aboriginal life. The scandal divided observers: some felt that Mudrooroo's contribution to Aboriginal writing, and his identification with Australia's First Peoples, gave him some claims of kinship. Many others felt that he had used stories that were not his, and actively lied, at a time when Aboriginal authenticity and identity were already under attack from white nationalists and cultural conservatives.
Although he published some final volumes through to the year 2000, Mudrooroo's reputation was sullied and he subsequently left Australia for Nepal. His writings have largely vanished from the school curriculum, with the prevailing cultural attitude of the modern era that Indigeneity comes from bloodlines and acceptance by the broader Indigenous community, rather than from self-identification.
In 2011, Mudrooroo returned to Australia with his wife and son, publishing a semi-autobiographical novel "Balga Boy Jackson" in 2017. He died in Brisbane in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 12, 2022
COLONIAL AUSTRALIA
Just finished reading this very interesting piece of Australian aboriginal literature and despite my slow reading (mainly due to the complexity of the language) I found it more than useful and interesting.
Even though the style it's not better than, let's say, in Carpentaria by Alexis Wright, it definitely represents one of the most challenging and reliable accounts about the British colonial invasion of Australia.
A clash between two civilizations, each of them strongly anchored in their traditions, religions and ways of thinking or behaving.
PS: do not judge this book by its covers!
Just finished reading this very interesting piece of Australian aboriginal literature and despite my slow reading (mainly due to the complexity of the language) I found it more than useful and interesting.
Even though the style it's not better than, let's say, in Carpentaria by Alexis Wright, it definitely represents one of the most challenging and reliable accounts about the British colonial invasion of Australia.
A clash between two civilizations, each of them strongly anchored in their traditions, religions and ways of thinking or behaving.
PS: do not judge this book by its covers!
February 21, 2021
Mudrooroo's Dr Wooreddy's Prescription for Enduring the Ending of the World has a similar aesthetic and feel to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. The style is simple and deliberate, a description of Aboriginal Australian customs inside of the colonial era. Much like how Things Fall Apart captures the struggle of colonialism and the destruction of culture, Dr Wooreddy's paints a picture of a society on decline, yet tries to give it a place to the literatures of the world before things are fully lost. There are some wondrous descriptions in here, from a ghost (ie a possible metaphor for an English settler) violating an Aboriginal woman to the life-like tit-for-tats that settler Robinson and Wooreddy have.
The book has lost a lot of its stature in the Australian literary community because Mudrooroo's Aboriginality has been contested. Nonetheless, the aura around the book is good. Mudrooroo was clearly trying to preserve and speak for a people who aren't spoken about on the global literary landscape, and there's a lot of depth in the small moments which make it a worthy read for people who even have little understanding of Aboriginal Australian culture.
The book has lost a lot of its stature in the Australian literary community because Mudrooroo's Aboriginality has been contested. Nonetheless, the aura around the book is good. Mudrooroo was clearly trying to preserve and speak for a people who aren't spoken about on the global literary landscape, and there's a lot of depth in the small moments which make it a worthy read for people who even have little understanding of Aboriginal Australian culture.
July 16, 2018
Colin Johnson aka Mudrooroo is a controversial figure in the history of indigenous literature. His novel, Wild Cat Falling (A&R Classics) is said by some to be the first novel by an author ‘of Aboriginal blood’ in Australia. However he is not mentioned in the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature – which one might perhaps expect to include an excerpt from a novel of such apparent significance. However, he is listed on the AustLit database BlackWords. Why the discrepancy? Well, if you check out the author’s Wikipedia page, you can soon see why: his Aboriginality is a contested issue.
Well, as I said elsewhere, I’m not getting into the complex politics of Aboriginal identity: if an author identifies him/herself as indigenous, that’s good enough for me. What is more problematic is that the novel tells the story of Trugernanna and the ‘last male of Bruny Island’ (p207), and the cover blurb refers to ‘the last native Tasmanians‘ implying that Tasmanian Aborigines are extinct. They are not, as shown by Dr Ryan’s authoritative research in The Tasmanian Aborigines: A History since 1803 which also explains how the false belief arose and how Tasmanian activists have had to mount a long campaign to have their Aboriginality acknowledged.
But as it happens, Mudrooroo’s title prefigures that endurance into the 21st century. Doctor Wooreddy’s Prescription for Enduring the Ending of the World is a remarkable book on any terms, and if it were to be reissued as an Australian classic with a clarifying introduction, any doubts about its author or intimations of successful genocide could be confronted. I think it would be a pity to let this book slide into obscurity because it is an elegy for a lost way of life and a snapshot of the dilemmas of the period. It makes an empathetic companion to The Tasmanian Aborigines: A History since 1803.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2012/05/27/do...
Well, as I said elsewhere, I’m not getting into the complex politics of Aboriginal identity: if an author identifies him/herself as indigenous, that’s good enough for me. What is more problematic is that the novel tells the story of Trugernanna and the ‘last male of Bruny Island’ (p207), and the cover blurb refers to ‘the last native Tasmanians‘ implying that Tasmanian Aborigines are extinct. They are not, as shown by Dr Ryan’s authoritative research in The Tasmanian Aborigines: A History since 1803 which also explains how the false belief arose and how Tasmanian activists have had to mount a long campaign to have their Aboriginality acknowledged.
But as it happens, Mudrooroo’s title prefigures that endurance into the 21st century. Doctor Wooreddy’s Prescription for Enduring the Ending of the World is a remarkable book on any terms, and if it were to be reissued as an Australian classic with a clarifying introduction, any doubts about its author or intimations of successful genocide could be confronted. I think it would be a pity to let this book slide into obscurity because it is an elegy for a lost way of life and a snapshot of the dilemmas of the period. It makes an empathetic companion to The Tasmanian Aborigines: A History since 1803.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2012/05/27/do...
April 16, 2019
Interesting and educational, although I found it very wearying to read. If I didn't have to read it for class, I would've probably stopped and tried to find another book about the colonisation of Australia.
May 17, 2021
A wonderful reversal of the Australian myth and the white prejudices against the Aborigines. Through Wooreddy's personal journey, we get to know their ways of survival and the cruelties of the "ghosts", described as unhuman.
April 23, 2018
Beautiful. I look around the island where I live and often wonder what it was like before Europeans arrived, and wish I could go back in time and see it, even stop what we did, and live more like the native inhabitants did then that what we do now.
There are many precious glimpses of this life, seen with eyes stinging from the smoke of the unfolding apocalypse; the invasion, the genocide, the destruction of the land and wildlife.
The story begins as Tasmania is overrun by Europeans, and the aboriginal peoples are driven from their lands, succumb to influenza, are raped and killed.
We see how foolish the Europeans are, how out of touch with the land, how incapable of listening or learning from those not only already living in this place, but with 50,000 years' experience handed down from ancestor to ancestor.
The stupidity is darkly comical; a satire written with the feel of a historical account.
One of the unexpected things that struck me was the native people's diet: meat, seafood and vegetables, their physical activity in procuring this food, and their impact on the environment, was far healthier and more enlightened than that of the Europeans, one of whom even acknowledges this in the book but continues in his folly. The entrenched arrogance, the superiority complex those of white privilege seem to unconsciously default to in our thinking and actions (myself included, unless I continually question and call myself to account), compels the Europeans to not only revert to their own imported brand of inferior behaviour, but enforce it on those who know better, claiming some bizarre, illogical, irrelevant higher moral ground.
A beautiful moment where Wooreddy and the others are shown the game of cricket, and take a liking to it:
'A distraught Robinson stood aghast at such a display of savagery. It would take time to bring them to civilized ways, and sighing he picked up his heavy walking stick and physically separated the combatants. A good time had been had by all except the commandant.' P. 138
A moment soon ruined by the commandant's demanding they stop their dancing, their singing, put on clothes and take new names, which he would give them.
'Cheer up. It's no fun living in a white man's world. I leave it without regret.' P. 204
'...they don't even believe that we can speak like this or choose our own destiny.' P. 204
There are many precious glimpses of this life, seen with eyes stinging from the smoke of the unfolding apocalypse; the invasion, the genocide, the destruction of the land and wildlife.
The story begins as Tasmania is overrun by Europeans, and the aboriginal peoples are driven from their lands, succumb to influenza, are raped and killed.
We see how foolish the Europeans are, how out of touch with the land, how incapable of listening or learning from those not only already living in this place, but with 50,000 years' experience handed down from ancestor to ancestor.
The stupidity is darkly comical; a satire written with the feel of a historical account.
One of the unexpected things that struck me was the native people's diet: meat, seafood and vegetables, their physical activity in procuring this food, and their impact on the environment, was far healthier and more enlightened than that of the Europeans, one of whom even acknowledges this in the book but continues in his folly. The entrenched arrogance, the superiority complex those of white privilege seem to unconsciously default to in our thinking and actions (myself included, unless I continually question and call myself to account), compels the Europeans to not only revert to their own imported brand of inferior behaviour, but enforce it on those who know better, claiming some bizarre, illogical, irrelevant higher moral ground.
A beautiful moment where Wooreddy and the others are shown the game of cricket, and take a liking to it:
'A distraught Robinson stood aghast at such a display of savagery. It would take time to bring them to civilized ways, and sighing he picked up his heavy walking stick and physically separated the combatants. A good time had been had by all except the commandant.' P. 138
A moment soon ruined by the commandant's demanding they stop their dancing, their singing, put on clothes and take new names, which he would give them.
'Cheer up. It's no fun living in a white man's world. I leave it without regret.' P. 204
'...they don't even believe that we can speak like this or choose our own destiny.' P. 204
June 25, 2023
Dr Wooreddy's Prescription for Enduring the Ending of the World is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the complex and deeply rooted trauma experienced by Aboriginal communities. The author's portrayal of Aboriginal trauma is commendable, shedding light on the profound suffering endured by Indigenous peoples. However, it is disappointing and shocking to discover that the author himself is not of Aboriginal origin and was treated as a member of the Stolen Generation.
One of the strengths of the novel is the author's ability to capture the emotional depth of Aboriginal trauma. Through vivid descriptions and compelling storytelling, the book provides a glimpse into the lived experiences of Aboriginal people, highlighting the devastating impacts of colonization and forced assimilation. The author's attention to detail and empathetic approach create a poignant narrative that fosters empathy and understanding among readers.
While the novel offers valuable insights into Aboriginal trauma, it falls short of providing an authentic voice due to the author's lack of Aboriginal heritage (yes, he was treated like an Aboriginal himself, but he was too aggressive towards some Aboriginal authors, such as Sally Morgan). I think that by amplifying the voices of Aboriginal authors, we can ensure more accurate and respectful portrayals of their experiences.
That being said, the book sheds light on Aboriginal trauma with sensitivity and emotional depth, thus showing the other side of the coin.
One of the strengths of the novel is the author's ability to capture the emotional depth of Aboriginal trauma. Through vivid descriptions and compelling storytelling, the book provides a glimpse into the lived experiences of Aboriginal people, highlighting the devastating impacts of colonization and forced assimilation. The author's attention to detail and empathetic approach create a poignant narrative that fosters empathy and understanding among readers.
While the novel offers valuable insights into Aboriginal trauma, it falls short of providing an authentic voice due to the author's lack of Aboriginal heritage (yes, he was treated like an Aboriginal himself, but he was too aggressive towards some Aboriginal authors, such as Sally Morgan). I think that by amplifying the voices of Aboriginal authors, we can ensure more accurate and respectful portrayals of their experiences.
That being said, the book sheds light on Aboriginal trauma with sensitivity and emotional depth, thus showing the other side of the coin.
November 16, 2020
I found this problematic. Mudrooroo's novel follows the course of G. A. Robinson's 'conciliation' mission in Van Diemen's Land circa 1830, and presumably this is based in large part on Robinson's journals as edited by Plomley. The subject matter is interesting, but I found the presentation lacking. There are point of view and tone issues here, in my view. Cassandra Pybus does a much better job of representing this epic journey in her recent book Truganini: Journey Through the Apocalypse.
June 30, 2020
Written from the perspective of an Indigenous man it tells of the arrival of the 'ghosts'. From here on the world becomes a contested space of storytelling trying to make sense of events. A bit like a pandemic. For the narrator all becomes clear when he realises this is the 'end of the world'.
April 6, 2025
Actually, the world ended.
Terribly difficult if you are not keen on Aboriginal customs and colonial history.
However, I found the female characters very pleasing and perfectly portrayed in their complexity.
Terribly difficult if you are not keen on Aboriginal customs and colonial history.
However, I found the female characters very pleasing and perfectly portrayed in their complexity.
December 7, 2012
Loved this book! I have struggled to understand the issues surrounding the attempted genocide of Tasmanian Aboriginals and the resultant destruction of many aspects of their culture. That many descendants of Tasmania's indigenous population now identify as Aboriginal after many years of having to hide their existence is Testament to their resilience. The largely unrecognised book "We Who Are Not Here" explores aspects of the culture in the south of the state as it exists today - and as it was in recent times. It is a book full of humour.
But I didn't mean to get into that... I meant to respond to Mudrooroo's treatment of the subject of the arrival of the white invaders of Tasmania as seen through the eyes of one Aboriginal. For him, the first sighting of the ships and their human cargo must have been gob smackingly terrifying. Imagine seeing a spacecraft land slap bang in the middle of a town. There is potential for either great catastrophe or great and wondrous change. Which is it to be? For our hero, there is a gradually dawning recognition that these beings presage "the ending of the world". The question then becomes how to survive as his world is changed out of all recognition.
What follows is shocking beyond belief and would send a delicious shiver down your spine if it was fiction. But it's not fiction. This a chronicle of some of the events that followed on from the white invasion. These are the events that have bred a crippling sense of "white guilt" in some, a stubborn insistence by others that there are no longer Aboriginals in Tasmania, and a slow burning anger at the ongoing discrimination, disenfranchisement and a growing call for reparation.
Without reference to a text such as Lyndall Ryan's "the Tasmanian Aboriginals" cited by the previous reviewer, it is difficult to separate the fact from fiction in this book. Nonetheless, the novel stands alone and shines a light on a shameful period in Australian history.
I am aware that I have been tip toeing through a minefield trying not to give offence through ignorance and apologise unreservedly if I have. Especially as I have to live on this beautiful island with an ugly past both in terms of its indigenous inhabitants and the convicts who were incarcerated here.
But I didn't mean to get into that... I meant to respond to Mudrooroo's treatment of the subject of the arrival of the white invaders of Tasmania as seen through the eyes of one Aboriginal. For him, the first sighting of the ships and their human cargo must have been gob smackingly terrifying. Imagine seeing a spacecraft land slap bang in the middle of a town. There is potential for either great catastrophe or great and wondrous change. Which is it to be? For our hero, there is a gradually dawning recognition that these beings presage "the ending of the world". The question then becomes how to survive as his world is changed out of all recognition.
What follows is shocking beyond belief and would send a delicious shiver down your spine if it was fiction. But it's not fiction. This a chronicle of some of the events that followed on from the white invasion. These are the events that have bred a crippling sense of "white guilt" in some, a stubborn insistence by others that there are no longer Aboriginals in Tasmania, and a slow burning anger at the ongoing discrimination, disenfranchisement and a growing call for reparation.
Without reference to a text such as Lyndall Ryan's "the Tasmanian Aboriginals" cited by the previous reviewer, it is difficult to separate the fact from fiction in this book. Nonetheless, the novel stands alone and shines a light on a shameful period in Australian history.
I am aware that I have been tip toeing through a minefield trying not to give offence through ignorance and apologise unreservedly if I have. Especially as I have to live on this beautiful island with an ugly past both in terms of its indigenous inhabitants and the convicts who were incarcerated here.
May 19, 2025
A good book to learn more about aboriginal australia
October 24, 2013
As a half-Australian I think this should be mandatory reading in Australian schools. Along with the Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes. It is an extremely painful book to read but part of our heritage.It kept echoing through my head as I walked around Tasmania. Two images come to mind- blood - and rock. I don't know how the author came to write this but it must have been a very cathartic experience for him. In my lifetime this is one of the top ten books that affected me. And the only other experience that comes close is watching the Killing Fields-after which I couldn't sleep for two days.
August 7, 2013
Really loved the the cultural touch and narrative aspects of the book. I recently read "Community Of Thieves" by Cassandra Pybus beforehand and really think the 2 are complimentary and its worth reading them both. I strongly think youth should be introduced to such books during school years! This history is so important I think.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews