Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia

Black Inc has a whole series of these Growing Up in Australia books: Growing Up Asian, Growing Up Queer, Growing Up Disabled and more, only some of which I've read. 

Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, edited by Anita Heiss and published in 2018, was a sobering read. It includes dozens of firsthand stories, from people born in the forties right up to teenagers, and while the narratives of the older generations included some desperately sad accounts of stolen children and even passed-down memories of brutal massacres, the most recent life stories are also full of racism, low expectations and relatives lost to suicide and despair, as well as loving families, community support and individual achievements.

One common theme was the exasperation and anger at being constantly asked to justify their own Aboriginal identity, especially, but not only from fair-skinned people: being required to quantify what 'percentage' of heritage they possess. I must admit I thought this was something that had gone out with the census referendum and I was shocked at how often even the youngest writers complained about this sort of interrogation.

There are many different kinds of stories here. Some writers have a strong, joyous sense of culture and belonging; others feel adrift. There are accomplished authors here, including Tara June Winch, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Jared Thomas and Tony Birch; celebrities like Adam Goodes and Miranda Tapsell; political figures like Celeste Liddell, and many others. Some stories are warm and funny, some are angry and sad, but all are worth reading.