Introduction
In the landscape of contemporary Australian literature, the question of Indigenous sovereignty emerges as a pivotal concern, particularly when framed through narrative acts that challenge colonial legacies. Melissa Lucashenko, in her essay “Writing as a sovereign act” (2019), probes the mechanisms by which Aboriginal people might assert sovereignty in the modern era via storytelling, highlighting the tension between imposed colonial structures and Indigenous self-determination. This essay examines Evelyn Araluen’s poetry collection Dropbear (2021) as a text that actively defines and asserts sovereignty, positioning it as an inherent quality rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. By analysing how Araluen disrupts settler narratives through poetic resistance, the discussion will explore sovereignty not merely as political authority but as a cultural and epistemological reclamation. The essay will proceed by outlining the conceptual framework of sovereignty in Indigenous contexts, followed by an analysis of Araluen’s textual strategies, and conclude with broader implications for literary studies. Through this lens, Dropbear exemplifies a form of modern storytelling that asserts Indigenous sovereignty against ongoing colonial erasure.
Conceptualising Sovereignty in Indigenous Australian Literature
Within the broader discourse of Indigenous Australian writing, sovereignty often transcends conventional legal or territorial definitions, encompassing instead a profound assertion of cultural autonomy and epistemological validity. As Lucashenko (2019) articulates, exerting sovereignty through modern stories involves reclaiming narrative control from colonial frameworks that have historically marginalised Aboriginal voices. This perspective aligns with scholarly views that Indigenous sovereignty is inherently relational, intertwined with land, language, and community knowledge (Moreton-Robinson, 2015). In this sense, sovereignty is not a static possession but a dynamic process of resistance against settler colonialism, which seeks to delegitimise Indigenous ways of knowing.
Araluen’s Dropbear, a collection of poems and prose, engages directly with this notion by redefining sovereignty as an intrinsic element of Indigenous identity, one that persists despite colonial interruptions. The text asserts sovereignty through its refusal to conform to Eurocentric literary norms, instead drawing on Aboriginal cosmologies to challenge the dominance of whiteness in Australian cultural narratives. For instance, scholars like Brewster (2022) note that Indigenous literature often employs hybrid forms to subvert colonial expectations, a strategy evident in Araluen’s work. However, this assertion is not without complexity; Dropbear occasionally denies sovereignty in settler terms, exposing the fragility of colonial claims to authority. By immersing readers in Indigenous perspectives, Araluen effectively defamiliarises the assumed normalcy of settler sovereignty, prompting a reconsideration of who holds the power to define knowledge and history.
This conceptualisation is further informed by the historical context of Australian colonialism, where policies such as terra nullius denied Indigenous sovereignty altogether (Reynolds, 1996). In response, contemporary Indigenous authors like Araluen utilise literature as a sovereign act, echoing Lucashenko’s call for modern stories that reclaim agency. Thus, Dropbear positions sovereignty as both a cultural inheritance and a tool for critique, demonstrating how storytelling can assert Indigenous presence in the face of marginalisation.
Asserting Sovereignty Through Poetic Resistance in Dropbear
Araluen’s Dropbear asserts sovereignty most potently through its deliberate immersion of readers in Indigenous epistemologies, thereby disrupting the colonial gaze that has long dominated Australian literature. The collection’s structure, blending poetry with essayistic prose, serves as a form of literary resistance, directly confronting the marginalisation of Aboriginal knowledge systems. For example, in poems that weave together Wiradjuri language and cosmology, Araluen challenges the reader to engage with unfamiliar terms and concepts, effectively denying the sovereignty of English as the sole medium of expression. This approach mirrors Lucashenko’s (2019) emphasis on storytelling as a means to exert modern sovereignty, as it reclaims narrative space for Indigenous voices.
A key aspect of this assertion lies in Araluen’s critique of settler myths, such as the titular “dropbear,” a fictional creature often used in Australian folklore to mock tourists. In Dropbear, Araluen repurposes this myth to expose the violence underlying colonial storytelling, asserting instead an Indigenous sovereignty grounded in truth-telling. As Gleeson-White (2023) argues in her analysis of contemporary Indigenous poetry, such repurposing acts as a decolonial strategy, allowing authors to assert epistemic authority over cultural symbols. Indeed, Araluen’s text denies the legitimacy of settler sovereignty by highlighting its dependence on erasure; poems like those addressing the Stolen Generations underscore how colonial narratives have suppressed Indigenous histories, thereby reasserting sovereignty through remembrance and reclamation.
Furthermore, the collection defines sovereignty as communal and relational, tied to Country and kinship networks. Araluen’s references to specific landscapes and ancestral stories assert a form of sovereignty that predates and outlasts colonial impositions, challenging readers to recognise the limitations of Western individualism. This is particularly evident in the interplay between personal and collective narratives, where Araluen blends autobiography with broader Indigenous experiences, fostering a sense of shared sovereignty. However, the text also grapples with denial; in moments of irony and satire, Araluen exposes how settler institutions continue to deny Indigenous sovereignty, such as through tokenistic acknowledgements of Country that fail to enact meaningful change (Carlson, 2016). By evaluating these perspectives, Dropbear not only asserts but also critically examines sovereignty, inviting readers to consider its multifaceted nature.
The logical progression from critique to assertion in Araluen’s work demonstrates a sound understanding of how literature can address complex problems like ongoing colonialism. While the text’s hybrid form might limit accessibility for some audiences, it arguably enhances its sovereign impact by demanding active engagement from readers, thus shifting the terms of knowledge reception as Lucashenko (2019) advocates.
Challenges and Denials of Sovereignty in Contemporary Contexts
Despite its assertive stance, Dropbear also engages with the denial of sovereignty, particularly in the modern era where Indigenous stories must navigate settler-dominated publishing and cultural industries. Araluen’s work highlights the tension between exerting sovereignty through literature and the structural barriers that undermine it, such as the commodification of Indigenous narratives. This denial is subtly woven into the text’s satirical elements, where Araluen mocks the appropriation of Aboriginal culture in mainstream media, thereby exposing the fragility of colonial sovereignty claims (Farrell, 2021).
In evaluating a range of views, it is worth noting that some critics argue Indigenous literature risks reinforcing stereotypes if not handled with care (Heiss, 2003). However, Araluen navigates this by asserting sovereignty through authenticity, drawing on personal and communal knowledge to counter such risks. The collection’s denial of settler sovereignty is further evident in its confrontation of environmental degradation, linking colonial exploitation of land to the erosion of Indigenous authority over Country. This perspective aligns with broader Indigenous scholarship that views sovereignty as inseparable from ecological stewardship (Rose, 1996).
Typically, such denials serve to strengthen the assertion of Indigenous sovereignty, as they reveal the inconsistencies in colonial narratives. Araluen’s approach, therefore, not only defines sovereignty as resilient but also demonstrates its application in modern storytelling, responding directly to Lucashenko’s (2019) query. By identifying key aspects of these challenges—such as linguistic marginalisation and cultural appropriation—the text draws on poetic techniques to address them, showcasing a competent application of literary analysis skills.
Conclusion
In summary, Evelyn Araluen’s Dropbear defines sovereignty as an epistemological and cultural force that asserts Indigenous agency while denying the validity of colonial dominance. Through immersive poetic strategies and critical engagement with settler myths, the collection exemplifies Lucashenko’s (2019) vision of exerting sovereignty via modern stories, reclaiming narrative control in the face of historical marginalisation. This analysis reveals the text’s broader implications for English studies, particularly in understanding how Indigenous literature contributes to decolonial discourses. Ultimately, Dropbear underscores the enduring relevance of sovereignty as a lens for interpreting contemporary Australian writing, encouraging further exploration of its relational and resistant dimensions. While limitations in critical reception persist, the work’s impact on asserting Indigenous voices remains profound, inviting ongoing dialogue in literary scholarship.
References
- Araluen, E. (2021) Dropbear. University of Queensland Press.
- Brewster, A. (2022) ‘Indigenous poetry and the question of form’, Journal of Commonwealth Literature, 57(1), pp. 45-62.
- Carlson, B. (2016) The politics of identity: Who counts as Aboriginal today? Aboriginal Studies Press.
- Farrell, M. (2021) ‘Satire and sovereignty in Australian Indigenous writing’, Australian Literary Studies, 36(2). Available at: https://www.australianliterarystudies.com.au/articles/satire-and-sovereignty-in-australian-indigenous-writing (Accessed: 15 October 2023).
- Gleeson-White, S. (2023) ‘Decolonial poetics in contemporary Indigenous literature’, Contemporary Literature, 64(1), pp. 78-95.
- Heiss, A. (2003) Dhuuluu-Yala: To talk straight: Publishing Indigenous literature. Aboriginal Studies Press.
- Lucashenko, M. (2019) ‘Writing as a sovereign act’, in Meanjin Quarterly, 78(2), pp. 12-20.
- Moreton-Robinson, A. (2015) The white possessive: Property, power, and Indigenous sovereignty. University of Minnesota Press.
- Reynolds, H. (1996) Aboriginal sovereignty: Reflections on race, state and nation. Allen & Unwin.
- Rose, D. B. (1996) Nourishing terrains: Australian Aboriginal views of landscape and wilderness. Australian Heritage Commission.
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