Dirrayawadha

‘To read the book is to enter a lost time, a retrieved war, and to learn much, not least Wiradyuri. With dhuluny (truth) and marrumbang (love) of story, Heiss makes something good. And that is something for which modern Australia can be grateful.’ 

'Dirrayawadha is full of heart and hope, truth-telling and history – and shimmers with language too, with a Wiradyuri glossary I needed less and less as I journeyed through the story.'

‘A story from the past given vivid life for new understanding.’

'Anita Heiss’s Dirrayawadha is a tender yet clear-eyed portrayal of love, justice and longing; a riveting novel that highlights the personal and historical consequences of Australia’s violent past. Historical in tone, yet absolutely contemporary in scope, Dirrayawadha is a beautiful triumph. The heart wrenching story of Miinaa, Dan and Windradyne will stay with me forever.'

'Anita Heiss rescues the memory of a nation with the intensity of her voice. Dirrayawadha is a story of love, of survivors. You start reading and you lose your breath. There is no one like Anita to captivate you from the first line. In Dirrayawadha love prevails in the midst of the most terrible war. A novel about Australia for the world. The great dichotomy of this novel is the arriving one's yearning for autonomy and the native's yearning for sovereignty.'

‘Dirrayawadha successfully imparts historical truths within an accessible mass-market format while retaining many words in the Wiradyuri language. This novel will appeal to fans of conventional historical fiction about politically marginalised people along the lines of works by Shankari Chandran and Kate Grenville. It starts gently, yet by the end, you will feel the full force of the truths of Australia’s colonial history.’ 

‘Dirrayawadha shines a fresh light on one of the most extraordinary people in this continent's past, woven together with a deeply personal story of loss and love. Heiss's wonderful writing, as ever, takes us to the heart of the historical truths which still reverberate today, and movingly chronicles their human cost. Dirrayawadha should be required reading for anyone seeking to understand our colonial past, and especially for those of us who live on unceded land.’

'In illuminating the devastation of war and the vast upheaval and destruction of the Wiradyuri people, Dirrayawadha is a significant contribution to ongoing truth-telling in this country. If anyone ever doubted the existence of internal war in Australia, this is the book to read, and to consider all that’s been lost and what could yet be learned. Dirrayawadha is a beautifully written and masterful telling of a pivotal point in our history.' 

'Heiss is at the height of her powers in Dirrayawadha as she reckons with a time and a truth many have chosen to forget or deny; that of the brutal Frontier Wars that occurred on our soil. Told with heart and courage, Dirrayawadha is an epic tale of resistance, love, belonging and perseverance that returns presence and language to disregarded or silenced historical figures. By fearlessly confronting the impacts of this country’s violent past, Dirrayawadha is a commanding act of truth-telling and Heiss is to be applauded for having the courage to deliver it to us.'

‘…a profound act of truth-telling grounded in compassion and humanity … While navigating a dark historical chapter can elicit strong emotions, Heiss creates fully rounded characters that welcome readers into their world … a dedicated mission to celebrate and safeguard Indigenous cultures through literature; Dirrayawadha resurrects a crucial chapter of Australian history.’