I acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Custodians of the Country I live and work in. I would like to pay my respects to the Elders past, present and emerging.

I would also like to pay respect to Australian South Sea Islander peoples, who hold a unique position in Australia’s multicultural tapestry as a result of forced relocation programs by early colonists.

Blackbirded is historical fiction and it contains racist language used by characters within the historical setting of early Colonial Australia that reflects the prevailing attitudes of the time. They are used wholly without endorsement or encouragement. The intention is to reflect the lived experience of First Nations individuals during the period.

This may be unsettling or upsetting for some readers, and I want to urge caution when reading the text. The language is used throughout—if you feel such language may be triggering or upsetting, I recommend skipping the text entirely.

Chapter 1