The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith

Thomas Kenneally of Schinder’s Ark fame brings us another novel based upon true historic events. This work focuses on Jimmie Blacksmith, a “half-caste” Aboriginal whose white father taught him to aspire to land ownership, a white wife and children and grandchildren that are more and more white.

Jimmie takes all these lessons to heart, and they are reinforced by the lifestyle he observes in the Aboriginal missions – lives of hazy drunkenness and loose women. He learnt early that this was not for him, so he adopts these “white” attitudes. He believes that with his own hard work will lead to his success.

But this is not a world that is ready to accept an Aboriginal with the same goals as white men. Jimmie is repeatedly cheated by his employers, and when he finally manages to take a white wife, the birth of their first child places Jimmie’s feet firmly on a path of vengeance. The child is snow white, and clearly not Jimmie’s.

Jimmie’s relatives come to visit him and remind him of his forgotten culture, causing his white employers to treat him even more like a stereotypical “black”. When they stop buying food for Jimmie’s family, and try to convince his wife to leave him, something inside of Jimmie snaps. He takes up his axe, and takes revenge.

There is a real irony in the setting of the story. White Australians in the background are talking constantly about Federation – the bringing together of all Australians under one banner – but what about the forgotten Australians? The narrative shows us clearly that this Australia was not at all united, nor ready to confront the race upon whose land they formulated their nation.

Jimmie is a sympathetic character, despite the barbarity of his actions. His rage is the rage of his own nation – for all that had been taken away from them, and all that they were refused access to. It’s an important read, and a nice change to read something of significance.