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Synopsis

Midden shows the beautiful exchange between people living in harmony with nature, living mindfully off the land and connecting deeply with spirit.  It also shows how healing after trauma can bring forgiveness and lessen the burden of past hurts.

Midden is a fictional saga novel that tells the story of several tribes living on an isolated Island called Wyemena. This story cleverly intertwines facts, spiritual beliefs and survival skills of traditional cultures, creating an interesting, dramatic, sometimes humorous and raw look at how life may have been for people living on an isolated island, before being discovered by English settlers one hundred and fifty years later.

Midden is set in an Australian landscape and bush setting.

The Manuka Tribe who live on Wyemena, are deeply ritualistic and use ceremony, initiation, sexuality, song and dance to enhance their connection to the Dreaming, spirit realm, nature and each other.

Lena and her daughter, Jiemba are revered medicine women who have visions and dreams that guide the people. They are highly skilled in bush medicine for healing and are the midwives to many women. The tragedy of birth and death are explored often through the story, with vivid detail and emotion.

The Manuka tribe eventually combine with the Burumurring tribe, after their camp is attacked by the violent west coast tribe. These men are no longer in control of their own lives through lack of spiritual knowledge, respect for nature and ceremony. 

The people of Wyemena  gathered annually at the summer solstice gatherings in The Valley Below the Mountain. There, they would trade, arrange marriages and perform ancient ceremonies and rituals. This created strong bonds, friendships and allowed for important talks between the Elders.

Midden is a 48,000 word novel.

Table of Contents:

Prologue

Chapter 1 The Midden

Chapter 2 The Valley Below The Mountain

Chapter 3 Laughing Star

Chapter 4 Grandmother Jarlie

Chapter 5 Summer Solstice

Chapter 6 Mama Jiemba

Chapter 7 Initiation

Chapter 8 Return To The Valley Below The Mountain

Chapter 9 Wyemena Dark Days

Chapter 10 Way Of Life

Chapter 11 Badu And Yananda

Chapter 12 Women’s Business

Chapter 13 Creation Story

Chapter 14 The Elders

Chapter 15 Walkabout

Chapter 16 A Good Day To Die

Chapter 17 From The Dreaming

Chapter 18 Mannena

Chapter 19 The Manuka Way

Chapter 20 The Children

Chapter 21 Two-Spirits

Chapter 22 Far South

Chapter 23 Return To Manuka

Sample from Chapter 9 - "Wyemena Dark Days"

Sample from Chapter 15 - "Walkabout"

"Tarni slept by the fire on his own and decided he would leave early before the camp woke.  Just before dawn he gathered his things quietly and left an offering of red ochre in an abalone shell that sat by the fire.  He left in silence, knowing from this point on, to stay away from strangers and enjoy his time alone until he returned back to Manuka.  He walked all day, eating wild mushrooms as he went.  He would soon be near Kaeeta beach, and he knew that he would need to swim the Big River if he wanted to continue to the big cliffs he kept seeing in his dreams.  By midday he reached the beach, he foraged around for some shellfish for energy and drank fresh water from the cold tannin stained creek.  After a while he regained his strength and was ready for the challenge.  The day was grey, and the Big River was choppy.  He greased himself with his supply of kangaroo marrow, before bravely taking himself up to his navel into the cold water.  (He wasn’t as good a swimmer as the women, but still loved the water).  His small bundle was tied tightly to his back as he started to swim.  The current was pretty strong, and it took him down stream quickly, he had to work hard to get across, and at one point nearly gave up.  He finally arrived at the far end of the eastern shore totally spent.  He made a fire quickly to warm up and would rest there until tomorrow.  The view from the eastern shore was magnificent.  He could see the whole of the mountain, kangaroo valley, Kaeeta beach and the top end of Mannena Island.  The thick bush was lush and green and the tendrils of white smoke rising out of it here and there looked almost surreal as he enjoyed his solitude.  He gathered more oysters and mussels from the rocks for his food, and finally fell asleep.  Tarni woke at dawn to the peaceful sound of seabirds singing and set off eagerly in the direction of the big cliffs.  He walked for many days, resting only at dusk for the night and rising early again to keep going.  After a full rotation of the moon, he was now close to his destination.  He had seen so much along the way and became so used to his own company he at times forgot about his family and tribe.  The walking made him be present, and in his body.  He had no one to distract him, and nothing but himself and the bush around him.  At night he’d enjoy the small bats that whooshed past his head in search of moths attracted to the firelight and more often than not he'd see a white owl too.  (He felt this owl was his totem for the trip and offered it raw meat on occasion by leaving some on a branch).  The possums and Taraba were noisy too, but he was used to the comforting night sounds he’d grown up with. Eventually Tarni walked down hill through thick bush until he reached a long white sandy beach.  The water was clear and blue, with massive waves crashing in like he’d never seen before.  He walked silently along the noisy beach turning on occasion to look at his own footprints in the sand.  He had a brief moment of complete understanding…. We can walk this life feeling alone, but we are not alone, we have ourselves, our history, our story.  We have nature constantly trying to talk to us, but many do not listen or see. They forget the very land they walk upon is their mother… Tears welled in his eyes and he sat down in the sand.  He realised now that he was actually very near the place that his own mother Ilana was born.   This is the place Merri had come to steal her many years before!  He had come home, and he hadn’t even realised it till now. He wondered if he would find his mother’s family but wasn’t so worried if he didn’t.  After resting for a long time, Tarni continued along the beach and clambered up the steep bank back into the bush.  He walked east until the land began to change and the trees thinned and turned into short bushes.  The earth beneath now was nearly all rocks and he could hear the sound of the ocean crashing.  Finally, he arrived, the space around him opened up as he approached the cliff edge. He was awe struck by the immense beauty of this place.  The ocean was blue and mammoth.  There were giant pillars of rock emerging out from the sea like trees.  He walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down.  It was a long way and he stood back quickly to keep safe.  He sat there at last and smiled. He had arrived. The wind blew and spoke to him, he didn’t understand its language, but he felt it.  “Welcome home, welcome to your families land, welcome.” Tarni closed his eyes and could see the spirits around him.  The playful Naninga was there, as was the water spirits and sprites.  They played around him and touched him, he could see them in his mind and feel them as they touched his skin and made him shiver. “You are brave for coming here, you have travelled a long way, not only in distance but in who you are…your willingness to leave the safety of home and travel alone for many moons does not go unnoticed.  Bravery and inquisitiveness bring rewards,” said the water spirits. Tarni heard a sound he could not understand and then from behind him, footsteps.  He opened his eyes but could see no one, but there on the ground was a bundle, wrapped in soft kangaroo skin  tied with a flax cord.  He opened it slowly, and inside were four things..." 

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