{"product_id":"back-on-country","title":"Back On Country","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBack On Country\u003c\/em\u003e is a powerful and emotionally charged novel set in the \u003cstrong\u003eNorthern Territory of Australia\u003c\/strong\u003e, where ancient law, political ambition, and personal loyalty collide.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of the story is \u003cstrong\u003eManggilulu\u003c\/strong\u003e, a young and emerging Indigenous leader thrust prematurely into a world of political intrigue and cultural conflict. His intelligence and passion bring him into direct confrontation with white administrators who believe they understand what is best for Aboriginal people. When a murder accusation threatens to destroy him, the question becomes unavoidable: \u003cstrong\u003eis he guilty, or is he being sacrificed to protect a far deeper truth?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the narrative unfolds, past and present intertwine. \u003cstrong\u003eLivvy\u003c\/strong\u003e, a perceptive anthropologist, pieces together fragments of history that refuse to stay buried. The long-dead \u003cstrong\u003eGeorge Simpson\u003c\/strong\u003e continues to exert influence from beyond the grave, while \u003cstrong\u003eGray Bridges\u003c\/strong\u003e, a government communications specialist, struggles to balance bureaucratic authority with his respect for First Nations culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePower, control, and hypocrisy surface through figures such as \u003cstrong\u003eFred Archer\u003c\/strong\u003e, Director of Indigenous Affairs-either a compliant puppet or a dangerous renegade-and \u003cstrong\u003eEdward Blyth\u003c\/strong\u003e, the imperious Chief Minister whose belief that \"white is right\" drives policy with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, \u003cstrong\u003eBilago\u003c\/strong\u003e, dismissed by many as a drunk, carries knowledge capable of unravelling everything.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the centre of cultural authority stands \u003cstrong\u003eJambagarila\u003c\/strong\u003e, a Wainanda Elder whose fierce loyalty to ancestral law demands absolute obedience, even when tradition and survival clash. And \u003cstrong\u003eArlene\u003c\/strong\u003e, scarred by a lifetime of racism, embodies the emotional cost of a system that fractures identity and belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe story builds relentlessly toward a confrontation atop the sacred \u003cstrong\u003eGujigari Rock of the Wainanda clan\u003c\/strong\u003e, where courage, loyalty, and truth are tested-and where someone will lose their nerve.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBack On Country\u003c\/em\u003e is a fast-paced, thought-provoking novel about \u003cstrong\u003ehome, identity, power, and the enduring pull of Country\u003c\/strong\u003e, asking what it truly means to belong-and what must be sacrificed to return.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Heartspace Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45786710704175,"sku":"9780992493943","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/2855\/6847\/files\/imageloader_1313bb3d-c8c8-47e9-ad45-ba3f377fe1b1.jpg?v=1786143675","url":"https:\/\/tssbooks.com\/products\/back-on-country","provider":"tssbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}