AustLit

'In 1976, when Bill Rosser visited Palm Island, he was shocked at the restrictions the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living there were forced to endure in the course of their everyday lives. The manager determined where they could live, whom they could marry, where they could travel and when, and even what they wore when they went swimming. This work is an account of Rosser's experiences and the changes that he saw in both the people and the place since his first visit. He introduces readers to the island and its people by telling their stories with humour, affection and respect, but he also frankly discusses social issues such as alcohol abuse and domestic violence in the framework of poverty, prejudice and island politics.' (Source: Backcover)