That Deadman Dance is a book about different culture and how they meet for the very first time. The book is about the Aboriginal tribe Noongar that meets European settlers, as well as American whalers. Taking place in the early 1800s, the story is set in the western part of Australia in a place that is today called Albany.
The main character in That Deadman Dance and the story’s hero is Bobby Wabalanginy, who is a young man from the Noongar tribe in Australia. Bobby is very eager and clever. He is also very curious and wants to help the newcomers to settle down. He goes whaling with the Americans and helps the Europeans. Bobby is happy with his new friends, but soon everything will change.
The tribe becomes less and less happy with their new neighbors. Things are starting to change around them. Things starts to disappear or destroyed. Accidents and injuries happen. Who are doing this? What is happening?
The Elders in the Aboriginal tribe, Noongal, decide that they have to do something. The new settlers are giving them more and more rules and regulations and this cannot go on. Bobby, who has always been friends to everyone, is now forced to choose sides. Whom is he going to be with? His old family or his new?
Bobby finds himself in a series of events that will change his life, but not only his. It will also change the lives of the people in the tribe. It will change the lives of the people in Albany. It will also change the lives of the people in Australia.
