Decolonising Narrative Space: Racial Oppression and Colonial Trauma in Kim Scott’s Benang and That Deadman Dance

Abstract

This paper examines racial oppression and colonial trauma in Kim Scott’s Benang and That Deadman
Dance. The novels focus on the lives of aboriginal people and show how colonisation affects their
families, communities, and sense of identity. Scott brings attention to indigenous experiences that are
often left out of official histories and challenges the way Australia’s past is commonly represented.
The novels explore how colonial beliefs about racial difference influence the lives of aboriginal
people and contribute to their marginalisation. Racism navigates not only through discrimination
against indigenous people but also through social beliefs, cultural practices, and institutions. Scott
illustrates how indigenous people face restrictions on their lives while continuing to protect their
culture, identity, and connection to their land. When grief and trauma remain unacknowledged, they
continue to affect individuals and communities, making healing and belonging more difficult. A
major concern in both texts is the persistence of grief and memory. Scott demonstrates that the
suffering caused by colonisation does not disappear with time. Instead, painful memories continue to
affect individuals and communities, creating feelings of loss, displacement, and uncertainty. The
novels suggest that ignoring historical injustices only prolongs their effects, while recognising and
confronting the past becomes an important step towards healing. The study argues that Scott’s novels
challenge dominant historical narratives by bringing Indigenous experiences to the centre of the story.
They show that healing cannot occur without acknowledging trauma and that reconciliation