hoosan

This is the story of Dujuan Hoosan, a 10-year-old Arrernte/Garawa boy. A wise, funny, cheeky boy. A healer. Out bush, his Ngangkere is calm and straight. But in town, it’s wobbly and wild, like a snake. He’s in trouble at school, and with the police. He thinks there’s something wrong with him. Dujuan’s family knows what to do: they send him to live out bush, to learn the ways of the old people, and the history that runs straight into all Aboriginal people. So he can be proud of himself. Illustrated by Archibald Prize-winner, Blak Douglas.

Dujuan Hoosan is an Arrente and Garrwa boy who grew up between his two homelands at Sandy Bore outstation near Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and Spring Creek near Borroloola, situated on the banks of the McArthur River in the Gulf of Carpentaria. When he was 12, Dujuan became the youngest person ever to address the Human Rights Council at the United Nations. He asked global leaders to support Australia to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years in line with United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Rights. He also asked that First Nations languages be taught in schools. In June 2020, he was awarded the Liberty Victoria Young Voltaire Human Rights Award.