An evening with the author John Danalis

John Danalis grew up with an Aboriginal skull — nicknamed “Mary” — on his family mantelpiece. He never questioned why it was there or who it belonged to, until 2005 when he was gripped by a compulsion to return it to its rightful owners. Thanks to “Mary”, John experienced a remarkable awakening and journeyed deep into the spiritual heart of Indigenous Australia. His book Riding the Black Cockatoo is the extraordinary account of the skull’s return to country, and shows the transformative and healing power of true reconciliation. John Danalis will read extracts from his book and discuss it with the indigenous actor and storyteller, Dharug Yellamundie Richard Green.