Local myths in a global work: Merlinda Bobis' 'White Turtle'

Authors

Tara Goedjen, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

78073

Publication Details

Goedjen, T. "Local myths in a global work: Merlinda Bobis' 'White Turtle'." Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 12 .2 (2012): 1-8.

Link to publisher version (URL)

Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature

Abstract

If only we all had porous bones, and thinner skin, when listening to a tale. Such is one token offered by Merlinda Bobis’ prismatic short story, ‘White Turtle’, which harnesses the uncanny in an intercultural meeting of the ear1 and tongue.2 ‘White Turtle’ is a story inside a story, as Bobis’ character, the Filipina chanter Lola Basyon, sings in her native language to conjure a white turtle that ferries the dreams of dead children in the presence of an Australian crowd at a Sydney writers’ festival.