The 2013 Voiceless Anthology (selected by J M Coetzee et al, A&U)
The Voiceless Anthology has been born out of the Voiceless Writing Prize, which awards $15,000 to the writer of the best fiction or nonfiction work that, according to chair of the judging panel JM Coetzee, ‘has at its heart the place of animals in the world that we have made’. The anthology represents a selection of stories and essays, as chosen by the judging panel from several hundred submissions.
Bilbies, kangaroos, wombats, rabbits, horses; no matter the species of animal, the callousness or downright brutality perpetrated toward them by people is impossible to shrug off. One thing that this collection does not do is paint a falsely idealistic portrait of our relationship with animals. ‘Confessions of a Vegetarian’ provides a strong opening, as Meera Atkinson confronts the hypocrisy of her choices and the ethical conundrums that surround her eating habits. Atkinson’s warm and thoughtful essay is an excellent way to begin the anthology. It places human and animal relations in a problematic framework of use and misuse and clearly outlines the confusion and frustration of consumers unsure of what to believe, in what sometimes seems to be a marketing war between animal rights groups and the meat industry.
‘They Are Not Voiceless’, which credits the Bawaka Country as one of the authors, demonstrates the connection of a Yolnu family to their home in northeast Arnhem Land. It serves as a stark and important contrast to the other pieces, as the reader is offered a glimpse into a symbiotic and respectful relationship with nature.
Anne Coombs’ ‘Fugue for Elsie’ is a testament to the bonds that farmers share with their animals, and examines the ethical and emotional considerations of developing relationships with animals that are being raised for practical purposes—whether it is steers for the slaughter or a donkey for animal companionship. Coombs raises some interesting points as she researches the best way to make use of her farmland and finds that there are no simple solutions.
‘Big Ears’ juxtaposes the bilby and the rabbit in a study that sees people, rather than the twitchy-nosed Easter icon, as the real feral animal. Wayne Strudwick’s ‘Caged’ concludes the anthology, with the petty cruelties within an agricultural boarding school reflecting the much deeper cruelties of the farming practices within.
While these pieces are what I consider the highlights, The Voiceless Anthology is an important collection of writing, concluding a year that has featured Anna Krien’s much-lauded Quarterly Essay Us and Them and numerous reports on the deplorable treatment of animals by programs such as Four Corners and Lateline. The anthology challenges readers to consider their relationship with animals. Be challenged.
Portia Lindsay is a former bookseller who now works at the NSW Writers’ Centre
Category: Reviews
