Smashing Serendipity: The Story of One Moorditj Yorga

Life is tough for the Connell family, growing up in a small town where racist attitudes, discrimination and violence against Aboriginal people are commonplace. Lavinia is lucky: her parents ensure her family stays together while other cousins and friends are removed from the state. But violence and adversity occur over and over, even while young Lavinia also excels at sport and at school – drawing on her own inner strength and a physical resourcefulness. In time, Lavinia will find herself a homeless young widow, stripped of hope when her own four children are taken away. But she has a way of righting herself, using education and determination to bring her small family back together, and finding love when she least expects it.

Smashing Serendipity is the yarn Lavinia tells her children and her grandchildren, gathered by the fire on the banks of the river where she grew up – the story of one good woman – one moorditj yorga – that reflects the stories of so many strong, determined women of her time.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

‘There is a weaponised ignorance of the colonial oppression of First Nations peoples in so-called Australia. Facts are obscured or buried, and accounts are often strategically missing from publishing cycles and subsequently the overarching narrative of this nation. Memoirs like Smashing Serendipity are working to dispel this obscuration, giving us access to a lived experience we rarely see in print.’ Kill Your Darlings

‘This poignant memoir is a reminder that there are generations of Aboriginal women who, in addition to experiencing trauma and pain at the hands of settlers, also have stories of perseverance and strength.’ Books + Publishing

‘I really was thrilled to be able to read this story of such a wonderfully strong woman. The book made me feel so many emotions and I feel much more knowledgeable after reading it.’ Beauty and Lace