Like the white culture in the United States that enslaved, colonized and controlled black men and women, so we have the story of Banjo Clarke, Aboriginal Elder, whose culture in Australia was endangered with extinction by the white man.  What we find in each of their histories is that it takes a few generations to bring some sense into the powers that be to accept all colors and cultures and learn from them, not destroy them.

Banjo, a symbol of kindness and compassion, showed how to not give up on humanity.  In this book he teaches us all how to be kind to one another and accept people for who they are, not what color they are.

Camilla Chance became close friends with Banjo Clarke approximately thirty years ago. Trust grew to where he and his family gave permission to tape Banjo as he talked about the history of his life and his country and all that he had gone through, with the hopes that these tapes would be written into a book to share with the world.  As a result, Camilla Chance has written this amazing book about an amazing man, Banjo Clarke, “Wisdom Man.”

This man was a witness to decades of discrimination.  He endured hardships, yet as he says in the book about hatred and anger: “Them things leave you in a flash if you see someone destitute or crying out for help.”  He also came to accept that part of life was being lied about, but he found a way around that one too: “If you meet everybody openly, expecting to be friends for life, you’re stronger than all the liars — easy.”