No friend but the mountains: A reflection

Abstract

ISJarrative art can be a useful medium for recasting the lived experiences of human communities. Behrouz Boochani’s 2018 memoir no friend but the Mountains recounts the plight of refugees from war-ravaged countries, refreshing our perspectives on the intensity with which Oceania is touched by geopolitical activities elsewhere. It also tells the story of Australia’s actions in Oceania decades after decolonization, illustrating local activists’ and agents’ impotence in the face of Australian geopolitics and regional domination. These actions and the moral and practical collaboration of regional governments with Australia have absolutely challenged my sense of the contemporary Pacific, and I have found regional news reports, critical analyses, and even profound conversations with regional experts to be unsatisfying.