Wild Song by Candy Gourlay

Candy Gourlay’s thought-provoking, lushly written, and thrilling adventure tale #WildSong about human zoos in the USA is shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2024. Visit: Amazon – Wild Song.

In 1904, Luki lives in the Philippine mountains with her Bontok tribe. She dreams of becoming a warrior and is a skilled hunter, but must hide her abilities because girls aren’t allowed to hunt. Despite liking her best friend, Samkad, she isn’t ready to marry him and start a family, as the tribal elders expect.

Seeking adventure, Luki accepts Truman Hunt’s offer to travel to America and join the World Fair in St. Louis. What initially seems exciting quickly turns into a nightmare. After a grueling trip by boat and on foot, she finds herself trapped in the ‘Igorot’ village, forced to perform rituals for entertainment. This dehumanizing and humiliating experience leads Luki to realize her people are not seen as equals but as exhibits. She begins to distrust Truman Hunt, viewing him as a manipulative profiteer.

Luki struggles to stay true to herself in these harsh conditions while worrying about her friend Tilin, who was taken to the hospital with pneumonia. She wonders if Tilin is really being cared for.

This vividly and thoughtfully told story is an engaging adventure, narrated as if Luki is speaking to her deceased mother. It offers deep emotional insight into her character. Though fictional, the book is based on real events and people. Truman Hunt, who brought 50 Igorot people to the U.S. for exhibition, is a central figure. His dubious character is explored in the “What Happened Next” section at the book’s end.

Set in the same universe as Candy’s “Bone Talk,” which tells Samkad’s story in the Philippines just before this one, “Wild Song” stands on its own but gains extra depth when read alongside “Bone Talk.”