The Power of Words

Books are important for a number of reasons – they are a source of joy, a means of entertainment, and can be beloved companions, trusted confidants, and wise teachers. But with the news of Behrouz Boochani – an asylum seeker who has been detained on Manus Island for close to six years now – winning a prestigious Victorian literary prize, we are reminded that books are also powerful tools for activism and change.

Boochani, whose debut book won both the $25,000 non-fiction prize at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and the $100,000 Victorian Prize for Literature, has written about his experiences of being detained and kept in purgatory in offshore detention. The book, No Friend But the Mountains, was composed one text message at a time from within the detention centre, and has already added fuel to the already-existing debate about refugee policies and rights within Australia.

In a speech delivered by video link on the 31^st of January, Boochani recounts the demoralising exchange he had with an immigration official who informed him he was going to be exiled to Manus Island. Boochani had said: ‘I am a writer.’ The officer laughed in response, and Boochani was officially exiled.

He stated that this painful memory of humiliation, of his dignity and identity being stripped bare, stuck with him for years, especially when he was writing his novel. Boochani’s speech, whilst confronting in its depictions of his treatment and experiences in detainment, is also incredibly inspiring, with Boochani detailing what this award symbolises – the power of words, the enduring strength of literature:

‘This proves that words still have the power to challenge inhumane systems and structures. I have always said that I believe in words and literature. I believe that literature has the potential to make change and challenge structures of power. Literature has the power to give us freedom. Yes, it is true.

I have been in a cage for years but throughout this time my mind has always been producing words, and these words have taken me across borders, taken me overseas and to unknown places. I truly believe words are more powerful than the fences of this place, this prison.’

Boochani closes his speech by acknowledging that the award is a victory not only for himself as a writer, but for humanity, human beings, and human dignity.

 ‘This is a beautiful moment. Let us all rejoice tonight in the power of literature.’