Blackwater Children
Alternative Ways of Knowing Cities Colonialism Culture & Society Environment & Climate Toolkit Stories
‘Humans had managed to build a community up here, where no life was thought to be possible. It had been thirteen years since the Call, thirteen years since the oceans had swelled and a thousand species had ballooned overnight to titanic proportions, replacing humankind as the apex predator of the world.’
Photo: Grant Galbraith
Suggested discussion points
- How does the story connect ecological collapse with histories of colonialism?
- How does this story help question the boundaries of what is real or scientific?
- In this story, the question of survival hinges not on collective action but on the self-sacrifice of the few. What are the parallels with the real world? Who could the protagonist represent?
- Adaptation in this story is portrayed as both biological and social. What are the ethics of considering biological (genetically engineered) adaptation to climate change?
Related stories
Every Centre is an Ant
“When children in my region completed their schooling, they left to live and work at…
Letters to My Mother
The futuristic city becomes a utopian gaze, setting the stage for us to rethink and…
Miss Doe and the Leafy Man
“The campaign was slowly yielding fruits, with the whole village collectively involved in fighting the…