The Rabbits by John Marsden and Shaun Tan: Home

The Rabbits, written by Australian author John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan is a fable about colonisation, told from the viewpoint of the colonised. An unseen narrator describes the coming of ‘rabbits’ in the most minimal detail, an encounter that is at first friendly and curious, but later darkens as it becomes apparent that the visitors are invaders. The style of the book is deliberately sparse and strange, with both text and image conveying an overall sense of bewilderment and anxiety as native numbat-like creatures witness environmental devastation under the wheels of a strange new culture.

The parallels with a real history of colonisation in Australia and around the world are obvious, and based on detailed research, in spite of the overt surrealism of the imagery and the absence of direct references. It was named Picture Book of the Year by the Children’s Book Council of Australia in 2000, which generated some controversy due to its confronting themes, and was attacked on several occasions for being ‘politically correct propaganda’ by right wing conservatives. In spite of this (or because of it), the book went on to win numerous awards in Australia, the US and UK, and is studied widely in secondary schools. It has been translated into multiple languages, adapted as an acclaimed opera by Opera Australia and Barking Gecko. (See videos attached on this webpage). Some of the concepts and designs inspired a section of the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Following translation into Spanish, the Mexican government made 30,000 copies of Los Conejos available free to schools in Mexico. It is a fascinating example of cross-cultural interpretation, given the pattern of colonial invasion and its detrimental effect on indigenous culture is universal: broken treaties, epidemics, war, stolen children, disenfranchisement and, sometimes, apology and reconciliation.

Source: https://www.shauntan.net/rabbits-book