Actor and Author Tasma Walton Reflects on Death, Indigenous Identity, and Her Novel About Ancestral Slavery

Tasma Walton, a 52-year-old Australian actor and author, participated in Benjamin Law's weekly interview series where public figures discuss taboo subjects determined by a die roll. In this installment, Walton discussed her discovery of her Boonwurrung heritage later in life and how growing up in a housing commission suburb in Geraldton exposed her to the ways colonial systems disadvantage marginalized groups. She detailed her motivations for writing I Am Nannertgarrook, which tells the true story of her ancestor who was enslaved, emphasizing her commitment to historical accuracy and helping readers understand the experiences of Indigenous women caught in slavery. Walton also recounted two near-death experiences—one during year 12 when asthma complications made her consider mortality, and another in her early 20s when pneumonia and severe asthma required intensive care. She described a spiritual moment during the latter crisis when she felt her deceased grandfather's presence, which reinforced her belief that human existence extends beyond the physical body and that reincarnation occurs after death.