Janet Aisbett

Under Their Roof Janet Aisbett

It's the 1950s and perky little TIMENA RUBENA is being raised by her grandparents on Rakahanga, one of the most beautiful and remote atolls of the Cook Islands. In this tiny community, life is lived in the here-and-now and doing things the 'right way' is an act of politeness rather than conviction. Timena strives to please her hardworking, honourable grandfather, but tells her sister, "You have to think for yourself." At 17 she finally escapes Rakahanga, only to find the wider world constantly bewildering. To get by, she mimics what others do. First night in Australia, she meets a tall charmer of Irish heritage and gambling tendencies. After thirty tumultuous years together, what drastic steps will it take to finally start life on her own terms, under her own roof? This candid memoir chronicles a disappearing atoll lifestyle before plunging us into the Golden Era of bookmakers and game parlours. Its heart, however, is the timeless struggle between adaptation and identity.