Deep Breath explores the identity of Indigenous girls, revealing the struggles of belonging and identity issues of Indigenous Australians, while reflecting their resistance to colonial oppression and the restoration of Indigenous sovereignty. The novel has received widespread attention and won multiple literary awards, reflecting the creative trend of Indigenous literature in Australia in the 21st century. The works of author Tara Joan Winch explore the living conditions of indigenous peoples and showcase their future identity direction and spiritual outlook.

1、 Ownership of territory

In Australia, early British colonizers found it difficult to identify with this land due to differences in natural environment and climate, while their descendants felt deeply guilty for their ancestors' crimes of occupying land and massacring indigenous peoples, and also lacked a sense of belonging. White scholars believe that imitating the intimate relationship between indigenous peoples and the land is a way to gain a sense of belonging. White people began to adopt indigenous names, restore indigenous place names, and poets and novelists also attempted to draw inspiration from indigenous culture. However, while colonizers expelled the indigenous people and occupied their land, they also deprived them of their sense of belonging, making them wanderers in foreign lands. Indigenous peoples regard tribal territories as identity markers and spiritual belonging, and only by being on the territory can they have a stable sense of identity and belonging. The goal of colonizers is to permanently replace the indigenous people and become new masters by massacring and expelling them from occupying the land. Colonial policies led to a sharp decline in the indigenous population, forcing countless indigenous people to leave their territories and become marginalized. Australian female poets and indigenous writers depict the pain suffered by indigenous people due to their distance from their homeland through their works. Wen Qi's "Deep Breath" depicts the identity and belonging dilemma of indigenous peoples under the oppression of white colonial policies. The protagonist Mei and her mother Joan live on the outskirts, and Joan feels unfortunate due to the government's expulsion of the indigenous people. Mei yearns to break free from the constraints of traditional concepts and embrace her surroundings. After her mother committed suicide, Mei lost her cultural and emotional connection with her homeland, and her identity was lost. The sense of belonging and integration with the land of indigenous peoples made white settlers jealous and afraid, and they eliminated threats on their own localization path through exile or assimilation of indigenous peoples. Mei lives far away from her homeland, lacking the support of her mother and feeling helpless.

2、 Family affiliation

In Western society, the family is the core element of individual identity recognition, and ideological state machines such as religion, education, etc. jointly construct people's identity belonging. Prior to colonization, Australian Indigenous societies defined themselves around tribal territories, but colonial activities led to the disintegration of traditional tribes, forcing Indigenous peoples to form Western style families without gaining a stable sense of identity and belonging. The mixed race character Mei in "Deep Breath" showcases how indigenous families were unable to provide clear answers to "who I am and where I belong" under colonial policies. Mei received love and tribal stories from her mother, briefly constructing her identity, but after her mother committed suicide, Mei fell into identity confusion. Aunt Antie, as a surrogate parent, was unable to provide warmth and protection to her siblings due to the influence of assimilation education and negative welfare policies, exacerbating their loss and misfortune. Mei eventually realized that the culture and values represented by her white father were not acceptable to her. She would rather brush past her father than force herself to rebuild her identity through him. Mothers who adhere to tribal affiliation, fathers who advocate violence, and Aunt Antietani who are deeply influenced by negative welfare represent different types of parents in today's indigenous families. What they give their children is not spiritual fulfillment and psychological stability, but identity confusion and a sense of non belonging. This is closely related to Australia's colonial history and reality, where indigenous peoples find it difficult to maintain dignity and establish identity through their families until they enjoy equal rights and treatment with white people in politics, economy, and culture.

3、 Ethnic affiliation

In contemporary Australia, the issues of indigenous identity and belonging are complex and diverse. Some indigenous scholars, such as Wendy Brady, emphasize the importance of tribal identity and reject the generalized labels of "Australians" or "indigenous", while other scholars, such as Fiona Nichol and Erin Morrison Robinson, also support this view and oppose treating indigenous peoples as homogeneous groups. At the same time, writers such as Alexis Wright and Larissa Berent advocate for a pan indigenous consciousness, emphasizing that shared cultural heritage and colonial experiences are the foundation for indigenous unity and self-identity.

4、 Conclusion

Deep Breath explores the personal identity and sense of belonging of an Australian Indigenous girl, reflecting the belonging dilemma of the entire Indigenous community and the pursuit of Indigenous identity. Unlike 'Cloud Street' which focuses on the characteristics of the settler state, this novel emphasizes' indigenous ethnicity '. Other indigenous novels such as "Home" and "Kapuntalia Bay" also emphasize positive identification and belonging within the tribe. In colonial history, the tribal identity of indigenous peoples became a barrier to cooperation, leading to their defeat by colonizers. Contemporary indigenous novelists believe that their predecessors failed to see a common destiny and missed the opportunity to change the situation. Deep Breath suggests that despite differences between tribes, shared myths, religious beliefs, and experiences of colonial persecution require indigenous peoples to pay attention to commonalities and shared destinies. Indigenous peoples should establish a pan indigenous alliance, strengthen anti colonial forces, actively practice a community with a shared future for indigenous peoples, and strive to end colonial oppression.