There was a dismissal of superstition in his voice, even though Kevin was a local of sorts, having been born and raised in Brazzaville before emigrating to Australia in 2000 at the age of 20. Yet later, he was reluctant to join us for a walk into the forest, where he said his ancestors lived. “Their spirits are there,” he said. “I have to leave them in peace, and let them come to me. It’s been that way since I was a boy.”