Aboriginals have always had an issue getting their voices heard. But times are changing and so is this kind of exclusion. There was two that were republished that will help keep the aboriginal language alive.
Two picture books produced by a First Nations school have been republished to foster bilingualism and preserve language among Aboriginal students. The picture books produced at the Fregon Aṉangu School on the APY Lands in outback SA during the 1980s were republished in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara language. Bilingual Aṉangu language teacher Dan Bleby was involved in the republications and said many of the kids spoke Pitjantjatjara or Yankunytjatjara and possibly several other languages as well.
Mr Bleby quoted that “When they see the English books they look beautiful and they look attractive and they want to pick them up. We wanted to make them look like books we value in every other classroom in the country.” Mr Bleby further went on to say that the two stories chosen were well-loved books that had been handed down generations.
Kunmaṉara is about a boy who received a bad haircut and his friends made fun of him. His grandmother knits him a beanie and encouraged him to socialize. Ngayulu Paku Puḻka means “I’m so tired!” and is about a girl on the APY Lands.
The department of education has worked with illustrators Simon Kneebone and Samantha Fry, and Yankunytjatjara language expert Karina Lester to republish the books. This project was part of the education department’s Aboriginal Education Strategy to teach Indigenous children traditional language. Ms. Fry, an Aboriginal illustrator descended from the Dagoman people, said she enjoyed being part of the project. She further quoted that “The way I drew the characters were relatable, you could actually see them in the story reacting, making it engaging for kids. It’s a way to keep the language alive … it’s the best way to learn in first language”
