Grandfather Emu by Aunty Rhonda Collard-Spratt and Jacki Ferro

Book one in the Spirit of the Dreaming series published by  Boolarong Press shows a wonderful story redolent of the interconnection between people, animals and the environment. As with many stories, readers are left with an emphasis on life skills, such as respect, kindness, selflessness, environmental protection, and sharing.

In this story, old Grandfather Emu is nearly blind and can barely walk. He is thirsty and hungry. How will Weitj find the creek for food and water? In this amusing Aboriginal Dreaming story, children learn how Mother Yonga kangaroo got her pouch, and the importance of treating others with respect.

The old emu goes up to animals asking them for help. The numbat is busy with her offspring, the goanna needs a sleep after his lunch and other animals give a variety of dubious excuses to not help the emu. Mother Kangaroo comes by and offers help. She takes the old man to the creek so he can drink. She asks him to wait while she hides her baby from the dingoes allowing her to find food for him. When she comes back with food the old emu has changed into the Great Spirit and tells her that from now on, she will have a pouch to put her babies in, so will not have to hide them from dingoes. That is why all marsupials have pouches while the other animals do not. Mother Yonga’s help has rewarded her.

Bold, vivid illustrations roam over every page, drawing the eyes to the detail as well as the main characters of the tale. Beautifully illustrated by Yamatji-Noongar storyteller and artist, Aunty Rhonda Collard-Spratt, Grandfather Emu includes Aboriginal words from the Noongar language of Western Australia, and a bonus song that children will love to sing. This is set down in the last pages of the book, along with a glossary of the Nyoongar language used in the story.

An interview with the authors can be found here and a clip of Rhonda reading her story can be found here. Both clips are full of fun and laughter as the story is shared, and Rhonda’s use of her own language found in the book is powerful.

Themes: Aboriginal language, Dreaming stories, Australian marsupials, Respect, Environment,.

Fran Knight