Miimi and Buwaarr: Mother and baby by Melissa Greenwood

Told with short incisive sentences, readers will absorb the richness of the life the baby (buwaarr) has been born into, which offers a wonderful future. With her mother (miimi) she will hear and learn language, see and be part of the marvellous environment and see and learn the totems of her people.

As each page is turned, readers will marvel at the blend of colour and design, wanting to see what each page means and how the text relates to the images.

The land is called Budaarr, the ocean that can be seen is the totem of the people, one that cleans and heals.

Some pages refer to the rivers and creeks which surround the land. Many of the pages refer to gaagal, the ocean, where these people live, and the text reflects on the wisdom passed down to the baby. Miimi wants the child to be able to walk on their land, confidently knowing who she is, while being guided and protected by the sun (ngyan), the moon (giidany) wrapping the baby with love.

A beautiful hymn to a newborn baby, full of the mother’s love and plans for her future, this story encompasses the environment a child grows up in, and how each part of that environment adds to their knowledge nad confidence.

A poetic and heart-warming series by Gumbaynggirr artist Melissa Greenwood, creator of Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth, My Little Barlaagany (Sunshine) and Giinagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean, Mother and baby is the most recent in the series, adding to those already published

As with her other books, Melissa incorporates  words in the Gumbaynggirr language of those people of the mid north coast of New South Wales and her beautiful illustrations full of colour and traditional motifs will inspire readers to take another look at what is shown about that environment.

At the end and beginning of the book more information can be read about the language, and of Melissa and her work.

Themes: Aboriginal story, New South Wales, Babies, Environment.

Fran Knight