News from the ILF
May 2022
Fitzroy Crossing. Photography by Vicki Hynam.
Yamandhu marang Friend,
The ILF would like to acknowledge that Sorry Day is on the 26th of May, followed by the Anniversary of the Referendum on the 27th of May. This also marks the beginning of National Reconciliation Week (NRW). NRW is a time for us to reflect on and learn about the history, culture, stories, and knowledge of First Nations people. We encourage you to watch our Indigenous Literacy Day videos to learn more from First Nations Communities.
We are proud to announce that we have two new bilingual books that were released commercially this month, Jarrampa and Purlka ngamaji Kakaji (Big Fat Mummy Goanna). Both were originally non-commercial books created in workshops with ILF Ambassador Alison Lester, and author and publisher Jane Godwin in Fitzroy Crossing. Learn more about the journey in producing both books here.
In more exciting news, our Foundation is pleased to announce our newest Ambassador, Assoc. Professor Wayne Quilliam. I have known, worked with and admired Wayne’s work for years. His incredible visual storytelling talent, ethos, and remote Community experience are invaluable for inspiring young mob and sharing the ILF journey with our many supporters.
Our goal for this End Of Financial Year (EOFY) is to STAND UP for literacy and First Languages by raising funds to grow our Community Publishing Project. Your donation to the ILF this EOFY helps us to continue to produce books in First Languages to help revitalise, preserve and promote language.
Schools and workplaces all over Australia have been signing up to host a Great Book Swap, and we would like to specially thank all those who have registered, we are now halfway to our target for 2022! Make sure to sign up if you are planning of holding a Great Book Swap during NAIDOC Week or on Indigenous Literacy Day.
We have 17 Reading Opens Doors Libraries left in stock! The library is a great opportunity for your workplace to learn from extremely talented First Nations authors and illustrators. Make sure to place an order so you don't miss out!
Mandaang guwu,
Ben Bowen
Chief Executive Officer
To celebrate UNESCO's first year of the Decade of Indigenous Languages, each month we will encourage readers to learn a new word in either an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language.
This month's word is barramundi in Mangarrayi language!
Barramundi = ngurluguyi
Pronounced: ngurl-u-gu-yi
Download the audio version here.
Graphic Novelists at Brisbane Writers Festival
Declan Miller, Lauren Boyle and Alyssa Mason from StickMob attended Brisbane Writers Festival and all three spoke on several panels about their work in producing graphic novels at a young age. Congratulations Declan, Lauren and Alyssa!
Interviews with StickMob
As a part of our Build Your Library promotion, we sat down with StickMob to reflect on their journey in creating three graphic novels. The young First Nations authors and illustrators talk about what inspired their stories, and how working together helped them all achieve their goals. Check out the interviews!
Students Have a Blind Date with a Book
In the days of fast fashion and instant gratification, the slow book movement is picking up speed at Ivanhoe Grammar School. At this school, students are biting to have a blind date with an old book. This school has inspired a love of reading while raising money for Indigenous literacy. Read the full story here!
Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) Conference
We are excited to be attending the ABA conference held on Sunday 6 June. Make sure to pop into our booth and say hi!
ILF Impact Report 2021
Learn about our achievements in 2021 through the ILF Impact Report which is now available to view online.
Launching a Barramundi Board Book at Pularumpi School, Tiwi Islands
We recently supported Pularumpi School to translate and illustrate their edition of the Barramundi song into Tiwi! This is a non-commercial book and will help the Community teach their little ones Tiwi. Arlamunga is one of four Barramundi Books created in four different languages.
Check out the video here.
Releasing Jarrampa!
Now available commercially, Jarrampa is a bilingual picture book in Walmajarri and English and is a story about how to catch Jarrampa (yabbies). “I wrote this book to encourage kids to read more books, and to sit with the Elders… while they’re around. To know who they are, where they come from, to know the language and to speak it.”
said Marcia Cook, author of Jarrampa.
For ages aged 3+.
Releasing Purlka ngamaji Kakaji!
Also available commercially this month is Purlka ngamaji Kakaji (Big Fat Mummy Goanna), a bilingual book written in Walmajarri and English. It is a story about the author and her family going on Country to hunt goanna. “I wanted to write this story for my family; for all Indigenous people going out on Country and hunting for bush tucker. It is our language and our Dreaming," said author Emma Bear. For ages 3+.
Book Supply on Bathurst Island
This month Niki Emmett, a Child Health Nurse on Bathurst Island in the Northern Territory, shared how ILF's Book Supply has supported her Community. Bathurst Island has limited bookshops. For some of the children, these are the first books they have been able to take home and read. Read the full story here.
We would like to celebrate Berkeleouw and Harry Hartog bookshops who have raised over $20,000 since the beginning of the year through top up donations via their Tyro payment terminals.
Thank you to PIMCO who have donated over $16,000 to the ILF from their Employee Choice Awards.
A big thank you to Enviroplus who are donating a percentage of each product sale so that ILF can continue to provide culturally relevant books, and books in First Languages to kids in remote Communities. Learn more about our partnership with Enviroplus here.
We are indebted to our partner Australia Post for their support with the delivery of Book Supply packs to remote Communities and their ongoing fundraising. Learn more about how they supported ILF in 2021 here.
This month we would like to thank City of Kalamunda Library Services who are offering their discarded books, magazines and DVDs to the public in
exchange for a donation to the ILF. The community responded so positively that the sale will be ongoing!
A big thank you to Freshwater Farm who have raised $26,600 for the ILF through their limited edition hand and body wash in collaboration with Worimi, Biripi and Kamilaroi artist, Brittney Paulson. The limited edition product is available to purchase online and in Woolworths supermarkets.
Three poets - Jack Baker, Ron Pretty and Peter Frankis organised a joint launch of their new poetry books and donated the proceeds to our Foundation, raising over $2000! A big thank you to the three poets and our deepest condolences to Jack's loved ones in his passing.
