Main Abija, My Grandad by Karen Rogers
Double great news for first time Territory author, Karen Rogers
As any number of anthropologists and sociologists will tell us, the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is fundamentally important to families and … more generally … broader social relationships. So the release this week of Ngukurr artist Karen Rogers first book Main Abija, My Grandad was very special. The grandparental relationship in many Aboriginal cultures is more nuanced than is common for most of us, with different words for father’s father, mother’s father and indeed mother’s mother. For Karen, her Abija refers to her mother’s father—a man she honours in her written memories of how she learnt so much from him. There’s a moment of sadness, too, as she missed his funeral, but still treasures the time he spent with her own grandchild.
SO! A book we would recommend giving to any grandchild in your life … and why not as a present for any grandparent in your life?
At its Darwin launch, Karen read from parts of the Kriol language book which she has so richly illustrated. The double great news? The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory announced she is a finalist in this year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
