Alkere: seeing the sky through the children's eyes
Type
Paperback
ISBN
9780648439400
Publisher
Children's Ground
Stock
Alkere: seeing the sky through the children's eyes
Sale price$25.00
Regular price (/)
About
This book is a celebration of First Nations language. It is part of a project called Anwerne Ingkerrekele Mpwareke : By Us, For Us. Mothers, Aunties and Grandparents sat with the children as they learnt about the sky, writing the words in Arrente and then illustrating the concepts. Each page contains just one word and illustration, and the words are translated into English at the end of the book. Having the English at the end means the reader engages directly with the Arrente words taking clues to its meaning from the illustration.
The words in the book describe the sky, the weather and the seasons. The illustrations are vibrant and exuberant renditions of the children’s vision of the phenomena - apwape, (whirly wind) has great swirls of yellow spirals on a double-page spread. The background of each page is black so the colours the children have chosen stand out with particular clarity.
The Children’s Ground project aims to increase First Language literacy and give the children a safe place where they can exercise agency over their future.
The authors and illustrators of the book are Arrente people from Central Australia.
