
Title
Aunty's Wedding
Author
Miranda Tapsell
Secondary Authors
Joshua Tyler
Illustrators
Samantha Fry
Publisher, Date
Allen & Unwin, 2020
Audience
0-2yrs, 3-4yrs, 5-8yrs, Lower Primary
ISBN
9781760524838
Language
English, Tiwi (N20)
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Subjects
- Art motifs
- Celebrations
- Dance
- Families
- Glossaries and vocabularies
- Rites and ceremonies
- Social life and customs
- Tiwi Islands (N.T.)
-
Annotation
A young Tiwi girl is fascinated by the preparations for her Aunty’s wedding. She questions her Maningawu or
grandmother about what is being worn and by whom. The simple question and answer text along with the colourful
illustrations simply show what a Tiwi wedding could look like today. The illustrator has used Procreate and Adobe
Photoshop to create her digital artwork appearing in this book. The Tiwi patterns, designs, dance, language and
extended family show a different but no less important way to perform and celebrate a wedding. A brief
explanation and language glossary at the back of the book give the reader more information about the Tiwi people.
Miranda Tapsell was born in Darwin and her people are the Larrakia and the Tiwi. She has a career in film, theatre
and television. Illustrator Samantha Fry grew up in the Northern Territory and lives in Darwin. She is descended
from the Dagoman people from Katherine and as a child lived in remote communities across the Top End. Joshua
Tyler is a non-Indigenous author, playwright and screenwriter. -
Teaching Resources
- ABC Life Matters. Interview with Miranda Tapsell and Samantha Fry on creating ‘Aunty’s Wedding’ https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/miranda-tapsell-on-writing-a-book-for-kids/12687760
- Allen & Unwin Teachers Tips and Downloadable Activities https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/childrens/picture-books/Auntys-Wedding-Miranda-Tapsell-Joshua-Tyler-and-Samantha-Fry-9781760524838
- Barbara Braxton reviews ‘Aunty’s Wedding’, The Bottom Shelf Blog, 8 September 2020 https://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/2020/09/08/auntys-wedding/
- Liz Derouet reviews ‘Aunty’s Wedding’, 29 September 2020 https://lizderouet.wordpress.com/2020/09/29/auntys-wedding/
- Angela Crocombe reviews ‘Aunty’s Wedding’ in Books+Publishing, 1 July 2020 https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2020/07/01/152767/auntys-wedding-miranda-tapsell-joshua-tyler-illus-by-samantha-fry-au/
- Northern Territory Information about the Tiwi Islands https://northernterritory.com/darwin-and-surrounds/destinations/tiwi-islands
- Art Atrium. Tiwi Design http://artatrium.com.au/tiwi-design-2/
- ‘Battling Bias Though Books: How children’s stories can tackle problems before they appear’ includes interviews with Joshua Tyler about creating ‘Aunty’s Wedding’ and comments from Dr Helen Adam, academic at Edith Cowan University, on diversity in children’s books https://rmitjournalism.shorthandstories.com/battling-bias-through-books/index.html