For the Indigenous people of the Kimberley the seasons are not time or date specific. They learn from Country, it tells them when they have arrived by ‘what we feel, see, taste, smell and hear’. The book outlines six seasons each recognisable by changes in the weather, the arrival of particular animals such as flying foxes or whales or the blooming of certain plants.
The different seasons are heralded by the opening phrase ‘Country tells us when…’ and a series of illustrations and words leads into the season’s name ‘we spot the yari (humpback whale) travelling up the coast to have her babies. It’s Barrgana time.’
The artwork layers the distinctive seasonal colours of the Kimberley through the medium of block printing. Insects, birds, animals and marine creatures feature as well as plants against the landscape of this unique country. The endpapers are particularly notable with their silhouettes of the fauna set against an ochre-coloured background, a colour prominent in the region.
At the back jack cover of individual books are QR codes that allow readers to hear the text in both English and the relevant Language
The inspiration for the book is the need to share and teach important Cultural knowledge and Language in a story that would both engage and inform the younger generations. Creators, Tsheena Cooper, Mary Dann, Dalisa Pigram-Ross and Sheree Ford are members of the Yawuru community and are teachers at Cable Beach Primary School in Broome. There is a Yawuru version available.
Bidyadanga Community lies on the Kimberley coast some 180 kms south of Broome. The recognised traditional owners of the land are the Karajarri people. It is however home to a number of other Indigenous people including the Mangala people.
‘Country tells us when …’ is a CBCA 2024 Notable book.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
