‘Thangku ku nhinhi-yu? is one of a series of small square format board books published by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) as part of their Community Publishing program. The book asks various animals including a crab, a turtle, a wallaby and a snake, a question - what do you do? This, in the Murrinh-Patha language of the book’s text, is ‘Thangku ku nhinhi-yu?
The illustrations are lively and richly coloured and are a clever return and reuse from an earlier ILF publication ‘No Way Yirrikipayi’ created by children of Milikapiti School on Melville Island and facilitated by Alison Lester.
The ILF believe it is important that First Nations children see themselves, their language and their Culture reflected in the books they read. Having books that share local stories in First Languages, preserves and maintains Indigenous languages and culture, as well as builds pride, identity and strengthens a sense of belonging, confidence and wellbeing. Wadeye, where this book was written, is one of Australia's largest remote Indigenous communities located approximately 420kms southwest of Darwin.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
