As part of the Cherbourg State School 'Strong and Smart' early years literacy project, students from pre-prep to year 7 created a variety of books suitable for younger children. ‘Walking through Cherbourg’ was created by Budjar Class 2008, assisted by teacher Melinda Ollis and teacher aides, Jodi Carlo and Sylvia Band.
Cherbourg is an Aboriginal community town 170 kilometres northwest of Brisbane, located on the lands of the Wakka Wakka people, near the border of Gubbi Gubbi territory. In ‘Walking through Cherbourg’, the Year 2 class retells a popular children’s story using their own words, context and artwork. Together with the vivid illustrations and familiar Australian animals, this book uses onomatopoeia to great effect, for example, ‘Walking through Cherbourg, what do you see? Can you hear a noise, what could it be? KKK Koo Kaa KKK Koo Kaa KKK Koo Kaa. Over there, a kookaburra looking for his tea’. This story is authentic and enjoyable.
Brief history of Cherbourg
Under the Aborigines Protection Act of 1897, Aboriginal people were forcibly removed from across Queensland and Northern new South Wales to a newly formed government reserve. This forced removal saw people from as many as 28 different Language Groups transported far away from their own Country and confined in one place, originally called Barambah.
Series: Strong and Smart Early Years Literacy Project
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
