This gentle story about embracing different traditions is based on the Australian Sikh hawkers who travelled the country selling their wares, from silks and spices to knives and forks, in the 1800s.
Australian children Annie and Arthur eagerly await the Hawker, Bhagwan Singh's arrival on his wagon filled with treasures of colour, texture, and smell. The readers are introduced to the aromas of Punjabi cooking, including star anise, the practice of wearing turbans and his spiritual practices. As Bhagwan makes his camp for the night, he shares the secret of star anise with Annie. Bhagwan shares a handful of star anise with Annie and says, 'a piece of India'. The following day Annie gives Bhagwan some gumnuts and says, 'a piece of Australia'. The interactions between Bhagwan and the children demonstrate the sharing of culture and the gift of learning from others' stories and experiences while highlighting the importance of inclusion and community.
Di's informative illustrations are created using a soft pastel colour palette with watercolour, pencil, and pastels. The illustrations enrich the narrative and reflect the author's words and messages.
At the end of the book is factual information from the National Library archives about hawkers in Australia. This information explores the history of hawkers, Afghan and Indian hawkers, and Sikhism in Australia and includes images from the NLA archives.
NCACL Cultural Diversity Database
