All Saints launches books for Indigenous Literacy

15th March 2010

Professor Jill Milroy, Dean of UWA’s School of Indigenous Studies, will launch two books in Sally Morgan’s popular WAARDA series for young readers at the All Saints Literature Festival on Friday 19 March.

Beach Sports Car by Darlene Oxenham and Lilli and her Shadow by Laura and Pat Dudgeon are the latest books to showcase new and emerging Indigenous authors from communities from around Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Indigenous Literacy Ambassador and award-winning author Sally Morgan edited the series.

“In a sense, the Waarda series has a dual role – to add to the Aboriginal reading material currently available and to promote what can be achieved by Aboriginal people,” said Sally.

Beach Sports Car author Darlene Oxenham said her inspiration came from two sources – her childhood memories of Useless Loop and the inventiveness of her father.

“One message that I hope kids get from reading Beach Sports Car is that you can reinvent things and make the old new again, that we don’t always have to have that bright new shiny thing and that we can use old things to have fun,” said Darlene.

Seventeen-year-old author and aspiring journalist Laura Dudgeon, who wrote Lilli and her Shadow with her Aunt Pat, said the ‘Shadow’ featured in her book was the guardian angel she wished she had had when she moved to Perth and away from her nanna in Darwin.

“Although people at my new school were very welcoming and I made new friends fast, not even the best of friends can replace the cousins and family that I missed very day, especially at Christmas,” said Laura.

Western Australia’s Fogarty Foundation has provided funding to supply a thousand books to the Indigenous Literacy Project’s network of Indigenous communities in Western Australia.

The Waarda series will be launched at 12 noon in the Ampitheatre, Carpark Entry Gate 3, All Saints College, Ewing Avenue, Bull Creek.

About the Waarda series
The Waarda series for young readers was developed by Fremantle Press in partnership with the UWA School of Indigenous Studies. It consists of six first chapter books primarily written by new and emerging Indigenous authors ranging in age from 15 to 82 years and representing some six Aboriginal communities in Western Australia. The Great Cold by Gladys Milroy and Bush Secrets by Jessica Lister and Tjalaminu Mia are available now. Beach Sports Car by Darlene Oxenham and Lilli and her Shadow by Pat Dudgeon and Laura Dudgeon will be launched at the All Saints Literature Festival at noon on 19 March 2010. Show Day by Sally Morgan and Barlay! Look Out! by Cheryl Kickett-Tucker will be launched on Indigenous Literacy Day, 1 September 2010.

About the Fogarty Foundation
The Fogarty Foundation was established in May 2000 by Annie and Brett Fogarty with the aim of establishing a fund that would benefit the community through encouraging endeavours in excellence through education, the community and in life.

About the Indigenous Literacy Project
The Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP) is a partnership between the Australian Book Industry and The Fred Hollows Foundation. Working closely with the Australian Booksellers Association and the Australian Publishers Association, The Fred Hollows Foundation purchases and supplies books and other culturally appropriate learning materials to remote communities where The Foundation works.

For more information please contact Claire Miller, cmiller@fremantlepress.com.au