Connecting to Culture: Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Dive into culture this week as Patsy highlights some of the significant work of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and the quality publications available.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is a ‘not-for-profit charity which respects the unique place of Australia’s first people and draws on the expertise of the Australian book industry’. One example of support you can offer is by engaging in the Great Book Swap to celebrate reading and raise funds for remote communities. 

You can find out more about this organisation on Indigenous Literacy Foundation website website. It is a registered charity so donations made are tax-deductible, and I have been a monthly donor for some years now. The website is very attractive and informative with an online shop with lots of reasonably priced objects, not just books, to buy to suit all ages, so have a look, now that Christmas is getting near…..

Not long ago I received in the mail a copy of Deadly Sisters of Worawa, published in 2018 by the Foundation. Did I know anything about the Worawa Aboriginal College before I read this book? No, nothing at all…..

I felt ashamed of my ignorance and wondered how many schools have copies of this book and other ILF publications, all of which are listed on the website, in their libraries.

Some things have changed in my lifetime. When I was attending a primary school in country Queensland in the 1940s, we students knew there was a school for aboriginal children somewhere in the local area, but our only contact with the pupils there was on sports day, when all the local schools took part.

In the 1970s when I lived in country New South Wales, at least the local school was attended by all children in the area, indigenous or not…..

Now in the 21^st century still more change is required to attain educational equality for all Australians. We are taking baby steps in this direction, but much is still required. So have a look at your school library – what Indigenous Literacy Foundation titles are available for your students to read and consider?

Patsy Jones
Retired librarian, retired teacher & avid reader of children’s literature

Editor’s note: A timely post to support the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Language – with some excellent examples in the ILF shop.