Come Together

In communities across Australia, there are all sorts of beautiful shades and colours. No matter what is on the outside, we share the spirit and come together as one big family.

Warnings: References to the Stolen Generations, Racism

🖤💛❤️ + 💚💙🤍 = 🇦🇺

This is one of those books I've wanted to read since it was released and nominated for quite a few children's book awards, including Australia's premier literary award, unfortunately Come Together didn't win. It's a good book, a book that all Australian libraries should have but there were absolutely ways it could have been improved. This is an exceptionally good message spoken by the right people at the right time. It really makes me want to look into Aunty Lois Peeler, a woman who will leave her mark on fashion (as Australia's first First Nations model), music (as a member of The Sapphires) and education (as principal of Worawa Aboriginal College).

It covers a fairly broad range of topics from the basics of culture, the flags (both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, hence my hearts) and the inspiration for AFL in an Indigenous game called Marngook. It is well written focusing on the language and culture terminology from the author's country, Yorta Yorta. What isn't made particularly clear in the illustrations and absolutely should be where Yorta Yorta is. On the first page, author Isaiah Firebrace introduces himself "Hi, my name is Isaiah Firebrace. I'm a proud Yorta Yorta and Guntijmara man who grew up on the banks of the Murray River." There is an illustration of him, it would have been easy enough to include an image of Australia with those two countries highlighted. Or highlight them on the map later where Australia's capitals are given with their Indigenous name.

Jaelyn Biumaiwai's illustrations are beautiful they suit the consistent style used for the headings well while largely allowing the words to shine. Her illustration of Gane, the Rainbow Serpent, is stunning. A rainbow gradient snake slithering across Australia popping on a black background. There is a range of sizes and details of illustrations which helps keep the focus where it should be. I do have some qualms with Keisha Leon's design choices. There are some pages where the text needed to be a different colour for ease of readability. Black text on aqua paper is difficult to read, not impossible but difficult. Overall they did well, they colour match well, are readable and complement the illustrations by Jaelyn Biumaiwai.

I'm not certain who Isaiah Firebrace intended as the audience for this book. Young readers is clear given the format and style but what is the age bracket? There is a lot of writing for the age that the illustrations seem intended for. Not enough in the way of pronunciation guidelines for an effective read to for older demographics. But I do wonder if that may be because of the potential specialities of the three people involved, Isaiah Firebrace, Jaelyn Biumaiwai and Keisha Leon (author, illustrator and designer respectively). All are Indigenous though from different countries; Yorta Yorta and Gundijmara, Mununjali (and Fijian) and Waanyi and Kalkadoon. In their profiles, they credit the countries they create in as well as appropriate. Honestly, I can deal with a little bit of confusion for a book like this.

Some words and phrases in Yorta Yorta language that my community use are djunda (bird), Te budola nginak (Hello, how are you?) and gaiyimarr (kangaroo) — my favourite animal. — (you read my reviews, you know I'm not going to turn down a linguistic quote)

Read for POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2024. Filling prompt #42"A nonfiction book about Indigenous people"
No one said it had to be an adult book. This is the only way I can read about Indigenous people from my own country without getting overwhelmed or moody. I may or may not read another book later about a different Indigenous culture (probably Canadian or Alaskan as was my original plan).

A representative gif: