When I Was Little, Like You

Book excerpt: As Mary Malbunka shares her stories of playing with friends, building cubby houses, climbing trees, collecting sugarbag, digging for honey ants, hunting for lizards, and learning about the seasons, animals and plants, she creates a vivid picture of a truly Australian childhood in which country - ngurra is life itself. Warm and accessible, this is essentially an oral story, and it contains a number of words in Luritja whose meaning is explained in context and also within an extensive glossary. The book also interprets recurring symbols used in traditional Aboriginal painting. 'This beautiful work is a gift to children, education and reconciliation.' - Jackie Huggins AM, Co-Chair, Reconciliation Australia 'Mary Malbunka's story is simply bursting with details of her childhood in Papunya - the bush tucker and medicines, the animals, the sense of family and community, the Dreaming stories, the country itself and the difficulties of fitting in to the white man's world. I'm sure readers young and old will find the vibrant picture it paints to be irresistible. It is also an important story because it helps Aboriginal people reclaim our traditional culture.' - Professor Lowitja O'Donoghue