AustLit

Sally Morgan discusses the impetus behnd the Waarda Series which aims to 'create books that aupport the literary needs of Indigenous children in primary schools' as well as introducing non-Indigenous children to the richness and depth of Indigenous storytelling' (12). She explains that 'Waarda' is a Nyanger word for 'sharing news, stories and information' (12), however, the collection includes stories from the Palkyu, Mardi/Gija and Malgana as well as Nyanga people, whose country ranges form the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoigne and the south-east of the State. Their aim was to 'embrace the rich diversity of present day Aboriginal peoples' in order to recognize that 'Aboriginal people come from many different nations, with perspectives informed by their homelands and by collective, family and individual life experiences' (12). Morgan reveals that the project has developed through an 'ongoing, organic editorial process' that is 'flexible, open and able to evolve and grow as the project does' (13) and points to how the processes created by and through the project have a lot to offer in terms of 'the development of literacy skills seen as vital for the life opportunities of Indigenous children' (13). It is hoped that the series will not only add to the Aboriginal reading material already available and promote what can be achieved by Aboriginal people but will 'inspire children to have broader aspirations: to believe in the power of their own creative imaginations...' (13).