A baby is born. Welcome to the world little one. Women from the community gather to complete a ritual which is filled with hope for the future. This book celebrates a smoking ceremony held by the women in an indigenous community. For the smoke paperbark, termite mud and green leaves are used.
Each part of the process has a very important purpose:
Warm smoke:
on your feet "to connect you to Country."
on your chest "Care for your Country as it cares for you."
on your hands "Take what you need and no more. Give back what you can ... "
on your mouth "Keep our language on your tongue."
on your ears "care for your totem (the bee) and do it no harm."
It is a reminder to readers of all backgrounds about the importance of acknowledging and celebrating our ancestors and the land from which we came and is the perfect springboard for discussions around how cultures welcome babies to the wider communities though events, ceremonies and symbols. Megan Daley
Baby Business is a book to share with children of all ages and it would also be the prefect gift to the family of a new baby. You can listen to an extensive interview with Jasmine from the ABC. Megan Daley has interviewed Jasmine about her book Cooee Mittigar. I hope both of these books are included in the 2020 CBCA Notables list and from there the 2020 short lists.
No comments:
Post a Comment