When I visited Mossman State School to demonstrate the Kuku Yalanji eBook we've been working on I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and feedback. My visit coincided with the launch of the Kuku Yalanji Advisory Group initiative a couple of days later. It attended by the school community, advisory group members and representatives of Queensland Department of Education.

The Kubirri Story

The ebook uses the story of Kubirri that is embedded in the mountain peak overlooking Mossman Gorge and the surrounding area as an interactive narrative told by a Kuku Yalanji elder. It's an introduction for beginning students of Kuku Yalanji language. The resource is designed for class lessons using an interactive whiteboard or individual learning on tablet or computer. It was especially valuable to have the insight and feedback from teachers to refine the first version and to help plan the roadmap for future ones.

Kuku Yalanji eBook

While at the school I recorded the prepies singing: "Heads, shoulders, knees and toes" or rather "Dukul, binda, bungku, durra" for the ebook. Shutting the air-con down to eliminate background noise for the recording took a little time and I marvelled at the the skill these five and six year olds had in manipulating both English as well as Kuku Yalanji in their morning class. It is a precious time inter education. Also important to cultural learning and included in the ebook are the family relationship names which in many communities are used in preference to first names, reinforcing relationships between community members. These names also give insight into the thinking that binds community together and how relationships and their names cycle through the generations. These subtleties only come through learning language and are lost in English.

Tags: interactive eBook, Kuku Yalanji