1. Babies
2. Bilingual books
3. Board books
4. Ceremonies
5. Culture
6. Family
7. Music
8. Parent and child
9. Readers
10. Singing
11. Tiwi Islands (N.T.)

The jacket cover of this board book for the very young features an attentive baby peering intently at the viewer. Typically for this series of books, a mirror appears upon opening thus enticing the viewer to enter. Each page features a line in Tiwi language and its translation. The subject is all about the happy relationship between parents, and their babies. There are scenes of baby and family featuring brother, sister, dog, mum and dad, followed by scenes of baby doing what babies do – crawling, crying and announcing family names.

All the while the baby gains an understanding of Tiwi culture through being surrounded by family and learning about family traditions. The story is circular in that the baby grows up then passes on Culture to the next generation. The story of family life and culture begins and ends with baby encircled in a patterned art motif. While there are only a few pages to this book, they lovingly cover the closeness of family and sharing of Culture, with much to discuss along the way.

A note at the end of the book describes how ceremonies play an important role in Tiwi culture. For this particular book, Tiwi women from Nguiu and Pirlangimpi joined with Milikapiti women and children for a two-day early years literacy celebration of singing, storytelling and dancing. Also during this time, the women created this book to celebrate the birth of Tiwi babies and family happiness. The book aims to promote the importance of language, singing and reading in the early years.

There is an accompanying audio CD which includes the following selections: Amama, Apapa, Ajaja; Jarrijorringa; Kirimpika, Yirrikpayi, Kitirika; Maka; Ticket to Heaven; Canoe song; and All about Tiwi.

The 11 islands that make up the Tiwi archipelago lie 80 kilometres north of Darwin and is part of the Northern Territory. Bathurst and Melville Islands are the two largest inhabited islands.

1. Community and continuity: the art of the Tiwi Islands. The Conversation https://theconversation.com/community-and-continuty-the-art-of-the-tiwi-islands-28043
2. A History of Melville Island, Tiwi Islands. Northern Territory Government https://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/bitstream/10070/213134/3/Presentation_Melville_Island.pdf
3. The fascinating islands on the edge of Australia by Phoebe Smith https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/articles/tiwi-islands-australia-guide/
4. Tiwi History. All 4 Adventure TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqvPjbw7mv8