This story, with illustrations painted by Norma McDonald, tells of Wirrin’s favourite time of the year. Wirrin is hunting with his father, collecting ochre with his grandfather, digging wild sweet potato with his mother, and gathering wattle seeds with his grandmother to make damper. His cousins and other people from far and wide are gathering for the big corroboree. Wirrin and his family live in the southwest of Western Australia.
Most of the Nyungar to English and English to Nyungar words on the endpapers are from Angus Wallam’s memory.
'Corroboree' was shortlisted in the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards — Children's Books in 2004. 'Corroboree' was the joint prize winner of the inaugural Marrwanging Award for Published and Unpublished books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Angus Wallam (1926 - October 2014) was a Noongar Aboriginal Elder from Wagin, Western Australia. He received the Wagin Australia Day Citizenship Award for his work with Indigenous youth and community. He grew up at Marribank Mission (also known as Carrolup). He worked for farmers and contractors, built roads, and worked on the railway for 22 years. He has nine children and around 40 grandchildren. Suzanne Kelly is a Nyoongah woman who grew up in Pemberton.
'Angus Wallam was removed from his family and taken to live at the Moore River Mission. As his family lived near the mission, he was sometimes allowed to go bush with them. 'Corroboree' was created when Wallam and Suzanne Kelly decided that there were not enough Nyungar history books for children. This work is based on Wallam's memories of his childhood.' Source: AustLit biographical profile
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
