This is the story of how the sun and moon came to be. Long ago, deep in the rainforest, there lived Baribun, a dreamer, and her brother, Buhwi Bira, a warrior. Buhwi is never still while Baribun always quietly waits. Buhwi suggests a game of hide and seek where his sister hides and he races to find her. Baribun agrees but slowly contemplates her surroundings while her exasperated brother accuses her of being too slow. The satisfying conclusion results in the brother transforming into the sun and his sister transforming into the moon, suggesting a reflection of their personalities.
Bronwyn Bancroft’s illustrations feature traditional Aboriginal patterns for both her characters and background settings which feature intense colours covering each double page spread. These reflect the emotional content of the story. Vertical patterns frame the images and create a dramatic stage for the story. Hot reds and intense yellows reflect the brother, while the sister features in icy white and cool blues. A dramatic double page spread reveals the story’s climax of the transformation of brother and sister into the sun and moon. There are multi-layers of meaning featured in both story and artwork which will provoke discussion.
Bronwyn Bancroft was born in Tenterfield, northern New South Wales. She is a descendant of the Djanbun clan of the Bundjalung nation. Ella Noah Bancroft is Bronwyn Bancroft’s daughter. She is a descendent of the peoples of the Bundjalung Nation and has bloodlines to England, Poland and Scotland.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
