SIGNIFICANT moments of Boandik elder Ken Jones’ ancestry have been transcribed into a recently released national learning tool documenting Australia’s First Nations people.
Early-learning books Growing up in Boandik Country, Fishing Yarns and Caring for Country were published and included in Knowledge Books and Software’s third History of the First Australians reading set.
The three small books were all written and illustrated by Uncle Ken and make up number 51, 52 and 53 of the 60-piece set.
With each title based on his cultural history, Uncle Ken said the books were something he held close to his heart given he worked as a cultural educator in the Limestone Coast through his business Bush Adventures.
“It is something which I have had in mind all my life” he said.
“I have been collecting the ideas and drawings in my head and I saw this as an opportunity to showcase the coastal crafts our family has always been involved in.”
Uncle Ken said around six months ago he was offered to write about the Boandik history and culture.
“A large part of the reading set was Northern Australia based and the company wanted to include some history from the south,” he said.
“I began sketching the drawings for the book which would take hours and sometimes I would not be finished until 1am or 2am.
“It all became possible because of Hurst Camera House which donated funds and time to help scan high resolution copies of my illustrations to the company.”
With many memories in mind, Uncle Ken said he had to edit his words thoroughly to keep things simple for young readers.
“We wanted to include fairly simple vocabulary which could be understood by primary school students,” Uncle Ken said.
“It is one of the best things me and my family have been involved in and now I have started to document some family history which goes way back to World War I with my grandfather’s story.
“I was born in 1951, so it looks at several decades of family history and my brothers and sisters are represented in the stories.”
Uncle Ken said each book went through parts of his childhood, right through to where he is now.
In Growing up in Boandik Country, Uncle Ken said the narrative went through his childhood, growing up cray-fishing and drag-netting near Eight Mile Creek.
Uncle Ken said Fishing Yards described where the Limestone Coast was located in Australia and mentioned the process of cray-fishing, trapping of water rats and rabbits, sailing, drag-netting and the establishment of a small crayfish cooking factory.
“It goes through a major transition for my dad and I when we built the large wooden crayfishing boat Defiance which was used in Port MacDonnell for several years,” Uncle Ken said.
Eventually transitioning into a career based in Adelaide and Port Lincoln with the state fisheries and wildlife department, Uncle Ken said Caring for my Country described his involvement on patrol boats and rescuing whales and wildlife on beaches.
“I moved to Adelaide for training and left behind my beautiful hunting grounds, but I was delighted to realise my new job allowed me to travel all of South Australia and Western Australia,” he said.
“I was able to help fishermen with their paperwork and it was more of a supporting role than a policing role.
“I think the whole aim of my three books was to give an example of a country boy who came from Aboriginal heritage and pursued a successful career.
“I want to encourage young people from this area to pursue worthwhile opportunities when they arise.”
As a father of four, Uncle Ken said he hoped the books would became a useful learning tool for students across Australia.
With National Reconciliation Week launched Wednesday and continuing until June 3, Uncle Ken said it was significant the books could be used at schools to educate children across the country.
“As a Boandik elder, I am quite pleased with the improved exception of Reconciliation Week in our area,” he said.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback and some long-standing families in the area have enjoyed the inclusion of the traditional coastal practices.”
Uncle Ken expected there would be an official launch for the readers at the Mount Gambier Library when possible.
