'Ngana ngai? Who am I?' introduces young readers to native animals and Aboriginal language.
The text is in English and the South Australian Kaurna language. It features words for animals such as parrot (ngarridla), wombat (wartu), kangaroo (kurlu), cockatoo (kurdakidla) and echidna (naarlharla) and provides a simple fact about each animal.
Beautifully illustrated, the book also provides information about Kaurna life and customs and contains a simple pronunciation chart. It was published to celebrate the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
The book was produced by NLA Publishing and is available as part of the National Library of Australia's Indigenous collections.
According to Susan Hall, from NLA Publishing, the collection includes a diverse range of material, offering a rich interpretation of Australia's past and contemporary Indigenous culture.
The children's book 'Ngana ngai? Who am I?' is one of these cultural treasures.
'We were delighted to work with the Kaurna Warra Karrapanthi Committee to produce this book that encourages all children to learn words of this beautiful language. We plan to produce the book in other Indigenous languages in the future,' Susan said.
