Looking After Country with Fire: Aboriginal Burning Knowledge With Uncle Kuu
Victor Steffensen & Sandra Steffensen (illus.)
Looking After Country with Fire: Aboriginal Burning Knowledge With Uncle Kuu
Victor Steffensen & Sandra Steffensen (illus.)
Looking After Country with Fire is a picture book for 5- to 10-year-olds that demonstrates respect for Indigenous knowledge, following the success of Victor Steffensen’s bestselling adult book Fire Country.
Mother Nature has a language. If we listen, and read the signs in the land, we can understand it.
For thousands of years, First Nations people have listened and responded to the land and made friends with fire, using this knowledge to encourage plants and seeds to flourish, and creating beautiful places for both animals and people to live.
Join Uncle Kuu as he takes us out on Country and explains cultural burning. Featuring stunning artwork by Sandra Steffensen, this is a powerful and timely story of understanding Australia’s ecosystems through Indigenous fire management, and a respectful way forward for future generations to help manage our landscapes.
At the back of the book, you will also find lyrics to a song written by author Victor Steffensen with the same title, ‘Looking After Country with Fire’.
Review
Kim Gruschow
Following his 2020 nonfiction book Fire Country, Victor Steffensen has now produced a bright and accessible picture-book introduction to First Nations fire management for younger people.
In Looking after Country with Fire we join Uncle Kuu on Country as he shares his knowledge of burning with a group of young people. Using simple language and lovely bold Illustrations by Sandra Steffensen, this book introduces how and why we can use fire to safely care for the land and support thriving ecosystems filled with lush and abundant plant varieties and wildlife. More broadly this book highlights the importance of observing, listening to and learning from the natural world. And it’s fantastic to have a book for young people that so clearly demonstrates, values and shares the knowledge and practices built by First Nations people over thousands of years.
With music included at the back of the book, Looking after Country with Fire is perfect for sharing at home or in a classroom.
For ages 5+.
Kim Gruschow is the book buyer at Readings St Kilda
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