From traditional Indigenous teaching stories to stories based on the author's childhood at Mount Margaret Mission, Wongutha Tales is a unique collection bringing together May O'Brien's wonderful work for the first time.
First published as individual titles in 1992, May O'Brien's stories were ground-breaking publications, presenting traditional Indigenous stories in a bilingual text and giving a unique insight into learning English as a second language from a First Nations perspective. Classic tales such as How Crows Became Black and Why the Emu Can't Fly are still as fresh and appealing as ever for a new generation of junior readers. Plus May's simple pronunciation guide for Wongutha words are perfect learning activities for the classroom.
Born into the traditional life of the Wongatha people of Western Australia and educated on the remote Mount Margaret mission, Aboriginal author and educator May O’Brien has profoundly influenced Indigenous education.
May became the first female Aboriginal teacher in Western Australia, fulfilling her dream and returning to the mission to teach. As an educator for over 25 years, she fought for Aboriginal rights and helped create opportunities for her people, bridging the gap between cultures. May helped establish Aboriginal committees on education around Western Australia and worked on the first report into Aboriginal education. Her contribution was acknowledged in 1977 when she received the British Empire Medal for work in Aboriginal education. In 1984 she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study programs in the USA, Canada and Great Britain that focused on enabling Indigenous peoples to retain their own cultures, while adjusting to mainstream culture. May O'Brien went on to hold senior positions in the Department of Education.
Since retiring, May has been writing bilingual children’s books that feature her Wongatha language. As an ambassador for numeracy and literacy, she remains involved in a wide range of community activities.
