Just So Stories

New South Books

Publisher: Aboriginal Studies Press

November 2025

9781922752031

AUD $24.95, NZD $29.99

I acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi, the traditional custodians of the land on which I live and write, and pay my respects to elders past and present – Redcliffe, Australia. I also acknowledge and pay my respects to all the First Nations people of our land, and in particular, the Wiradjuri, traditional country of my children and grandchildren.

What an absolute pleasure it is to be able to review this wonderful, and very important, new book with its roots in Wiradjuri Country and its language.

Author, Belinda Bridge, has a strong matrilineal connection to Wiradjuri land and has long been passionate about preserving the language and culture of her mob. She is well qualified to be sharing knowledge as she holds a post-grad in Wiradjuri Language, Heritage and Culture, along with her degree in Creative Writing and Professional Writing, and her TAFE teaching of Wiradjuri Language.

This new book can provide entry level language for students new to learning Wiradjuri across the year levels, and even adults. The six cycles of Wiradjuri Country are determined by the moon and the calendar months paired to each in this book are indicative only. These cycles can be changeable when impacted by weather events.

The animals most active during these cycles are named and illustrated but this may also change due to those fluctuations of the cycles. For example:

dinawan = emu

galing-galing bu niganaga bu ganhang-girri = wet and hot and becoming warm [December & January)

yili gariwang-girri = dry becoming cool [April & May].

Your jarjums will find it fascinating but all children, whether on Wiradjuri lands or not, will also be intrigued. And what an opportunity to explore the weather and wildlife of the Country on which your kiddos live and learn. My middle daughter, Aunty Kim at her school on Country (Lithgow PS), is passionate about teaching her students their language and culture, and even though she has learned so much over the past six years she’s been living and working there, this will be still be of great value to her.

For those who are focused on a future of walking together, and who are developing their own First Nations collections mindfully, this is an extremely valuable resource.

The design is really engaging as well – with striking illustrations from Peta-Joy Williams and a sense of connection and flow throughout the book which, after all, is exactly what the learning is about – from ancestors to the present to the future, from year to year, cycle to cyle.

It’s a fabulous book conceived and executed with skill by two Wiradjuri creators, making this even more significant, particularly for those little fellas who are growing up in their own Wiradjuri culture.

An outstanding 5 🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘rating for this one.