02 September 2026
A new bilingual book, My Walk Through the Seasons on Ngaanyatjarra Country, has taken students from a remote central desert all the way to the Sydney Opera House.
Students and staff from Ngaanyatjarra Lands School in Yulara, Northern Territory on their way to Sydney.
Students and staff from the Ngaanyatjarra Lands School collaborated with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) and local Elders to create the book, which captures the five distinct seasons of Ngaanyatjarra Country.
It was also selected as the official book for Indigenous Literacy Day 2026, which is today.
The book blends language and student paintings to document seasonal changes to plants, the sky, and animal behaviour, that is rooted in traditional Yarnangu knowledge.
Elder and creator Daisy Tjuparntarri Ward emphasised the importance of passing this knowledge directly to the younger generation so they can understand how their ancestors lived.
“It's really important, because explaining the seasons also shows how we lived, the weather, when to hunt and what to look for,” Mrs Tjuparntarri Ward said.
“The kids need to know that when the wind is blowing from all different directions, Pirriya Pirriya, that they have to be coming from the right direction if they are hunting so the marlu (kangaroo) or any kuka (animals) can't smell them.”
The teachings in the book go beyond weather and hunting, connecting to the Tjukurrpa, language preservation, and Ngaparrtji Ngaparrtji (reciprocity and Two-way Science).
“We can't let this knowledge and language just slip away,” Mrs Tjuparntarri Ward said.
“This book is about me being born in Pirriya Pirriya and how I learnt from my family.
“I want our kids to learn the same way, and also the teachers that come out to us in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands.”
The collaborative process began with an ILF visit to Warakurna, where students created a storyboard based on Mrs Tjuparntarri Ward’s stories.
Staff member Sandy Robertson, Executive Deputy Principal at Ngaanyatjarra Lands School and co-author of the book, said students were heavily involved in the production, deciding which paintings were needed to illustrate the seasonal shifts and creating the artwork during dedicated sessions.
Dr Lizzie Marrkilyi Ellis, Cultural Curriculum Coordinator for the Ngaanyatjarra Lands School, provided text translations, and Daisy recorded readings in both Ngaanyatjarra and English.
To celebrate the launch, students and staff travelled to Sydney to celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day (Wednesday 2 September), while also experiencing a host of firsts including a ferry ride to Taronga Zoo, a visit to the Sydney Aquarium, and rehearsals at the Opera House.
Ms Robertson noted the profound educational and personal impact the project has on the students.
“Our students need to see themselves, and hear their languages, in the books available to them at school,” Ms Robertson said.
“Students and teachers will find this book an engaging way to learn about both the Ngaanyatjarra seasons and connections to the science curriculum.
“Aboriginal students and families from many places will be able to overlay their own knowledges and stories, and this is so important.”
For readers outside the central desert, Ms Robertson hopes the book serves as a reminder of the enduring strength and continuity of their culture.
“I want them to learn and know that this is still happening,” she said.
“It is a really fantastic thing for students from everywhere to understand the lifestyle out here in the desert is continuing like it always has in a lot of ways.”