When I Was Little, Like You

With evocative words and stunning pictures, Mary Malbunka tells her rich story of growing up in the early days of the Papunya settlement in central Australia, going bush with her family and learning about culture and life. A picture book for all ages.
As Mary Malbunka shares her stories of playing with friends, building cubby houses, climbing trees, collecting sugarbag, digging for honey ants, hunting for lizards, and learning about the seasons, animals and plants, she creates a vivid picture of a truly Australian childhood in which country – ngurra is life itself.
Warm and accessible, this is essentially an oral story, and it contains a number of words in Luritja whose meaning is explained in context and also within an extensive glossary. The book also interprets recurring symbols used in traditional Aboriginal painting.