Boori Monty Pryor – January 13 2019

Boori is a storyteller, dancer, writer and educator. His father is from the Birrigubba of the Bowen region and his mother from Yarrabah (near Cairns), a descendant of the Kungganji. Boori has worked in education, film, television, modelling, sport, music and theatre. He played in two basketball World Masters Games winning a Silver Medal for Australia in 1994. He is also an accomplished didgeridoo player who has performed with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra. In 1990 he was awarded the National Aboriginal and Islander Observance Day Committee Award for “outstanding contribution to the promotion of indigenous culture” and in 2005 he was one of the Victorian Premier’s Reading Ambassadors. In 2012 Boori was selected to be Australia’s first Children’s Laureate together with Alison Lester. As well as writing with Jan Omerod, he has co-written many books with Meme McDonald, beginning with his memoir, Maybe Tomorrow, in 1998. Two of their collaborations have been adapted for the theatre, My Girragundji and Njunjul the Sun. Boori travels extensively as a performer and public speaker for school students and adult groups throughout Australia and overseas.

My Girragundji, co-written with Meme McDonald
Allen and Unwin, 1998; ISBN 9781864488180
8-14 years
There’s a bad spirit in our house. He’s as ugly as ugly gets and he stinks. You touch this kind of Hairyman and you lose your voice, or choke to death.
It’s hard to sleep when a hairy wrinkly old hand might grab you in the night. And in the day you’ve got to watch yourself. It can be rough. Words come yelling at you that hurt. Alive with humour, My Girragundji is the vivid story of a boy growing up between two worlds. With the little green tree frog as a friend, the bullies at school don’t seem so big anymore. And Girragundji gives him the courage to face his fears.

Shake a Leg, co-written with Jan Omerod
Allen and Unwin, 2010; ISBN 9781741758900
6-10 years
All you fellas watching, come up, join in, warrima. Clap your hands, little ones. Stamp your feet, nannas. Get down and dance, you smart young things, mummas and daddas. Let’s get the whole town dancing!
From pizza shop to bora ground, here is a joyous celebration of food, dance and cultural understanding. When three young boys go to a pizza parlour and meet an Aboriginal chef who can speak Italian and make a deadly pizza, they’re in for a surprise!