Trevor Fourmile – March 15 2020

20/3/2020 NDA (National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence)

Trevor is health worker and Indigenous storyteller, performer and picture book author. He is from the Yidinji people of northern Queensland and his Yidinji/Yidiny/Yidindji name, Bumi, means ‘lightning flash’. Trevor is interested in teaching the younger generation his culture through traditional dancing, story telling and writing children’s books. Readers are encouraged to think about their relationship to the community as well as enjoying these wonderful traditional stories. Trevor’s books are isnpired by stories he remembers listening to as told by his grandfather. He also thanks his father for passing on the traditions and his mother, Lillian, for her artwork. Trevor has become a promoter of literature and a popular speaker at schools where he shares his culture with the younger generation through storytelling and brings stories from their Yidinji family to life. How the Cassowary got its Helmet was a winner in the inaugural Black Ink Writing and Illustrating award and was selected for The White Ravens 2005, an annual selection of outstanding international books for children and young adults, at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

How the Cassowary got its Helmet – Illustrated by Lillian Fourmile
Black Ink Press, 2004; ISBN 9781863340083
12+ years
Every day the cassowary would stay away from the other animals so that they could not tease him, then one day someone noticed him. This is a story from the Yidinji people from Far North Queensland about finding one’s place in the world. Cassowary with his small wings is teased by the other animals. He feels an outsider until a seahawk points out that every animal has a special ability. Cassowary with a ‘rock’ stuck on his head (that is the helmet-like protuberance) can break things. This unique ability, and the bird’s strong claws, proves invaluable when the main campsite is attacked by snakes. The full page illustrations are in the traditional highly-patterned ‘x-ray’ style in mainly brown tones with white outlines.

Bajirriga the Turtle – Illustrated by Lillian Fourmile
Black Ink Press, 2006; ISBN 9781863340205
7+ years years
“Long, long ago on the coast near Cairns lived a boy name Bajirriga who loved nothing much else but to swim ….”
While explaining how Bajirriga turns into a turtle, Trevor’s story explores issues of a teenager’s relationship to his community. In a traditional storytelling style, the author brings to life an age old conflict of youth. Bajirriga won’t cooperate with his community, and the consequences are dramatic. The second traditional-style tale from this creative mother-and-son pair, Bajirriga the Turtle is quite a different book to their first. Written in a traditional storytelling style, this picture story book incorporates bold, stylized images.