Coming home to country by Bronwyn Bancroft
Little Hare, 2020. ISBN: 9781760501921. 24pp., hbk.
The saying "there's no place like home" has never been expressed so
poignantly as in this new book from leading indigenous artist
Bronwyn Bancroft who always creates a visual feast accompanied by
lyrical text. The young girl is coming home across the old wrinkled
hills, through the palette of "leaf green, red rust, yellow ochre,
deep blue and crimson" to draw in the breath of the valley, listen
to the bird orchestra, slip into crystal clear waters and be held in
the embrace of her ancestors.
"This is peace" and even with its bright colours and traditional
busy patterns, that is exactly the feeling that is evoked by the
gentle words as they envelop the reader. With the tumultuous summer
we are experiencing with such weather extremes and the insatiable
fire dragon, this is the book that we and our children need so we
can retreat to somewhere safe and know that there is the evidence
that Mother Nature will prevail if we would only listen to those who
have cared for the land for generations. In her dedication she urges
her "three warriors" to keep rallying for change so that "all
children can have hope for the future" and know that the
fire-ravaged, desecrated landscape that they are seeing right now
can heal.
A timely release as we seek to comfort those for whom everything
currently seems bleak and black and silent so they know that there
can and will be colour and noise and life again soon.
Barbara Braxton