‘Flock: First Nations Stories Then and Now.’ Edited by Ellen van Neerven
What is better than reading a memorable and captivating story that invites us into the experiences and perspectives of a time, a culture, or place? For us it is reading a well curated collection of stories that capture a variety of experiences and perspectives of a variety of times, cultures, or places.
The short stories that make up the anthology, Flock: First Nations Stories Then and Now, edited by Ellen van Neervan, showcases diverse experiences of First Nation peoples across generations. The stories, written by well-known writers such as Tony Birch and Jane Harrison, as well as emerging authors such as Adam Thompson and Jasmin McGaughey, are examples of beautiful storytelling and honesty. While many stories are born from pain or mourning, they also have humour and hope, as well as a sense of the deep connection the characters have with their people, their culture, and their land.
Some of the stories would not be suitable for a middle years classroom as they address themes and experiences that would be appropriate for a more mature audience (such as Year 11 and 12), including Born, Still (Jane Harrison), Frank Slim (Tony Birch), Shadows on the Wall (Archie Weller), Stepmother (SJ Norman), and Moama (Bryan Andy).
However there are many stories in Flock that would provide rich reading experiences in a middle years classroom, stimulating engaging conversations around important themes and ideas around loss, belonging, the past, and connections to culture and the environment. They open up opportunities for exploring memorable experiences and perspectives, as well as being fantastic mentors for ‘good writing.’ We would highly recommend Cloud Busting (Tara June Winch), Waltzing Matilda (Herb Wharton), and Wildflower Girl (Alf Taylor),
Our absolute favourites- suitable for all ages - would be Honey (Adam Thompson) for its slightly macabre but satisfying story of karma, Danny and Bull’s (Samuel Wagan Watson) surprising reveal at the end (and worth rereading to identify the clues), and Split (Cassie Lynch), for its fantastical style and dream-like merging of past and present lands.
Individually, each of the stories are engaging, enlightening, and memorable; yet when read together they become stronger, more captivating, and much richer - much like a flock of birds flying together.
Suitable for:
Ages 14+ (with some stories more suitable for 16+)
Inspires thinking about:
Experiences and perspectives of cultures
Social issues over time
Identify and belonging
Connections to the past
Useful for exploring:
Representations of social, cultural and historical values relating to First Nations peoples
Social issues that relate to both the past and present
Exploring human experiences through character development and relationships
Writer’s craft
Why we recommend it:
Provides valuable Australian perspectives
Offers opportunities for exploring a variety of social values (both past and present) and issues relating to indigenous Australians
Has original and captivating storytelling
Would make an excellent mentor text for writing (variety of styles and language)
