Wurramatyenna and the Magic Canoe - Paperback

by Lisa M. Kennedy (Author)

Wurramatyenna and the Magic Canoe is a contemporary picture book for primary aged children to adults, featuring Tasmanian Aboriginal themes and language and a universal story. Richly illustrated with original watercolours by contemporary indigenous artist Lisa Kennedy. In the first of this series of books, Wurramatyenna is given a magic canoe in which he begins a journey into Bass Strait to Albatross's Island. Along the way he finds friendship, knowledge, trust and love, which prepares him for further adventures.

Author Biography

Lisa Kennedy is a descendant of the Trawlwoolway people of North East Tasmania, Australia, from Woretemoeteyenner, the daughter of Mannalargenna and granddaughter of Trarlewelargenna. Woretemoeteyenner was one of the women taken by the sealers. Her father gave her to the sealer George Briggs as an attempt to ensure reciprocal peaceful relations. She was later abandoned by him and sold to another sealer for one guinea. Woretemoeteyenner spent much of her life on remote Bass Strait Islands, later traveling to Kangaroo Island, Rodrigues and Mauritius. She then spent eleven years on the Furneaux Islands, in government custody. When she was finally given permission to leave, she moved back to mainland Tasmania. For the last six years of her life, she enjoyed living as a free person with her daughter, Dolly Dalrymple Briggs and her grandchildren, two of whom were Jane and Lewis. Lisa is descended from Jane Johnson. Living near Wilson's Promontory, the southernmost tip of Victoria, Australia, Lisa and her family love walking along the coast as well as visiting local islands and coves by boat. Lisa is interested in the healing dimension of art and story, and opens her studio for community workshops, where she also works with printmaking, sculpture and acrylic on canvas. She has studied extensively across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural art and community cultural development. She is involved in many art and culture projects in Victoria, Australia.