Riding On The Storm With Trevor Fourmile
Author Trevor Fourmile is using his role of storyteller to preserve and pass on the traditional tales of Indigenous Australia to a new generation.
Trevor is from the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji First Nations people in Cairns, Far North Queensland. He has authored several children’s books based on traditional Dreamtime yarns, including ‘How The Cassowary Got Its Helmet’, ‘Bajirigga The Turtle’ and most recently ‘Gurril, Storm Bird’.
“I always grew up [learning] that everyone should be working together, helping each other out,” Trevor says.
“It takes a community to grow a child, and I grew up where I knew everybody to help each other out. I thought I could use that same way to go out and care for others, close those gaps. We’re all Australians, we need to work together and help each other out, … and learn about the beauty of our Australian culture and the history behind it, we need to embrace that. My way was to use the books and my storytelling to share the beauty of First Nations people.”
‘Gurril, Storm Bird’ is a story that has been passed down through countless generations of Yidinji people and one Trevor heard often when he was growing up.
“We would do things around looking after Mother Nature or the land management side of things,” Trevor explains.
Gurril is a young boy who doesn’t understand why everyone fears Gudju-gudju, the Rainbow Serpent. Gurril’s hubris leads to him being transformed into the titular storm bird – a black cockatoo – the harbinger of coming rain. The story is used to instil in children a strong respect for the land and its resources.
“The story was talking about how to learn your seasons, and Gurril was one of those animals that would give us a warning when rain’s coming,” Trevor says.
“So, it would help us learn how to look after the environment and about water management. I grew up with stories like that one. It teaches kids to be aware of your surroundings; you have all these warning signs based on that Dreamtime story itself.”
In June, Trevor will see his story come to life when QPAC presents the stage adaptation of ‘Gurril, Storm Bird’ as part of its Out Of The Box children’s arts festival programme.
“The crew at QPAC are tremendous, they’ve been helping me out a lot,” Trevor says.
“The people behind the scenes, I’m just in awe of what they’ve created from my book. I can’t wait to see it come to light the way they’ve done it.”
‘Gurril, Storm Bird’ was illustrated by Jingalu, a Bagawa woman from Gumbayggirr and Yaegl Country in the Clarence Valley region of New South Wales. Trevor says the production team at QPAC have faithfully rendered Jingalu’s vivid illustrations for the live stage.
“It’s almost the same as it is in the book,” he says.
“Gabby Gregory, the producer from QPAC, she has imagination I can’t explain. The way she is bringing exactly those illustrations into life, I don’t know how to explain. Kids need to experience for themselves and maybe they can tell me how they see it, give some feedback of it and how it is.”
For Trevor, storytelling is a family business. A relative of renowned author Boori Monty Pryor, who helped inspire him to be a writer, Trevor uses his craft to engage with people about Indigenous Australian culture and history.
From his students at the Hymba Yumba Independent School in Springfield, Brisbane where he works as Cultural Lead Officer to the everyman on the street, Trevor isn’t afraid to share his stories.
“Anyone, anywhere,” he laughs.
“Even two adults who don’t want to hear stories, I’m happy to share that. It’s just who I am, I love to share my culture so people can get to know who I am and where my First Nations are from as well. I want to promote my mob and the only way of doing that is sharing who I am as a person and those stories.”
With the premiere of ‘Gurril, Storm Bird’, Trevor is seeing his work reach a new audience beyond the written word. He’s also engaging children in other countries, introducing them to the traditional stories of Australia.
In January, MADCAP Global Managing Director Stephen Morris and his wife contributed a generous financial donation to a local infant school in Jaipur, northwestern India along with copies of Trevor’s books.
“I’m blessed. I’m glad to see my book has gone overseas, everywhere it can,” Trevor says.
“I made a note to everyone on my friends to join the challenge by purchasing my book and sending it to a relative or friend overseas and see how far it goes out. The first step was South Africa and India. I’m loving it. I have some more books to donate as well, just to share the love, get to know who we are and foster that cross cultural exchange.”
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