Fairytales that start with "once upon a time" contain similar teachings to Dja Dja Wurrung stories, author and Djaara Elder Aunty Ros Kneebone-Dodson says.
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"They teach children stories on how to respect, understand, and live in harmony with the country that they live on," Aunty Ros said.
When her grandmother Rene, and mother Mooie, told her Dreamtime stories while she was growing up on Djandak country around the Loddon River she didn't understand their significance.
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"It's just your nanny telling you stories ... except (now), when you put it in your indigenous culture, you understand why it made you feel so comforted, or made you laugh," Aunty Ros said.
She is passing on her mother's stories to other children growing up on Djandak in her illustrated book Mooie's Stories.
Aunty Ros said in her culture it was the responsibility of the ngurar gurrk - or female ancestor - to pass down stories of country.
Mooie's Stories represents five generations of stories from Djaara women going back to Aunty Ros' great, great grandmother.
"We're just sharing stories"
Aunty Ros said the stories are an important part of Djandak history, which often focuses on the white driven gold-rush era of the region.
"We can't change our history, but we need to respect and understand that there was people here before colonisation, and how we can honor them and their history."
Aunty Ros said she didn't want the stories to be a point of division, but rather add to the plethora of life lessons taught in children's books.
"You need to understand that we're not here to fight one another," she said.
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"We're here to herald and enjoy one another and what we have to offer, that's why my mother always wanted to share these stories."
"Whether you are Djaara, or whether you are First Nations of any any other place or whether you are people who now call Australia home, it doesn't matter. We're just sharing stories."
Mooie's Stories launches at Buda Historic Home & Garden, 42 Hunter Street, Castlemaine on May 17 from 4:30-5:30pm.
Aunty Ros was awarded Barnados Mother of the Year in 2012. As a social worker, she assisted 14 members of the Stolen Generation to find their families, and assisted in the creation of Building Strong Mothers and Babies program for Indigenous parents.
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