Toni Baxter, a Biripi, wants to ensure that the stories and traditions of her coastal strip are passed down to future generations.

Writing a book allowed him to achieve this, but it will also be used to teach indigenous people how to learn to read.

Ms Baxter’s grandmother was skilled in traditional Aboriginal shellwork, a trade she continues to practice with her mother.

“It’s my connection to Nan… when I sit making seashells, I can feel Nan,” she said.

Ms. Baxter published a short story about her family traditions called Naanggu Duran, which means Mother Shell.

“Nan would take me and all the girls to the beach and go shelling while Pop and the boys caught fish for dinner,” she said.

“We would sort all the shells and Nan would make shoe sets, jewelry boxes, vases and picture frames.

Ms Baxter wrote her story as part of a Koori writing program at NSW TAFE’s Taree campus on the Mid North Coast.

Her story, along with nine others written by Indigenous authors through the program, was recently published as part of a collection called Short Stories for the Mob.

The books ensure the stories are passed down and will help other First Nations people learn to read.

The collection of stories is used as a resource by the national Reading Writing Hotline, a free, federally funded telephone reference service for adult literacy and numeracy.

Kate Fazio, an adult literacy teacher, runs the Koori Writing program and said she teamed up with the hotline after hearing there was a shortage of stories for beginning readers that reflected the lives and cultural histories of Australian Aborigines.

“The reading-writing helpline contacted us when they heard about the program,” she said.

“Authors are bringing their stories to all of Australia.”

Vanessa Forrest, an adult literacy teacher and project manager at the hotline, said the Stories for the Mob books were very relevant.

Vanessa Iles, manager of the reading and writing helpline, said the service receives around 4,000 calls each year for help from adults looking to improve their reading and writing skills and that 10% of appellants were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin.

The latest books add to a small collection of First Nations reading resources provided through a previous Taree-based community literacy program called Our Words Our Stories.

Ms Baxter said it was an excellent result.

A dog named Eric

Biripi woman Delleise Walker has written a story in the latest collection, about a dog from her childhood, named after Aboriginal rugby league footballer Eric Simms, who played for South Sydney in the 1960s and 1970.

Ms Walker said Eric, the dog, walked her and other young children to and from their school in Sydney every day.

“He would wait at the gate to take us home…he would tell us when to cross…he was like a guardian angel and would protect us no matter what…it’s a good story,” she said.

“It’s time we get our stories out there, and I thought this was a good way to do it.”

More stories for the crowd

The Koori Writing program has recently expanded to the neighboring Great Lakes TAFE campus, hoping to encourage local Worimi to share their stories.

Taree TAFE Education Support Officer and Biripi woman, Mindy Avery is actively trying to engage budding Indigenous writers.

“They’re short stories, and the kids love them and read them when they go to bed…and if the parents aren’t really literate…they can read from the pictures.”

Ms. Baxter hopes to write another book.

“I am doing my certificate II in Gathang language and I want to make a book in this language.”