As I Grew Older

Ian Abdulla's paintings and text offer a snapshot of an Aboriginal family living on a small stretch of the Murray River in South Australia in the 1950's and 1960's when the assimilation policy still existed and there were few employment opportunities for Aborigines. The river provided the Abdulla family with food, cash and seasonal jobs, and means of living away from the mission.

As I grew older affirms the culture of rural Aborigines who, despite being dispossessed, have been determined to stay on their own land.

About the Author

Ian Abdulla was born at Swan Reach on the Murray River, where he grew up with his brothers and sisters. His experiences as a child in the 1950's, searching and hunting for food in a traditional Aboriginal way of life, have inspired his autobiographical picture books. Ian's work as an artist is widely recognised.