Stories about Fire, Wind, the Moon and other Dreamings

Solomon Cocky recorded more than 200 stories on cassette tapes during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, about the Dreaming, hunting, and everyday life in the desert.

The stories were transcribed by the Nyangumarta linguist Monty Hale, and some were published with Solomon’s illustrations for the bilingual school publishing program at Strelley Community School in the Pilbara.

Fourteen of these stories have been newly translated by Monty’s daughter and Nyangumarta elder Barbara Hale for Stories about Fire, Wind, the Moon and other Dreamings – Warinypa wariny Mangunyjaja muwarr wirlarrapa wangalpa wika. This collection of Nyangumarta children’s stories edited by Barbara Hale and Inge Kral, derives from Solomon’s original extensive collection.

Barbara says that for Solomon, the pictures were as important as the words: ‘I think he must be thinking from his pictures first when he tell the story.’Drawing with felt pens and occasionally with coloured pencils, Solomon’s stories probably come from his Country around Nullagine, his landscapes like the creeks, sand dunes and vegetation.

About the Author

Solomon (Ngalyarrkiny) Cocky was born 1930, in or around the gold mining town of Nullagine and grew up with his father on Noreena Downs Station. At Noreena Downs his father worked as a station hand and Solomon worked with small horses for a year or two before starting work in the mustering team. As a young man he joined the Pilbara Strike, mining for tin and other minerals around Moolyella, Mount Frisco and Blue Bar in the Pilbara region.

During the late 1970s he had become part of the everyday working life of Strelley School, founded by the strikers. As one of the elders he taught the children the skills of surviving in the desert, including making spears and fire, while also illustrating school books in Nyangumarta for the Strelley Literature Production Centre. Solomon is remembered as a charismatic and quiet person, who passed away in 1993.