The Age has discovered Neomad in its tablet format, a story that we’ve seen in print as well as its interactive App form.
The full article goes into depth about the beginnings of Neomad, going from a long-term cultural and arts-based grants project to engage young Indigenous students’ interest and attendance in school and to find a new avenue for raising literacy levels and short attention spans while preserving and maintaining ancient heritage.
From an initial process of workshopping and intricate, detailed sessions at the keyboard, where the kids are themselves starring in the media product they are constructing, come short-term learning and behavioural wins, increased attention spans, confidence, satisfaction and pride, which all build into long-term potential and achievement. And in these ways their futures seem more assured.
Neomad is a fictional fantasy based on real characters, places and stories that connect the people to their country and aims to bring attention to the rich Indigenous cultural resources of the Pilbara in Western Australia, equally as rich as the vast mineral resources of the area.
As part of the Yijala Yala Project, a group of 30 young people from the Ieramugadu (Roebourne) in the Pilbara have been collaborating with Sutu, creator of the multi-award winning NAWLZ interactive comic series.
Gestalt Comics published this work in collaboration with Big hART and books 1 and 2 are available through the online store.