Bwgcolman foal books help kids understand how to look after animals

A series of books written by horse carer Rae-Jon Bunting and Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation's (DEEDI) Biosecurity Queensland staff is available to help educate young primary school children about the importance of animal welfare and how to look after their horse.

The Bwgcolman (pronounced Bwik-al-man) series consists of four fully illustrated books (Bwgcolman Foal, Bwgcolman Yearling, Bwgcolman Gelding and Midnight, Bwgcolman Pride) that follow the life of a foal born in an island community.

Bwgcolman means 'many tribes - one person'. The name was given to the people of Palm Island who originated from over 40 different tribes from all parts of Queensland. The storyline for the books comes from the author's experiences with horses while helping the horse riders of Palm Island.

The books are endorsed by North Queensland Cowboy´s rugby league star Matt Bowen. In his foreword, Matt Bowen recalls how he grew up in the Aboriginal community of Hopevale in Cape York and developed a love for horse riding and animals.

'The books give rules on how to look after horses. As you read the books, you will meet an old fella, Elder Stan, and he will explain some of these rules. What they really mean is - if you ride a horse or if you have an animal, then you have to look after it properly.'

Primarily aimed at young people in Indigenous communities, the books are an important resource for all schools of primary-aged students. The messages about caring for horses are universal and can be applied to all animals.

The books have already been distributed to 180 Queensland primary schools.

Get a copy of the Bwgcolman Foal books:

Download:

Request a hard copy by contacting the DEEDI Customer Service Centre on 13 25 23.