TIWI IN PARIS by
Glen Farmer Illortaminni
Thames & Hudson
TIWI IN PARIS by Glen Farmer Illortaminni, a story of resilience, humour and home
“I needed to get back to my Country and back to my family. I prayed for my angel to take me home. My middle name is Gabriel so I knew that my angel would take me home. That’s how come I’m here telling this story.” (TIWI IN PARIS)
Book review of TIWI IN PARIS by
Glen Farmer Illortaminni
Reviewed by Joy Lawn (Joy in Books) at PaperbarkWords
Tiwi in Paris is Glen Farmer Illortaminni’s first picture book for young people. I love it. It’s such an impressive book and an amazing, unexpected, scary, funny and uplifting adventure. And it’s true.
Glen was born and educated in Milikapiti, on Melville Island, one of the Tiwi Islands/ Ratuwati Yinjara, north of Darwin. His art has been exhibited in the National Gallery of Australia and elsewhere. He has been the cultural liaison person at the Muluwurri Museum, where he helps to preserve Tiwi culture. He spends much of his time growing sweet potatoes and pineapples, caring for chickens and water buffaloes and enjoys fishing, hunting and being on Country.
The title, Tiwi in Paris, encapsulates the book. Already an original, interesting concept, Glen Farmer Illortaminni’s trip as an interpreter for Tiwi artist Timothy Cook’s exhibition in Paris becomes even more surprising. He gets lost on his first evening and is missing for days.
Together Glen, and his uncle Timothy Cook left the warm Tiwi Islands to fly to Paris. After a dinner of frog’s legs, snails and spaghetti, Glen went for a walk. He went too far and couldn’t find his way back to the hotel. Cold and discombobulated, he remembered from the movie Rush Hour 3 that the airport was warm and comfortable, so he caught the metro there. But the police moved him on. He spent some time with kind homeless people, at the markets and following a tour guide. No one believed he was lost.
“I spoke English. They spoke French. Nobody spoke Tiwi.”
After wandering all night, he slipped and hit his head. A little girl and her café owner papa helped him. Then they saw him on the news, “Perdu à Paris” [Lost in Paris] and called an ambulance. Fearful of missing his uncle before he returned to the Tiwi Islands and being stranded, Glen left the hospital to keep searching. Lost again in the dark, he found a big, old church where he could pray. People there provided him with shelter and bedding. He believed he saw an angel, which he understood to be a promise of comfort and protection.
While experiencing iconic Parisian sights and being cared for by many people over several days, Glen’s tale is filled with urgency, confusion and the overwhelming emotions of being lost. However, the overarching theme is of people’s kindness to a stranger.
It made me wonder – if the setting and story were turned around, what might happen if someone got lost in the Tiwi Islands/ Ratuwati Yinjara? How would their experience be similar or different? How would people there help them and show kindness? No doubt they would help with great hospitality and care.
The book’s cover is striking. It uses icons as letters and juxtaposes Tiwi culture, art style and colours with Paris’s Eiffel Tower. The illustrations continue their ‘conversation’ between Tiwi and Paris through details of Parisian sights and life, with additional musings and references to Australia. These include a house on Melville Island, Tiwi creatures and the Australian coat of arms: the emu and the kangaroo.
The illustrations are generally executed as line drawings in black ink or white on black backgrounds. Watercolour washes are used for backgrounds and accents. The art is plentiful and will engage both young children and reluctant or disengaged older readers.
The book’s production values are exceptional.
Moving and uplifting, Tiwi in Paris is one of the most outstanding books of 2025.
Tiwi in Paris at Thames & Hudson
Interview with Glen Farmer Illortaminni ABC Radio Darwin
https://nga.gov.au/on-demand/glen-farmer-illortamini-tiwi-people-jongijongini-egret-20052006/
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