THE deadly feats and ingenuity of First Nations people over thousands of years will be explored in Port Macquarie local Corey Tutt's new book,The First Scientists.
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Aimed at kids aged seven to 12 years, as well as parents and educators, The First Scientists will nourish readers' love of science and develop their respect for Indigenous knowledge at the same time.
Mr Tutt was inspired to research and write this book by his own experiences growing up.
"I remember reading about Indigenous trackers when I was a teenager and realised the work they did was actually science," he said.
"Bush medicine has been around for thousands of years and it's essentially chemistry. So have bush trackers, art preservation and land management."
Mr Tutt is a Kamilaroi man originally from Nowra and as a kid, he dreamed of becoming a zookeeper. He went on to develop a love for STEM subjects at school, however he found there was little encouragement to pursue careers in STEM.
"This was despite the fact that First Nations people are the original scientists of this country," he said.
That's when he decided to write his own book showing kids that scientists haven't always been in a lab wearing a white coat.
The book consists of a collection of stories Mr Tutt has researched and put together detailing the past and present ways First Nations people use science.
"The book has been beautifully illustrated by Blak Douglas and I hope it will teach Indigenous and non-Indigenous kids about our culture and how science was used.
"We often don't think of science being all around us, but it is."
In 2018, while working as a research assistant for the University of Sydney, Corey founded Deadly Science, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to provide science books and telescopes to remote schools in Australia, and connects young Indigenous people with mentors to encourage their participation in STEM subjects.
Since it's conception, the program has connected with over 100 schools, delivered over 16,000 books and hundreds of telescopes.
Mr Tutt continues to work tirelessly to send STEM resources to Indigenous communities and show First Nations kids that STEM is for them.
"I struggled with my learning when I was younger and to now be publishing a book to help kids learn about their history is a very proud moment," Mr Tutt said.
"Not all kids will pursue a career in STEM or become a scientist, but even if this book inspires them to follow their passions, that's tremendous."
The First Scientists will be published on October 13 and will be available locally at Book Face and online.
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