Gold Rush

In this extraordinary book, author/ illustrator, Flora Delargy, explores the stories of not only Shaaw Tlaa, the woman who discovered gold in Yukon Territory, but of other brave ladies who ignored the declaration that the gold fields were ‘no place for women’, seeking riches and adventure.

A fascinating introduction to the area and the First Nations people who lived there sets the scene for the events which followed the discovery of gold in the region. This information is presented with great respect for these people and their way of life, clearly showing the negative ways in which colonisation affected them. The reader is then introduced to Shaaw Tlaa, who either adopted or was given the name Kate and who is thought to be the first person to discover gold. However, due to being a woman and of First Nations origin, it was her husband, George’s name in which this was registered, not hers.

Exploring the fascination of gold through history, the book then offers some background as to why the lure of gold prospecting was so great for so many people. The following three sections are then devoted to the experiences of three other women: Martha Black, Belinda Mulrooney and Nellie Cashman. Their stories are sensitively explored, reflecting the hardships, prejudices and limitations they faced as they fought to find their place in what was undeniably a man’s world. The book also reflects on how these women gave back to the community after the devastating consequences of the gold rush- and its sudden ending. Finally, the book returns to pick up the story of Shaaw Tlaa or Kate Carmack, explaining how she was cruelly rejected by her husband and lost custody of her daughter before returning home to discover that her village has been displaced.

The book is both fascinating and inspirational. Always mindful of the need to enrich the curriculum and broaden understanding, ‘Gold Rush’ would make an excellent guided reading text to share with children, to use when considering explorers or as inspiration for an assembly about courage and perseverance. Beautifully illustrated, there is much to notice and enjoy on each page. Not only is there a glossary, but also a list of the sources used, helping children to understand how authors research their subject and possibly generate questions about the need to check the credibility of these.

Gold Rush: The untold story of the First Nations woman who started the Klondike Gold Rush

Flora Delargy

Wide Eyed ISBN: 978-0711263871