It takes a village to raise a child. And in the Northern Territory it takes a community to raise a pig.
At Kalano community, on the outskirts of Katherine, Molly the pig has risen to fame after starring in a picture book, written by Indigenous author Karen Manbulloo.
In 2017, Moli det bigibigi, was published by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, sharing the adventures of the community's beloved pig Molly in both English and Kriol, the largest contemporary Aboriginal language spoken in Australia.
Aiming to provide children and families of the communities in and around Katherine with a story they can relate to, including the real-life star, Weet-Bix-eating Molly, the book has helped hundreds of kids learn Kriol and English, and encouraged literacy in Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory.
Now the highly anticipated sequel is set to hit bookshelves, as Moli bin git stak (Molly gets stuck) has been launched via the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
"This is my second book," Ms Manbulloo said.
"I just want to continue writing books.
"It's really important to me to share the Kriol language to help our Indigenous children.
"It's really important for our little ones and when they get older, they might, you know, do something like write a book too."
Based on a true story in the life of Molly, Ms Manbuloo's new book tells the tale of the community pig getting stuck under a car.
"Moli went under the car for shade, and she couldn't get out. She's really big now, so she couldn't find her way out. My brother and his kid had to dig her out ..."
The fully grown pig has called Kalano home ever since she came to the community as a piglet in 2015, after being found by Ms Mabulloo's brother during a kangaroo hunt.
"I used to go [to Kalano] and visit my brother and his wife," Ms Manbulloo said.
"One holiday, we were at my brother and sister- in-law's daughter's house, sitting outside, and all of a sudden, I saw this little tiny puppy. She went and hid under my sister-in-law's skirt from the big dog."
What was mistaken as a "tiny puppy" soon grew into a large black pig, and when Ms Manbullo was approached to write a book, she knew she wanted to write about Molly.
"I was so happy when I wrote Moli det bigibigi," she said.
"I didn't know that from the first book I wrote that Moli would become famous."
Indigenous Literacy Foundation Publishing Projects Editor, Cindy Manfong, who grew up in the Katherine region, said she was excited to have worked on the new book about the famous pig.
"I remember when the first Moli book came out and people from community would share their stories of visiting Moli," she said.
"I think a lot of people are really excited about the second book as well. It's ... such a really good book and I think people are really going to adore (it).
Moli bin git stak is now available via the Indigenous Literacy Foundation store.
