About the AuthorJoycelin Kauc Leahy is a writer and illustrator from Papua New Guinea (PNG). She is based in Brisbane, Australia. Joycelin holds a Master's Degree in Museum Studies from the University of Queensland, Australia. She also graduated in Journalism from UPNG and has worked as a journalist. As a child growing up in Wagang with her family, Joycelin learnt to make paint from vines, leaves and seedpods for village singsings. Singsings are tribal dancing. She learnt to fish, plant and gather wild fruits. She sang, dance and could tell stories, among many other traditional skills she learnt from her family. Joycelin spent a lot of time with her grandmother in nature where she learnt to understand nature and how humans and other species have a powerful co-dependency to nature.The author tells stories and creates art on multiple platforms to educate and share her knowledge in hopes to protect and preserve the Melanesian culture. With global warming, Joycelin is deeply concerned about the planet and the survival of significant species and their habitats. These species give life to indigenous people and their cultural way of living. She hopes that such stories as The Lazy Little Frog can create awareness for environment care.In her pioneer research into how climate change affected intangible cultures of the small island's people, Joycelin discovered that changes in human activity affected traditional practices, skills and knowledge. She conducted her fieldwork in Tami island, Morobe Province, PNG. Like species, unique practices of Melanesians and other indigenous people become extinct when these people are uprooted and disconnected from their place. Indigenous people have strong bonds with their environment, their spirituality, culture and practices, languages, song, customs, rituals. While studying for her Master's Degree at UQ, Joycelin curated Pacific Storms Contemporary Arts Exhibition to create awareness on how climate change affected intangible cultures across the Pacific islands. Customs and beliefs, the importance of land and a sense of place were highlighted. The exhibition, consisted of three events, showed a total of 66 artworks by 33 artists from 22 countries from 2009 to 2011 in several Queensland institutions.https: //lazylittlefrog.comjkleahyart@gmail.comjoycelinleahy@gmail.comFacebook: Joyce LeahyInstagram: JKLeahyArt
