Culture celebrated as part of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day

Families from Coolangarras Barmah Kindergarten took part in special activities as part of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day last Thursday. Students from the nearby Spencer Park Primary Kindergarten joined in the activities and the Deadly Sista Girlz from Albany Senior High School visited to lend a hand. A fire pit was used to make damper and hands were painted with the Aboriginal flag as students learnt about the significance of its colours. Stories were told in both the Noongar language and English. Coolangarras Barmah’s Jill Tysoe said bringing together the students from the two kindergartens to celebrate the culture behind the day was important. “These activities and exposure to First Nations stories and culture by second nations people is extremely import if closing the cultural divide is going to be achieved,” she said. “Having kindy children from Spencer Park sharing with Coolangarras Barmah children — indigenous and non-indigenous — is one of the first steps in educating and understanding. “This is how friendships and tolerance begin.” Historically, Children’s Day on August 4 was a way for children taken away from their families as part of the Stolen Generation to celebrate their birthdays as they often did not know their date of birth. The theme for this year’s day was “My future, my dreaming.” “I believe that by sharing Aboriginal dreaming and past experiences with those who now share their country is one way of securing a better future for all concerned,” Ms Tysoe said. “By encouraging and allowing very young Indigenous children to expose their own families and culture to those who have little knowledge of their past and present will hopefully give them ownership and pride in their culture beginning at a young age.”