INDIGENOUS LITERACY DAY TO CELEBRATE FIRST NATIONS STORIES, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE
Indigenous Literacy Day will be celebrated at the Sydney Opera House again next Wednesday, with performances like this one last year.
First Nations communities from across Australia will come together at the Sydney Opera House next week for the 19th annual Indigenous Literacy Day, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, languages and culture.
Presented by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), the event will feature a free film and livestream showcasing First Nations knowledge, music, storytelling and connection to Country.
This year’s theme, “Country Is Our Teacher,” highlights the importance of cultural knowledge passed down through generations, with communities from the Northern Territory, Sydney and across Australia taking part in the celebration.
The event will include the launch of My Walk Through the Seasons on Ngaanyatjarra Country, a bilingual picture book written by Warakurna Elder Daisy Tjuparntarri Ward.
ILF CEO Ben Bowen says the event will bring together communities to celebrate culture and share stories with audiences around the country.
“We’re bringing communities together to be part of a big book launch, but we also livestream a video and event which is celebrating all facets of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.”
The celebration will take place on Gadigal Country, bringing community members from the Northern Territory to Sydney to launch the new book, alongside performances and cultural showcases.
“It’s bringing mob down from the NT to launch their book, and we’ve got mob from all over Sydney celebrating and performing, with some incredible ambassadors for the ILF doing performances and hosting the day to keep it moving forward.”
The livestream will also feature a journey through Sky Country, with astrophysicists Dr Kirsten Banks and Krystal De Napoli exploring the connections between stars, science, culture and storytelling.
Music will take centre stage, with ILF Ambassadors DOBBY and Josh Pyke performing this year’s Busking For Change song, MINYAN NGABANGKA (What’s in the Water?), created with First Nations artist Kelsey Iris and children from Brewarrina.
The free Indigenous Literacy Day Film and Livestream begins at 10:30am AEST, or 8.30am WA time, next Wednesday, the second of September, and will be available to watch on demand.
Schools, families, workplaces, libraries and communities across Australia are invited to join the celebration.
Register for the free Film and Livestream at ilf.org.au/ild