Because of Her, We Can
The Brook Celebrates NAIDOC Week 2018
NAIDOC celebrations are held annually around Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These celebrations are a time to recognise the significant contributions Indigenous peoples have made to Australia and our society. NAIDOC is celebrated not only by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities but also by Australians from all walks of life.
From the 8th July to the 15th July, The Brook Early Education and Care has been fortunate enough to experience the beautiful celebration of Aboriginal women and their ongoing essential contributions to modern society and culture through this years’ theme of ‘Because of Her, We Can’.
What does it mean to us at The Brook?
This is a chance for us to explore our history and for us to appreciate the difficulties of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people faced and continue to face today. This week is a symbol of fighting for justice and equal rights, a celebration of culture and the roles played throughout history by strong, vocal women.
How do we explore these ideas with children?
Throughout the week, we wish to view the world from another perspective, exploring the roles Aboriginal women play traditionally and how they have made significant impacts on modern culture.
Aboriginal women have carried knowledge throughout history that have allowed the incredible traditions of dreaming stories, song and language to make up one of the oldest living cultures in the world.
We are looking at stories told by Elders, dances performed by members of various tribes, tools used to gather food, how children were cared for and what it meant to be an Aboriginal woman in comparison to what it means now.
They will explore the natural environment of The Brook, ‘gather’ useful materials from the ground, pretend to track animals and find ways of cooking without modern technology. They will explore how paint was made, tell their own stories on their yarning circles and create their own meeting places to dance and engage.
We are really looking forward to exploring the theme of “Because of Her, We Can” this year as we love to understand how people impact our futures through exploring the past.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were there at first contact and continue to carry on legacies and create new ones to change and grow the Indigenous perspective in Australia.
Join us in celebrating this week! Visit the NAIDOC website.
