Reconciliation Week 2024
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
It needs to be acknowledged that Reconciliation Week 2024 is different this year. It comes off the back of a devastating referendum. On October 14th 2023, Australia voted “No” in the Voice to Parliament referendum. The past seven months have been deeply painful for many members of the First Nations community.
This year's theme is “now, more than ever.” This is a call to action, to engage for longer than just one week. Don’t take your foot off the gas. What can we do with our kids? How can we equip our children with the tools to continue reconciliation long into the future? Read on for tangible ways to embed reconciliation into family life.
Enjoy and share First Nations media and music with your family
Explore Indigenous books, online games, animation, and other media. Here are some kid-friendly suggestions from National Indigenous Television (NITV). NITV is an Australian free-to-air television channel that broadcasts programming produced and presented largely by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Check out the Jarjums collection for preschoolers on NITV
A rebellious boy runs away from a Catholic boarding school and tries to hitchhike to his indigenous home in Bran Nue Dae
Watch kid-friendly documentaries about Australian animals, bush tucker and country from Bushwhacked and Larapinta
Watch the animated series Little J & Big Cuz; The adventures of five-year-old Little J, his cousin and his grandma as they explore Indigenous culture and language.
A Personal favourite, to learn about country, language and cultural ways through the eyes of two amazing kids, watch Burrumbi Kids
Spend Sunday afternoon listening to BlakOut on Triple J. Nooky is spinning tracks by indigenous artists.
Use the search function on your music streaming platform for First Nations artists.
Too much screen time? Try Kids’s fiction, picture books and decodable books for beginner readers.
What might you find at your local library?
Help your child research Indigenous heroes, role models, and change-makers.
Refer to Australian history as a shared history. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have inhabited Australia for millions of years, long before Europeans settled here. The shared history starts from the time of European settlement and is often called Australian History, which is inaccurate. When you acknowledge non-Aboriginal people only share a small part of the history of this land, you give voice to Aboriginal opinions and points of view and you take another step in setting the record straight. together, we are responsible for what happens in the future
Connect with the land and explore your local area
Spend time outside as a family, showing respect and appreciation for nature. Enjoy getting active in traditional ways (like walking, canoeing, or playing outside) or try planting and harvesting.
First Nations culture and sites are everywhere. Visit Victoria has put together a list of businesses, exhibitions, cultural sites and tours in Naarm. The Aboriginal City Trail is a great option for getting out and about.
The Yalinguth app is a unique and immersive way to experience the history of significant places from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective.
Learn some common greetings or words in your local language, or research the original names of places and landmarks in your local area.
Use traditional place/country names when referring to your location, holiday destinations, or where relatives live.
Teach your kids to use traditional place names. In time the Aboriginal names will become the norm and we embed the understanding that First nations people are the traditional owners of the land. Did you know that you can use traditional place names for when mailing with Australia Post?
Attend an event
These events provide opportunities to make connections and learn first-hand from Indigenous communities. Reconciliation Victoria has an extensive list of events happening around the state.
Reconciliation Victoria reminds us all that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must continue, now, more than ever.