Celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day wherever you are in Australia

Mark the school calendar, because one very special “proud voice” will be performing at this year’s Indigenous Literacy Day.

None other than superstar songstress Jessica Mauboy is one of the big names celebrating the September 4 event at Sydney Opera House.

The livestream* of the event, free to schools around Australia, will include ILF ambassador* Mauboy introducing a short film about three First Nations Communities sharing their unique stories, cultures and languages, in keeping with the day’s theme, Be a Proud Voice for Country.

“I am so proud to be an Indigenous Literacy Foundation ambassador and support the incredible programs they run in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities,” Mauboy said. “Stories are so important. Sharing stories, songs, and keeping the fire of culture alive is so important to who I am. These deadly stories from First Nations Communities keep culture and language alive.”

Directly following the film, livestream attendees will be welcomed inside the Sydney Opera House to continue the online celebration with Mauboy and fellow ILF ambassadors Andy Griffiths, Bianca Hunt, Gregg Dreise, Josh Pyke, Justine Clarke with music, dance, art, language and storytelling.

This year’s livestream host Hunt said she was “so excited” about the event.

“This is my first ILD and I can’t wait to be involved,” she said. “It is such an important day to highlight First Nations authors and Communities and ensure our kids have access to reading. I hope you join in on the celebrations and highlight the Communities on this day too.”

Three new bilingual* books published by the ILF will be launched on the day, with VIP* guests at the Opera House including students from these Communities.

Two of the books were written by Indigenous Years 7-10 students at Vincentia High School on the NSW South Coast, created during workshops with proud Gunai Woman, author and artist Kirli Saunders (OAM) and visual arts teacher and proud Dharawal woman Jaz Corr.

Ngayawanj bagan-nggul, ngayawanj barra barra-unggul (we belong to the land, we belong to the sea), is a collection of poems and stories in Dhurga and English.

Bagan, barra barra, mirriwarr (The Boys Who Found Their Way), was written by two boys Tyran Uddin and Kayden Wellington. In the book, they meet with animals of the bagan (land), barra barra (sea) and (mirriwarr) sky, who teach them about being on Country, connecting to the land and to each other.

Vincentia High Aboriginal education coordinator and Wreck Bay Community member Aunty Gai Brown said, “These books are the culmination of years of Community dedication and perseverance to revive the Dhurga language”.

“It is the first time our Community kids have had the opportunity to express their connection to the land and waterways of their Country using the traditional language of their ancestors*,” Aunty Brown said. “The books are a visual delight, with artworks completed by the students telling these same stories visually. It is a proud moment for our school and Community and we cannot thank the ILF enough for giving us this opportunity to showcase our language and culture to a wider audience.”

Yaltji Ngayuku Papa? (Where’s My Dog?) is by students of Tjuntjuntjara Remote Community School, home of the Spinifex people, located in the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia.

The book was produced in a workshop with Scottish writer Stewart Ennis and Community consultant and artist Ange Leech. Written in both English and Pitjantjatjara the book invites readers into one of Australia’s most remote Communities.

“There are a lot of dogs in Tjuntjuntjara and the children’s dogs all had these fantastic names – Wi-Fi, One-Side, Army Girl, and so on,” said Ennis. “That was interesting enough, but then they began to draw their dogs, and these dog pictures were so full with character.

“But one of the most important characters in the book is Country itself, so it makes sense that each page of the book is framed by the images of the Tjuntjuntjara red dirt earth.”

ILF CEO Ben Bowen said, “To ‘Be a Proud Voice for Country’ is as diverse as the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.”

Indigenous Literacy Day will be livestreamed from the Sydney Opera House website. Registrations are free and open now for Australian schools and students at all levels.

Once registered, your school will be sent a link that will become available to watch on Wednesday 4 September at 10.30am AEST.

Register at sydneyoperahouse.com/form/ild

Your school or organisation can get even more involved by hosting your own Busking for Change fundraiser after the livestream. Visit the ILF website for other ways to get involved and celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• livestream: transmitting an event over the internet as it happens
• ambassador: someone who represents a particular organisation, group, activity or brand
• bilingual: in two languages, in this case written in English and the Indigenous language of its Community
• VIP: very important people
• ancestors: those who came before us, the people from whom we are descended

EXTRA READING

Song every Australian should know

Swap stories with Treehouse author Griffiths

NAIDOC week all about pride

QUICK QUIZ

1. Which well-known Indigenous singer is appearing at ILD celebrations?
2. What is the iconic Sydney venue for the ILD event?
3. How can students from schools around Australia join and watch ILD celebrations?
4. What does “bagan, barra barra, mirriwarr” mean and what does it refer to in the article?
5. What does “Yaltji Ngayuku Papa?” mean and in what Indigenous language?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Write a story
In Yaltji Ngayuku Papa? (Where’s My Dog?), Country is one of the characters. Write your own story. The only rule is that Country must be one of the main characters.

Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

2. Extension
Why are books, stories and reading so important in today’s digital world ? Imagine that you have been asked to speak about this question at the Indigenous Literacy Day celebrations at the Sydney Opera House. Write the speech or talk that you would give.

Time: allow at least 45 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

VCOP ACTIVITY
I spy nouns
Nouns are places, names (of people and objects), and time (months or days of the week).

How many nouns can you find in the article?

Can you sort them into places, names and time?

Pick three nouns and add an adjective (describing word) to the nouns.