Indigenous Literacy Day is proudly produced and presented by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation in collaboration with the Sydney Opera House with a free FILM and LIVESTREAM book launch and celebration on Wednesday 4 September at 10.30am AEST. It’s an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Stories, Cultures, and Languages.
This year's theme ‘Be A Proud Voice for Country’ explores the significance of Country, through many Proud Voices.
ILF Ambassador Jessica Mauboy introduces a 15-minute FILM which takes viewers into three First Nations Communities to learn about their unique stories, cultures and languages.
Jessica Mauboy says, “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. 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."
You’ll learn about Dreaming stories from the riverbank in Cunnamulla in Queensland; join teenagers as they explore culture through poetry and art in Vincentia in New South Wales; and hear incredible stories and songs from children and Elders on the Tiwi Islands in Northern Territory.
Directly following the film, come inside the Sydney Opera House for an online celebration with ILF Ambassadors and superstars Jessica Mauboy, Bianca Hunt, Gregg Dreise, Josh Pyke, Justine Clarke and more! It’s a celebration of music, dance, art, language and storytelling.
Bianca Hunt, ILF Ambassador and host of the LIVESTREAM says,“I’m so excited to be hosting this years' Indigenous Literacy Day (ILD)! This is my first ILD and I can’t wait to be involved. 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.”
For the first time, three new bilingual books published by the ILF will be launched at the Sydney Opera House on Indigenous Literacy Day and students from these Communities will travel to the celebration in Sydney.
Two of these beautiful books were written by Indigenous Year 7-10 students at Vincentia High School on the South Coast of NSW. They were created during workshops with proud Gunai Woman, author and award-winning multidisciplinary 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, 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), is written by two boys Tyran Uddin and Kayden Wellington. 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.
Aunty Gai Brown, Aboriginal Education Coordinator at Vincentia High and Wreck Bay Community member says, “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. 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.”
Yalta Ngayuku Papa? (Where’s My Dog?) is a delightful picture story book 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.
Stewart Ennis says, “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. 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 says,“The theme for this year's ILD celebration is a continuation of the practice of culture held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples speaking on behalf of Country as the Custodians.
“To 'Be a Proud Voice for Country' is as diverse as the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.Some of their stories have been captured on the pages of the three books launching on ILD. This year we celebrate the many languages and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their continued role as the voice for Country."
Stuart Buchanan, Sydney Opera House Head of Screen, says, “In the past financial year, Sydney Opera House has proudly delivered over 100 Digital Creative Learning events to more than 350,000 students across over 4,400 schools. Our ongoing collaboration with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation allows us to further our commitment to providing educational content that highlights and honours the rich and diverse stories and knowledge of First Nations peoples and cultures.”
Please join us. How to register:
Indigenous Literacy Day will be livestreamed from the Sydney Opera House website and registrations are free and open now for early learners, primary students and adults. Once registered, you will be sent a link that will become available to watch on Wednesday 4 September at 10.30am AEST.
Register here: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/form/ild
ILD 2024 is sponsored by ARA Group Services.
Your school or organisation can get involved by having your own Busking for Change fundraiser after you watch the Livestream! Visit the ILF website for other ways to get involved and celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day.
About us:
About the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) is a national charity working with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities across Australia. They are Community-led, responding to requests from remote Communities for culturally relevant books, including early learning board books, resources, and programs to support Communities to create and publish their stories in languages of their choice. Their work in literacy and Indigenous publishing has recently received international recognition by winning the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), highlighting the significant impact the ILF are making on Indigenous literacy and publishing. In 2023, they gifted 116,400 culturally relevant books to 423 remote Communities through their Book Supply program.
About Indigenous Literacy Day
Founded by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Indigenous Literacy Day (ILD), is an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Stories, Cultures, and Languages, held on the first Wednesday of September - this year Wednesday 4 September 2024. ILD shares the diversity of First Nations Languages and Cultures with audiences across Australia.
Don't forget to tag @IndigenousLiteracyFoundation on Facebook and Instagram.
Please use the hashtags #ILD2024 and #ReadingOpensDoors
Contact details:
Jackie Evans ILF Publicist 0407 776 222
