How Edge inspires, educates and celebrates NAIDOC week

Edge Early Learning acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we teach on today, and pays our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

NAIDOC Week is a significant event acknowledged across the country, and this year from July 4 to 11, each of our centres hosted activations to educate, inspire and celebrate the rich history and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

From focusing on the meaning of wildlife and plants, to storytelling and music shows, here’s a snapshot of what Edge Early Learning covered in support of NAIDOC Week 2021.

At Bellbird Park, Educators focused on the meaning of ‘Acknowledgment to Country’, while also teaching the children about wildlife and plants in the area and how they tie into NAIDOC Week and the indigenous culture. The centre also selected an indigenous hero to educate and inspire students about indigenous people in many roles.

Kelvin Grove harnessed their creativity with various indigenous books and visual learnings displayed throughout the centre. The nursery children undertook an excursion to collect natural resources, and staff also organised indigenous-inspired story time, music and dance.

Music, movement, digeridoos, stories, and art were all a focus at Tarragindi as the centre welcomed Terry, Aunty Deb, Guido, and Leroy, who visited and shared their Aboriginal culture with the students and Educators. Terry, who is an Aboriginal artist, set up art tables for the children to paint a unique boomerang. Terry painted the birth totem of each child on a didgeridoo, including a dingo, bat, koala, echidna, emu, goanna, crocodile, kangaroo, and platypus animal totems and then the children finished painting it with small matchsticks. In addition, every day during NAIDOC Week the students experienced an Aboriginal music session and they welcomed an indigenous guest to demonstrate how to make bush tucker.

North Harbour engaged with their local MP, Chris Whiting, who read stories to the children, while Nundah shared Coconut Milk recipes, hosted music sessions and watched indigenous shows.

Coomera also got creative, with various art experiences such as rooms dedicated to students creating their own totems to hang in the front office. The Educators at Coomera are also reached out to a local Aboriginal artist in the hopes of collaborating on an original mural for one of their centre walls – stay tuned for more about this!

In other artistic explorations, the Bilinga centre purchased canvases for each room, allowing students to create their interpretation of the community in which they live, to produce a collective mural for the centre hallways.

South Brisbane’s junior kindy paid their respects to the First Nations People by decorating coloured handprint paper that symbolises ancient Australian art. They also learned about the Aboriginal flag and the meanings behind the colours, while the pre-prep students investigated different Aboriginal symbols and discussed their importance; from emu and kangaroo footprints to rainbows and campfires.

At Edge Early Learning, indigenous culture and practices are part of our everyday curriculum and we are proud to continue sharing these customs, values and stories with the children in our care.