National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day puts Tamworth on stage

The NSW Department of Education is taking its annual event celebrating National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day on the road to northern New South Wales, heading to Tamworth.

From children singing in language to Aboriginal dancing and music, the NSW Department of Education is putting on a free community event for families, children and early childhood education and care educators at the Tamworth Sports Dome from 10.30am today.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day will be hosted by Aboriginal actor and host of Play School, Luke Carroll, and is ‘jam packed’ with free community activities and incredible performances for families and children aged 0 – 5 years of age including:

• Play School live in concert.
• Aboriginal musician Mark Atkins, one of Australia’s finest didgeridoo players
• 15-year-old Gomeroi musician Kyla-Belle Roberts
• Wiradjuri performer, Uncle Johnny Huckle Wombat Wobble.

This year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day theme is “Strong in Culture, Stronger Together”, focusing on the strength of children that comes from connection to culture, Country and mob.

NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar will attend the event, now in its second year.

“We are thrilled to host the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day event for the Aboriginal communities in New England to celebrate our early childhood education and care sector,” Mr Dizdar said.

“It’s essential for children to embrace and be proud of their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture from an early age, with these values, identity and language being passed on from generations in the oldest continuous living culture in the world.”

“We know that culture is central to a child’s sense of belonging and success in lifelong learning. The Early Years Learning Framework that guides all early learning services asks our educators to build upon children’s understandings of diversity, and specifically Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.”

Learn more about the department’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day Event here.