Exploring Aboriginal music in the classroom: Connecting children with culture through song

Music is a powerful way to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into early learning. First Nations education consultant Deborah Hoger shares how traditional and contemporary music can help children connect with culture, history and identity.

Music has always played a central role in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. As both a storytelling device and a medium for ceremony, learning and celebration, music offers a meaningful and accessible way to introduce children to First Nations perspectives in the early years.

In early learning settings, music also provides a joyful, sensory-rich experience that can support children’s cultural understanding and foster a deeper sense of belonging and connection.

As highlighted by Community Early Learning Australia (CELA), embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives is an essential part of high-quality early childhood education and aligns with Quality Area 1 and Quality Area 6 of the National Quality Standard. Resources like these help educators engage respectfully and meaningfully with culture every day, not just during designated cultural events.

Across the diverse Nations of Australia, traditional musical instruments were created using natural materials from the country. These instruments were not just for performance, they also played practical and ceremonial roles in community life.

Clapsticks, for example, are one of the most recognisable traditional instruments used by Aboriginal peoples. Made from wood and often ornately decorated, clapsticks are used to maintain rhythm during songs, dances and storytelling. They may be struck together or used individually against other objects such as the ground or trees. Their use continues today across many communities, by both men and women and they are often introduced to children in yarning circles and cultural learning activities.

Another iconic instrument is the didgeridoo, also known in Yolŋu Matha as the yidaki. Originating in Arnhem Land, the yidaki is a wind instrument traditionally played by men and made from tree trunks hollowed out by termites or fire. Different lengths and shapes produce distinct sounds. While the didgeridoo has become a symbol of Aboriginal culture worldwide, it’s important to note that not all Aboriginal Nations used this instrument traditionally.

Just as traditional music holds cultural significance, so too does contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music. Educators can support cultural inclusion by sharing the music of today’s First Nations artists, highlighting that Aboriginal culture is dynamic, evolving and present.

Children’s songs like Taba Naba, lullabies such as Ninganah Lullaby by Troy Cassar-Daley, or Gamilaraay versions of classics like Great Southern Land are great entry points. Artists such as Mitch Tambo, Baker Boy, Emma Donovan and Isaiah Firebrace showcase a range of musical styles from pop and hip-hop to soul and country each offering opportunities for children to explore identity, language and place.

Resources such as The Yulang Effect’s First Nations Music for Australian Classrooms provide practical, educator-friendly tools. This free downloadable guide features 44 curated tracks along with background information on the artists, their Nations and the meanings behind their songs.

There are many ways educators can explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music with children. For example:

• Create a music basket featuring clapsticks, gum leaves, and other percussion instruments for exploration.
• Explore body percussion as described in Isaiah Firebrace’s Come Together, Again, using hands, feet, arms and legs to keep rhythm and movement in music.
• Go on a walk in the Country to find natural materials like gum leaves for whistling and imitation of bird calls.
• Host incursions by inviting local First Nations musicians, singers or dancers to perform at your service and share their stories and culture.
• Play videos and performances of First Nations artists and discuss their lyrics, instruments and cultural backgrounds.

Resources such as Come Together, Again by Isaiah Firebrace along with its Scholastic Teaching Notes are ideal for prompting discussion, movement and inquiry about First Nations music and dance across 65,000 years of living culture.

When including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music in early learning, it’s essential to approach respectfully and in partnership with local communities wherever possible. As with all cultural learning, educators are encouraged to:

• Consult with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders or organisations.
• Use authentic resources created by First Nations authors and educators.
• Embed music experiences in ongoing, intentional programming—not just on special occasions or cultural days.

By honouring both traditional and contemporary music forms, educators can celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as living, evolving and embedded in everyday learning.